What factors make up the U.S. Drought Monitor?

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The United States Drought Monitor is a map released every Thursday morning showing the different levels of drought in the area.

The lowest level of the six tells us that conditions are normal. The next level down is considered abnormally dry, areas that may be going into or are coming out of drought.

From there we go to the next four levels of drought beginning with moderate, then severe, followed by extreme and capped by exceptional.

A MODERATE...