The U.S. Drought Monitor report released June 18 shows "Severe Drought" increased slightly in California and "Exceptional Drought" decreased in Nevada.
The Drought Monitor categories range from Abnormally Dry to Exceptional Drought. Extreme and Exceptional are the highest levels on the Monitor’s intensity scale.
"The unseasonably heavy rains last week led to some "broad area of improvement, most notably in interior west-central Nevada and northeastern Nevada," according to the report. "But dryness and warmth led to degradations in part of western Oregon."
Despite the easing of drought in parts of Nevada, "water supplies were practically unaffected by the recent precipitation, remaining alarmingly low," stated the report. "Cutbacks in water availability were not changed, and thus agriculture (which is irrigated) continued to suffer without respite."
The U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook, also released June 18, shows drought will persist or intensify in California, Nevada and Oregon through September 30, 2015.
Looking ahead, generally dry and significantly warmer than normal conditions are forecast through June 21, "from the Rockies westward to near the coast, roughly the western half of the country."
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