Past 10 Months Were Driest in 50 Years

An article on DTN/Progressive Farmer

The past 10-month period in the Lower 48 U.S. states has been remarkable for dryness. In fact, it's been so dry that August 2025 through May 2026 now ranks as the sixth driest such period on record for the contiguous United States. This analysis is featured in the USDA Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin posted June 9 for the week of May 31-June 6.

The report noted that, "Across the contiguous United States, August-May precipitation averaged just 20.78 inches, well below the 20th century mean of 24.23 inches. It was the nation's driest August-May period since 1976-77, when an average of 20.20 inches fell." This dryness landed easily in the Top 10 despite near-normal precipitation in the Lower 48 states during May 2026.

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