First up, the map from two weeks ago (August 17 data, released August 19):
Next, the current map (August 31 data, released September 2):
Note especially the improvement in the agricultural heartland from North Dakota and Minnesota down through Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska. And while western Kansas got drier, the drought has all but disappeared in Texas.
Finally the discussion, all from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln:
This Week's Drought Summary
This U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) week saw widespread improvements across areas of the Midwest and eastern portions of the Central and Northern Plains states in response to beneficial rainfall. Rainfall accumulation in these areas ranged from 2 to 12+ inches leading to one-category improvements across areas of the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In the South, Hurricane Ida made landfall along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana on Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. The hurricane caused extensive infrastructure damage including widespread power outages in Louisiana and Mississippi, impacting more than 1 million homes and businesses as well as stranding residents amongst the floodwaters. In the West, dry conditions persisted across most of the region with approximately 90% of the region currently categorized as “in drought”...
....MUCH MORE.
