NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information
Issued 10 January 2025
Please note that the values presented in this report are based on preliminary data. They will change when the final data are processed, but will not be replaced on these pages.
National Drought Overview
(Very warm and very wet are defined as temperatures or precipitation in the upper tenth percentile of the historical record. Very cold and very dry are defined as temperatures or precipitation in the lowest tenth percentile of the historical record.)
Overall, when integrated across the nation and across the entire year, 2024 was the warmest year on record while precipitation was the highest for the nation since 2019 . This was a year of extremes as considerable variation occurred throughout the year and across the country. The year was unusually wet across much of the South and Southeast, coastal California and Oregon, and in parts of the Upper Midwest and Northeast. It was unusually dry from the Northern Rockies to parts of the Northern Plains, portions of Southwest, and parts of the Mid-Atlantic to Central Appalachians. Unusually warm temperatures characterized much of the year across much of the contiguous U.S. (CONUS), with 17 states having their warmest year in the 1895-2024 record and an additional 20 states having their second or third warmest year.
Weather conditions varied across the country from month to month during 2024, with short-term very dry conditions and unusual anomalous warmth frequently occurring. Some areas were excessively dry during one part of the year and excessively wet during another part:
- About 10 percent or more of the contiguous U.S. (CONUS) was very dry during June (13.3%), August (13.2%), September (16.7%), October (36.0%), and December (16.6%). October had the largest extent with more than a third of the CONUS very dry. Ten percent or more of the CONUS was very wet during January (21.2%), February (11.7%), April (12.9%), May (15.5%), July (10.1%), September (10.9%) and November (19.7%). During January to May, more of the country was very wet than very dry. The percent area statistics indicate that a back-and-forth wet and dry pattern occurred during the summer with dryness dominating in June and August and wet conditions balancing the dryness in July. Dryness dominated again in September and October, wet dominating in November, and dry in December.
- Unusually warm temperatures dominated much of the country during most months. Ten percent of the CONUS was very warm during most months, with the exception of January (9.3%). About a fourth (25%) or more was very warm during most months with the exception of January and April. During the last four months of the year (September-December), at least half of the U.S. was very warm. Above-normal temperatures enhance evapotranspiration which worsens drought conditions. This was especially a problem during late October for much of the middle third of the U.S. There were no months in 2024 when the CONUS measured very cold temperatures.
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Several areas that were very dry during one part of the year and very wet during another part include:
- the Southwest (Four Corners states) (generally dry during April, July, September and December; wet during February and March)
- the Pacific Northwest (dry during February, March-April, July and September; wet in January, August and November)
- California-Nevada (dry June and October; wet February-March)
- the Midwest (dry February, September-October, and December; wet in parts January, March-July, October and November)
- the southern Plains (especially Texas) (dry October, dry in parts August-September and December; wet in parts January, March-July, November and December)
- Ohio Valley (dry February, June, October, December; dry in parts March, July, August, September; wet January, April-May and November; wet in parts September)
- New England (dry February and September-October; dry in parts June-July; wet January, March; wet in parts May)
The Palmer Z Index incorporates moisture supply (precipitation) and moisture demand (evapotranspiration) to depict the total moisture status each month. The Palmer Z Index maps below show the monthly moisture status for each month in 2024:
On a national scale, large areas of drought affected the country throughout 2024. The year began (January 2) with moderate to exceptional drought covering about 33.0% of the CONUS (27.6% of the 50 States and Puerto Rico) according to U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) statistics. The drought area contracted during the first half of the year, reaching a minimum of 11.8% of the CONUS (9.8% of the 50 States and Puerto Rico) on June 11—this was the smallest CONUS footprint since early 2020. Drought contracted in the Southwest, Midwest, Mississippi and Tennessee valleys, and the Gulf Coast states. After reach a minimum, drought expanded to reach a maximum extent of 54.1% of the CONUS (45.3% of the 50 States and Puerto Rico) on October 29 with the epicenter expanding from the Southwest and Northern Rockies to the High Plains, parts of the South, Midwest, central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic. On November 5, abnormally dry to exceptional drought (D0-D4) covered nearly 88% of the CONUS—the largest such footprint in USDM history. From there, the drought area contracted to end the year covering 38.1% of the CONUS (31.9% of the 50 States and Puerto Rico). The areas that were least often affected by drought during 2024 included California and some of Nevada, Utah and Colorado, most of Florida and the Northeast, parts of the Southeast, Northern Plains and Puerto Rico and all of Alaska. The areas most often affected by drought included the Northern Rockies, Central Plains, Upper Midwest, parts of the Southwest into western Texas, Southeast, Central Appalachians and Hawaii.
The USDM maps for the end of each month in 2024:
Palmer Drought Index* monthly statistics, which go back to the beginning of the 20th century, indicate that 17.4% of the CONUS was in moderate to extreme drought at the beginning of 2024 (end of January). Like the USDM statistics, the Palmer percentage fluctuted through the spring, but bottomed out at 10.5% at the end of June, then expanded again, reaching a peak of 47.0% at the end of the October. The year finished with 37.3% of the CONUS in moderate to extreme drought, according to the Palmer.
| Month | USDM CONUS |
USDM all of US |
Palmer CONUS |
Very Dry |
Very Warm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23.5 | 19.7 | 17.4 | 1.1 | 8.2 |
| Feb | 21.6 | 18.1 | 19.1 | 9.5 | 57.7 |
| Mar | 18.0 | 15.1 | 18.9 | 0.3 | 27.6 |
| Apr | 17.0 | 14.2 | 16.1 | 2.8 | 14.2 |
| May | 12.6 | 10.5 | 13.1 | 7.8 | 37.1 |
| Jun | 18.7 | 15.8 | 10.5 | 13.3 | 46.4 |
| Jul | 19.9 | 16.9 | 18.2 | 6.7 | 44.1 |
| Aug | 30.0 | 25.2 | 22.9 | 13.2 | 33.0 |
| Sep | 31.5 | 26.4 | 27.1 | 16.7 | 59.2 |
| Oct | 54.1 | 45.3 | 47.0 | 36.3 | 66.7 |
| Nov | 43.6 | 36.5 | 34.2 | 0.7 | 52.7 |
| Dec | 38.1 | 31.9 | 37.3 | 16.6 | 41.6 |
*This drought statistic is based on the Palmer Drought Index, a widely used measure of drought. The Palmer Drought Index uses numerical values derived from weather and climate data to classify moisture conditions throughout the contiguous United States and includes drought categories on a scale from mild to moderate, severe and extreme.
Regional Drought Overview
West Overview
The West (Rocky Mountains to Pacific Coast) had been experiencing a multi-year drought characterized by years with low precipitation and persistent unusual warmth. Half or more of the last 23 years have been drier than the long-term average, with 2013 ranking as the second driest year regionwide in the 1895-2024 record, 2020 ranking as fourth driest, 2002 seventh driest, 2007 13th driest, and 2009 18th driest. Both 2023 and 2024 were near the long-term average with 2023 having its 61st wettest (70th driest) and 2024 having its 56th wettest (75th driest) year regionwide. However, May-October was the 12th driest such period on record.
The West has experienced a general and persistent increasing trend in temperatures for the last 40 years. Nine of the top ten warmest years have occurred since 2003 and 14 of the warmest 20 years have occurred since 2000. These include 2015 (warmest year in the 130-year record), 2014 (third warmest), 2021 (fourth warmest), and 2020 (fifth warmest). The only year in the top ten category that wasn't from the 21st century was 1934 (second warmest). In 2024, near record warmth in June (4th warmest), July (3rd warmest), September (2nd warmest) and October (2nd warmest) drove both the summer and autumn periods to their second warmest such season on record. The year as a whole was tied with 2020 as the third warmest.
Northeast
The Northeast began the year nearly drought free with only 2.5% of the region in moderate to exceptional drought. For the region as a whole, both spring and summer were wetter and warmer than average. However, autumn was the fourth driest and the second warmest on record. Beginning in June, drought expanded in the southern part of the region. After its third wettest March on record, the Northeast experienced its eleventh driest September and fifth driest October. By year's end, moderate drought covered 41.6% of the region.
Ohio Valley
The year began with drought covering a wide area of the Ohio Valley but subsided by mid-June. After an abnormally dry summer, drought developed again, peaking in late September when 78.5% of Tennessee and 87.7% of Ohio were in moderate drought. Dryness was accompanied with near record warmth. The region had its second warmest spring and third warmest autumn. Drought epicenters during the year were at the beginning of January when 93.1% of Tennessee and late September when 87.7% of Ohio were in moderate drought.
West Virgina
West Virginia began the year with 9.8% of the state in moderate to severe drought and was drought free by the end of January. Drought returned in mid-June and West Virginia had its fifth driest summer on record. In late August, for the first time in USDM history, exceptional drought was introduced in the state. By mid-September 100% of the state was covered in moderate to exceptional drought. At its peak, exceptional drought covered 16.6% of the state and lasted for 12 consecutive weeks, mostly in west central West Virginia. Drought subsided by the end of the year when 15.2% of the state was in moderate to exceptional drought.
Southeast
In the Southeast, periods of wetness were countered with periods of dryness. Overall, 2024 was wetter than normal across the region. After a wetter than normal start to the year, June was the eleventh driest. In September and October, Hurricanes Helene and Milton made landfall, contributing to the region having its sixth and tenth wettest such periods on record. Warmer than normal temperatures dominated the entire year. May, July and November were the tenth, seventh and second warmest such periods, respectively. Additionally, it was the third warmest spring, sixth warmest summer and the fourth warmest autumn. At the beginning of the year, moderate to exceptional drought covered 29.7% of the region. Drought conditions improved as the winter progressed and by April the region was drought free. Moderate drought peaked at 53.3% coverage in early July but by the middle of August only 7% of the region was in moderate to exceptional drought. Drought intensified again in early and late autumn. By year's end moderate to exceptional drought covered 26.1% of the region.
Mid-Atlantic
Periods of dryness affected portions of the Mid-Atlantic region during the latter half of the year. Of note, Virginia, had its driest June on record and New Jersey and Delaware both had their third driest September, while Connecticut had its fourth driest. Record dryness occurred in October when New Jersey and Delaware had their driest such month on record and Connecticut and Massachusetts had their second driest. During this time period a record streak of consecutive days of no measurable precipitation occurred in various sites across the region. Drought epicenters occurred in Virginia when, in late June and July, moderate to exceptional drought covered 90.6% of the state and in Delaware and New Jersey when moderate to exceptional drought covered 100% of the state from late October through the end of the year.
Northern Plains and Northern Rockies
Much of the Northern Plains was wet for the first five-months of 2024. Dry conditions recurred in northern parts of the region, especially in June, September, and October. For the year, much of Wyoming, western Montana, and the western Dakotas were dry as seen on the 12-month Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) map, while the southern Plains and eastern Dakotas were wet. In Wyoming, the area covered in drought peaked in October when 100% of the state was blanketed in moderate to exceptional drought for four straight weeks. The year ended with 92.7% of Wyoming in moderate to exceptional drought. Unusually hot temperatures occurred frequently during 2024, especially during the September-October period when ten states across the U.S., including Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming had their warmest such period on record.
Upper Midwest
Below average precipitation fell in the Upper Midwest states in February and September. Illinois had its second driest February and Iowa had its third driest. Later in the year, Iowa and Minnesota recorded its third driest along with Michigan. For the region as a whole, it was the third driest September-October period on record. Iowa began the year with 83.4% of the state in moderate to exceptional drought. Drought gradually subsided and by the end of May was eradicated. However, moderate to exceptional drought conditions slowly returned to the region in early autumn and reached a peak in late October and mid-November with moderate to exceptional drought covering 87.8% of Iowa, 80.1% of Michigan, 90.7% of Minnesota and 100% of Wisconsin.
Southern Plains
In the Southern Plain states of Oklahoma and Kansas, precipitation had wild swings from very dry to very wet. The two-month period of September-October was Oklahoma's was fifth driest on record while Kansas was tenth driest. Conversely, November was very wet for both states. Oklahoma had its wettest November on record while Kansas had its second wettest. Oklahoma began the year with 21.6% of the state in moderate to exceptional drought. Drought conditions improved in the late-winter and early spring months only to expand again in April, contract in May, and expand from July-November. Drought coverage (D1-D4) across Oklahoma peaked at the end of October at 83.5%. Kansas began the year with 53.4% coverage, but only improved slightly during the spring months. By mid-April, the percent area of Kansas covered in drought (D1-D4) was 65.4%. It then contracted to an annual minimum of 18.4% in early to mid-July, only to expand again to reach 76.8% coverage by late October, its maximum extent for the year.
Rio Grande River Basin
Precipitation in the Rio-Grande Valley was below average for the sixth straight year. In 2024, the two-month period of April-May was the 24th driest and the three-month period of August-October was the tenth driest. In the Trans-Pecos Climate Division (CD05) of Texas, total precipitation when averaged across the division, was its ninth lowest in the spring, 15th lowest in the summer, and sixth lowest in October. Prolonged warmth throughout the year resulted in the warmest on record for the southwest Texas division. Despite the record heat and below normal precipitation in the region, moderate to exceptional drought contracted slightly in the Rio Grande Valley, from 82% in January to 54.0% at the end of the year. However, exceptional drought increased in coverage, beginning the year at 4.6% and ending the year at 12.6%.
Lower Mississippi and Tennessee River Basins
During the months of August and October, the Tennessee and Lower Mississippi River Basins experienced near record dry months. The Tennessee River basin had its second driest August and it was the fifth driest for the Lower Mississippi. While September was wetter than normal, the dryness returned in October with the Tennessee River Basin having its fourth driest and the Lower Mississippi its fifth driest such month on record. Drought in these regions was widespread at the start of the year but improved during the late winter and early spring months to being drought free by June. Drought and dryness returned in the late summer months to cover most of the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valley's, contracting at the end of the year, only occupying central and eastern Tennessee, stretching into northern Alabama and Mississippi as well as south central Alabama.
Hawaii
The year began with about 22.7% of Hawaii in moderate to exceptional drought. Dry conditions during the late winter and early spring months increased the moderate to exceptional drought area to 42.2% percent by the beginning of April. April and May were wetter than normal, decreasing the drought area to 6.5% by mid-June. The last half of the year had wet and dry periods, which caused the area in moderate to exceptional drought to oscillate up and down, but overall, July-December was wetter than normal. Various peak moderate drought area percentages include 42.2% in early April, 73.1% in mid-August, and 84.6% in late October. The year ended with 39.8% of Hawaii in moderate to exceptional drought. During the height of this year's dryness, Lihue had the second driest summer, the third driest autumn and the second driest June-November on record. Temperatures, when averaged across the island chain, were near normal for the year.
Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands
The year began with 4.8% of moderate to exceptional drought coverage in the U.S. Caribbean Islands. Conditions continued to deteriorate through the month of January, peaking on the 30th with 53.9% of Puerto Rico in moderate drought. Drought contracted from that point on and by the end of April through the end of the year Puerto Rico was drought free. San Juan had the second wettest spring and the eighth wettest autumn. Hot temperatures plagued the island for most of the year, with San Juan recording the warmest year on record; in fact, most months except for three (February, November and December) ranked among the top three warmest months on record.
The year began drier than normal and warmer than normal for the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). Precipitation for the year on St. Thomas was near the long-term average, but the average temperature was among the warmest ten on record. The average temperature for the year on St. Croix was the warmest on record and precipitation was among its lowest on record. The year began with severe drought on St. Thomas and moderate drought at St. Croix. Precipitation helped ease the drought in both locations and by the end of May through the end of the year the islands were drought free.
U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands
In the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI), 2024 began with severe drought in Yap and Ulithi (FSM) and moderate drought in Pingelap and Pohnpei (FSM) and Kwajalein, Majuro and Wotje (Marshalls). Drought expanded in February to the Mariana Islands and worsened to severe drought in Kwajalein and Wotje. In March drought conditions continued to worsen and eventually peaked in April when exceptional drought covered Yap and Ulithi (FSM) and Wotje (Marshalls). In April, exceptional drought was in Wotje (Marshalls) and moderate drought covered Kwajalein and Majuro (Marshalls). Extreme drought in Saipan and Rota (Mariana) peaked in late May. At the same time, Guam (Mariana) was in severe drought along with Woleai (FSM).
Drier-than-normal weather characterized periods of the year at some locations. Here are selected precipitation ranks:
- January:
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February:
- Nukuoro: third driest February (1986-2024)
- March:
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April:
- Ulithi: fourth driest April (1955-2024)
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June:
- Nukuoro: fifth driest June (1986-2024)
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July:
- Saipan: driest July (1989-2024)
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August:
- Pohnpei: third driest August (1950-2024)
- Nukuoro: fifth driest August (1986-2024)
- January-June:
