Last week, the U.S. Drought Monitor saw an active pattern nationwide as a series of storms delivered much-needed rain and mountain snow to portions of the Southwest, while a wintry mix of freezing rain and snow visited the lower Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and the Southern Tier from Texas to Georgia.

About 52% of the contiguous U.S. is in some form of drought currently, compared to 53.4% one year ago. About 3.2% is in the most extreme drought rating, compared to just 1.6% one year ago.

Regionally, the Northeast remained drought-free on the drought map this week as cold temperatures and snow continued. As of March 1, the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Boston reported that several locations experienced their snowiest winter on record including Boston (99.4 inches) and Worcester, Mass. (101.4 inches), according to this week's Drought Monitor author David Simeral of the Western Regional Climate Center.

For more information from the U.S. Drought Monitor, click here.

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