Drought Conditions in the United States are Getting Worse

Drought conditions are worsening throughout wide sections of the United States, according to the latest Drought Monitor map released this week.

While April began with strong rains in sections of the Midwest, South, and Southeast, which helped to alleviate drought conditions in those areas, drought conditions in the West and Hawaii worsened.

Drought conditions are so bad in the West that many locations are setting records for the driest three-month period on record (January-March).

According to the latest Drought Monitor map released this week, drought conditions are worsening across much of the country.

While April began with substantial rainfall in sections of the Midwest, South, and Southeast, which helped to alleviate drought conditions in those areas, drought conditions across the country worsened.

Extreme drought gets hotter every month

(Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Apart from the bone-dry conditions in the West, New England and sections of the Mid-Atlantic also are exeedingly dry, as per Weatherboy.

Because New England received just near-normal precipitation, the long-term drought that has been affecting northern Vermont and New Hampshire has remained unchanged.

According to the latest Drought Monitor update, abnormal dryness has spread across the Mid-Atlantic region in the short term, with precipitation deficits, stream flow readings, and soil moisture levels all falling below normal.

Drought conditions have worsened in southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey.

Alaska is one place where there is never drought. In the most recent Drought Monitor update, Alaska is still drought-free.

Despite recent temperatures that have been substantially above normal, the snowpack remains well above normal, and in some cases at record high levels.

The map is divided into five categories: abnormally dry (D0), which indicates places that may be entering or exiting drought, and four stages of drought: moderate (D1), severe (D2), extreme (D3), and exceptional (D4).

Since its inception in 1999, the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) have collaborated to produce the Drought Monitor product Agriculture Department (USDA)

The NDMC hosts the drought monitor's website and data, as well as providing the map and data to NOAA, USDA, and other organizations.

Read more: California Keeps Experiencing Extreme Drought in Spite of Record-Setting Snow

Texas has the worst drought

Texas is experiencing its worst drought since 2011, when 95 percent of the state was affected.

According to the University of Texas at Austin, arid conditions cost over $7 billion in crop and livestock losses, started wildfires, strained electricity infrastructures, and drained reservoirs to dangerously low levels eleven years ago.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 85 percent of Texas was in drought as of April 7, affecting an estimated 17 million Texans.

Drought Monitor is a website dedicated to tracking drought conditions. Approximately 41% of the state is experiencing severe or exceptional drought.

Experts claim the Panhandle, the High Plains, and southwestern Texas have been dry for years.

Drought conditions have been aggravated by above-normal temperatures, below-normal precipitation, and high winds, according to the US Drought Monitor.

According to data from the National Centers for Environmental Information, this is the state's sixth driest period on record.

Related article: Drought is Coming! Scientists Predict Severe and Widespread Drought in 21st Century