The U.S. Isn’t Nearly As Dry As It Was A Year Ago

The United States isn’t nearly as dry as it was a year ago, as demonstrated by massive spring floods, and one area of the West has seen the most dramatic improvement. About only 4 percent of the contiguous U.S. was experiencing drought conditions on June 11, compared to just under 28 percent a year ago, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. T​he greatest improvements have been in parts of the Southwest, Great Basin and Rockies, and most of the U.S. is expected to remain drought-free this summer. Last June, over 9 percent of the contiguous U.S. – including parts of the Southwest, southern Rockies and Plains – was in extreme or exceptional drought.