Western Drought Status Update: July 2022

Compared to one year ago, the area in drought in the western U.S. shrank from 89% to 73%, while the area in Exceptional Drought (D4) dropped from 25% to 7%. Spring storms in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies removed drought in parts of those regions. A robust summer monsoon has improved drought in parts of the Southwest, especially western New Mexico. The Southwest, California, and even parts of the Northwest have been stuck in a 20+ year megadrought, influenced by climate change. While this megadrought has improved or worsened at times, the last two years have been particularly dry for the West as a whole.

This four-page drought status update for the Western U.S. (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming) provides timely information on the current drought status and outlook, water supply conditions, and wildfire impacts.