2020–2023 North American drought

[3] Similar conditions started in other states in August 2020, including Iowa, Nebraska and certain parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota.

[9] In July 2021, after two more extremely dry winters, Lake Powell dropped to its lowest level since 1969 when the reservoir was first filling.

[10][11] Lake Mead fell to a level expected to trigger federally mandated cuts to Arizona and Nevada's water supplies for the first time in history.

It is estimated that there was more water in the California snowpack in April of 2023 than the total capacity of Lake Mead, the nation's largest reservoir.

[19] In 2020 Iowa received widespread rain in September which improved the dry conditions for the eastern region of the state.

By late April and early May 2021, though, northern, central and northeastern Iowa had fallen back into dry conditions.

The northwest and east-central regions of Iowa were especially adversely affected with extreme dry conditions by mid-August.

[26] As of June 1, 2021, Chicago had only received barely half of one inch of rainfall due to drought in the area.

[32] By late August/early September 2020, the drought conditions in several regions of the United States had worsened.

[34] The abnormally dry summer across the Northeast led to 99% of Rhode Island being in extreme drought by September.

[53][54] As of spring 2021, extreme drought threatened the southern corners of Manitoba and Saskatchewan after an abnormally dry fall and winter.