Nearly two-thirds of California was “abnormally dry” as the state braced for more hot, dry weather and strong winds, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor’s latest update. About a third of the Golden State was experiencing “moderate” to “exceptional” drought conditions as of Thursday, June 19, the U.S. Drought Monitor said, with Southern California and parts of the Central Valley getting hit the hardest. … Recent hot spells and dryness have “manifested in rapidly developing soil moisture shortages, declining prospects for summer water supplies, an elevated wildfire threat, a boost in irrigation demands and increased stress on rain-fed crops,” researchers wrote in a weekly national drought summary. Bouts of warm weather have resulted in the rapid drying and early melting of the snow pack, leading to “a variety of agricultural and water-supply issues and concerns.”

Other drought news around the West:

• KSL (Salt Lake City, Utah): What Utah’s water situation looks like as drought spreads to start summer
• Las Cruces Sun News (N.M.): Opinion: Continuing drought imperils vital pollinators