Drought Impacts Summary January 2025

Desert landscape view outside Phoenix, Arizona.  Traveller ,  Adobe Stock licensed image .

During what was a cold, dry January for the U.S., 49 impacts describing water issues were recorded in the Drought Impact Reporter. Texas had a dozen impacts documenting water shortages and dry landscapes. Arizona and Utah each had five impacts related to water issues.

Southern California has been strikingly dry since the water year began in October, drying out vegetation at a time of year that is typically wet. Those tinder dry fuels, combined with Santa Ana winds, provided the ingredients for some of the most devastating wildfires in Los Angeles’ history.

The Jan. 1, 2025, Cattle Inventory report revealed that there were 86.7 million head in the nation’s cattle herd, 500,000 fewer than one year ago when there were 87.2 million ( DTN – Progressive Farmer ). Cow-calf producers have been loath to be too aggressive about restocking their herds with operational costs, high interest rates and drought continuing to be a concern.

Persistent drought in Texas has stressed water supplies, the environment and wildlife. At the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, restrooms were closed on Jan. 1, due to water scarcity in central Texas ( KSAT ). The park's wells could not keep up with water demand, which was about 7,000 gallons daily. The wells were only producing about 4,000 gallons of water per day.

Palmetto State Park in south-central Texas was dry after a lack of rain from summer to fall ( KEYE CBS Austin ). The park’s swamp was dried up rather than being roughly three feet deep, and grasses were dead. The last significant rain fell about two to three months prior. The dry conditions threatened abilities of green tree frogs to reproduce because they have nowhere to lay their eggs. Smaller trees like hackberries and cedar elms were dying.

January marked 159 days without measurable rainfall measured by Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport, its second-longest dry spell on record ( AZCentral ). On Jan. 29, the desert city received 0.01 inches of rain, falling one day short of tying the present 160-day record set in 1972.

Another desert city has also gone a while without moisture—Las Vegas, Nevada. Jan. 29 marked 200 days since the city last received measurable rain, according to  NWS Las Vegas .

The city of St. George in southwest Utah has had its driest winter on record this year, receiving just a trace of moisture ( KSLTV.com ). Recordkeeping began in 1893, according to the  Applied Climate Information System . Consequently, the ground was too dry for a Washington County farmer and rancher to plant his alfalfa, hay, wheat and oats ( FOX 13 News ). The crops are usually planted in January. No significant rain has fallen since spring 2024.

Cache Valley dairy operators in the northern part of the state were concerned about the lack of snow, fearing that there may not be an adequate water supply in the spring and summer ( FOX 13 News ). They also worried that they may not be able to grow enough hay for their livestock.

New York’s statewide drought watch was lifted on Jan. 3, returning all 62 counties to normal status ( News10 ). The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued a drought watch on Nov. 18 due to below-normal rainfall. Up to 15 counties were in a drought warning.

Ongoing drought was affecting fish and wildlife in the Delaware River Basin, which begins in southern New York and flows south between Pennsylvania and New Jersey ( NJ Spotlight News ). The brown trout that spawn in the autumn from September into October can be more vulnerable to drying out, ice and predators when the water is low. If spring and summer do not bring more rain, wildlife will struggle.

Southern Nevada has not received measurable rain in the past 200 days and missed the monsoonal rains in 2024 ( Nevada Current ). To provide water for wildlife, the Nevada Department of Wildlife and partners hauled 37,000 gallons of water to 10 existing guzzling stations in the mountains of Southern Nevada in late December. Water and forage have become scarce and were reaching emergency levels for wildlife. NDOW anticipated having to haul water to 20 herds in February, but the animals still do not have forage to eat. Hay cannot be brought in for the bighorn sheep because they cannot digest hay. Something must be done or hundreds of animals will die, according to an NDOW sheep biologist.

More information is available at the  Drought Impact Reporter Dashboard .