Southwest Sees Flooding Amid Drought Relief
Recent weeks of substantial rainfall, influenced by El Niño, have brought significant drought relief to parts of the Southwest, South, and Southeast. Despite little rainfall in the Four Corners region, reservoirs in the Desert Southwest, such as Lake Powell and the Navajo reservoir, have seen rapid increases in water levels. Lake Powell has gained nearly 1.4 million acre-feet of water since mid-September, though it remains at 42% of average storage for this time of year. Meanwhile, the Navajo reservoir now exceeds its average storage by 10%. However, drought conditions persist in areas like northern Idaho and northwestern Montana, and exceptional drought continues to worsen in parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The drought picture remains mixed across the U.S., with some regions experiencing flooding due to heavy rainfall.
