Weekly Map - Drought Conditions

The Arizona Drought Monitoring Technical Committee confers weekly to advise the U.S. Drought Monitor authors on the current drought conditions in Arizona, and makes recommendations about the position of the drought boundaries for Arizona. The U.S. Drought Monitor is the official record of drought for Federal drought relief claims. Information used by the MTC in advising the Drought Monitor authors includes numerous drought indices, precipitation and stream flow data, and impacts data. Every Thursday, the Drought Status web page automatically updates with the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map of Arizona.

Short-term Drought Conditions

Monthly Drought Status Summary: December 2024

December 2024 short-term drought

December was very hot and dry across the state. Several locations, including Phoenix and Tucson, experienced their hottest December on record. Most areas had no measurable precipitation during the month. At the end of December, snow water equivalent in the Lower Colorado Basin was 20% of median; Little Colorado was 16%, and both Verde and Salt were at 4% of median.

For 2024, Phoenix, Page, Show Low, Winslow, and Kingman all experienced their hottest year on record. Most areas across the state received below average precipitation for the year. However, the Four Corners region, central Coconino, northeastern Pima, and southern Pinal counties measured close to average annual precipitation amounts.

Extreme (D3) short-term drought expanded into central Maricopa County while continuing in La Paz, western Mohave, and northern Yuma counties (14% of state). Moderate (D1) short-term drought spread in Pima, Santa Cruz, western Cochise, southwestern Graham, and southern Pinal counties. Together, Moderate (D1) and Severe (D2) short-term drought covered western, central, and southern counties (62% of state). Areas Abnormally dry (D0) or without drought were isolated to Coconino County and northern Apache and Navajo counties (24% of state).

Long-term Drought Conditions

Quarterly Drought Status Update: October - December 2024

October-December 2024 Long-Term Drought Status Report

December 2020 to November 2024 ranked as the 10th hottest and the 39th driest on record. Following the 2nd hottest and the 5th driest May to November on record in 2024, Extreme (D3) long-term drought expanded across western, southern, and southeastern counties. Northern counties were largely covered by Moderate (D1) long-term drought, with some areas Abnormally dry (D0) or without long-term drought. Exceptional (D4) long-term drought grew across northern and eastern Maricopa County, as well as Santa Cruz, Greenlee, southern Pima and Cochise counties, and southern Apache and Navajo counties.                     
A brief La Nina event should materialize this month, but quickly return back to a neutral phase during the spring. Odds are tilted towards a warmer and drier than normal outcome for much of the state over the next several months.

This report was prepared by the Arizona Drought Monitoring Technical Committee, December, 2024. Arizona's long-term drought status map is updated quarterly and the next update will take place in March, it will reflect the conditions of January, February, and March. The long-term drought status for each watershed is determined by comparing the precipitation and streamflow percentiles for the past 24, 36, 48 and 60 months to a 40-year historical record.

 


REPORTS FOR 2024

 

*Long-term drought status reports are represented with an asterisk