It was around 5-10°F above normal in the central U.S., an area that continued to see dry conditions this past week.
In general, drought expanded across parts of the West, Southern Plains, Midwest, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic and contracted across part of the South.
Moderate drought (D1) was introduced to a small region of eastern Pennsylvania while another D1 area in Maryland was extended south slightly into Virginia.
Moderate drought expanded into southern and eastern Marion County.
South For the first time in over 3 and 1/2 months, a widespread soaking rain fell over large parts of the region this week, where 1 to 2+ inches of rain was received in places, including over the extreme drought (D3) area around the Texas / Louisiana / Arkansas border, which shrank considerably.
Unfortunately, that rain did not extend to northern Texas or Oklahoma, where continued dryness led to deterioration in several areas, including Foard County just south of the Texas Panhandle, where extreme drought developed.
Abnormally dry conditions spread north and south in central Iowa and in the eastern portion of the state.
Abnormally dry conditions also spread northward over the state, especially notable in the eastern half.
Moderate drought (D1) expanded eastward in western Colorado where there was generally less than 60% of normal snowpack for the cold season to date and temperatures have been much warmer than normal in November and early December.
A swath from eastern Texas to North Carolina, most of Kentucky, and southern Virginia are expected to receive between two and six inches of precipitation.