U.S. Drought Monitor Update
From the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Climatic Data Center (NCDC):
“According to the December 24, 2013, U.S. Drought Monitor, moderate to exceptional drought covers 31.1% of the contiguous United States, a slight decrease from last week’s 31.5%. … Two low pressure systems brought above-normal precipitation to parts of the Plains, Southeast, and Ohio Valley, while much of the West remained drier than normal. Those areas receiving precipitation saw improvement in drought categories, while parts of the West and Plains experienced expansion of the worst drought categories.”
Read more from the NOAA NCDC news release