Has the Drought Improved?

Jon Erdman Published: Apr 25, 2013, 2:09 PM EDT weather.com

Chipping Away at the Drought

Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Drought Mitigation Center

 

As of late April 2013, drought has been wiped out of the Ohio and mid-Mississippi Valleys, Alabama and most of Georgia. Drought improvement has also been noted in parts of the Plains and Rockies.

Above: These maps show drought status over the Lower 48 States. Click the Previous and Next buttons to see how drought conditions have changed.

We've had a series of winter storms produce heavy snow in parts of the Rockies and Upper Midwest.  In some locations, this snow set April records.

The Latest on the Drought

Then, flooding rainfall inundated parts of the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys.  Not exactly the kind of "drought relief" you'd like.

(FLOOD RECAPS:  Photos | News)

So, what, if any, impact has this recent heavy precipitation had on the massive drought spanning from the nation's heartland to the West?

http://www.weather.com/news/drought/drought-improvement-midwest-20130425