Drought is sweeping across most of the U.S. this summer, but for the first time in a while, Ohio is actually doing OK.

Why it matters: Prolonged dry conditions have widespread impact, from damaged crops to crispy lawns and gardens and potentially higher water bills.

The big picture: Ohio is one of just a handful of states currently without major drought, based on U.S. Drought Monitor maps released every Thursday.

Zoom in: Despite a hotter-than-normal July, Columbus' unusually rainy and cool May has kept things moist enough to prevent issues — at least for now.

• Last year, drought first struck Ohio at the very end of summer, records show. "Abnormally dry" conditions lingered in Central Ohio through fall.
• Northwest Ohio was hit hardest, remaining in "extreme drought" from September to March.

Flashback: Summer 2024 brought the worst drought our state has experienced since 1988, while 2023 brought "moderate drought" in June and October.

• 2021 was the last time conditions were relatively normal the entire year locally.

Yes, but: Current conditions can change quickly. Peak summer heat is here and June and July precipitation has been below average, National Weather Service meteorologist Matthew Campbell tells Axios.

• The Climate Prediction Center's seasonal outlook didn't favor above- or below-average temperatures or precipitation for Ohio, so it's hard to say what comes next.

Fun fact: Remember all that snow we got in January? It didn't do much to help our situation.

• It contains much less liquid than you'd expect, as it's mostly air, Campbell says.

Case in point: January 2026's 13.1 inches of snow amounted to just 1.63 inches of precipitation, about half of what's normal (exactly 3 inches).

Up next this week: The other end of the Ohio weather spectrum — highs in the 90s and no rain for the foreseeable future. Stay hydrated.

Let's take the bite out of these dog days with another chance to win some free Axios swag.

How it works: How many times do you think Columbus will hit a high temperature of 90 degrees or greater this summer?

Pro tip: We're using meteorological summer (June, July and August).

• We've already had nine days above 90 so far, so don't guess lower than that.

Context: Last summer's total was 22.

📬 Reply to this email with your prediction. The person with the closest guess wins!

Construction is starting soon on Ohio's first mountain coaster, just a short trip away in the Hocking Hills.

For the unfamiliar: They're scenic, gravity-driven rides on tracks built into mountainsides, with single-car riders using hand brakes to control the speed.

Zoom in: Ohio's will contain over 3,600 feet of track for about a 5-minute trip with speeds up to 26 mph. It's expected to open next year, WSYX-TV reports.

• Watch a hype video.

🚗 Need road trip inspo? Nearby Tennessee is apparently the Mountain Coaster Capital of the World, with about a dozen to choose from in the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area.

• There's also the Crystal Coaster Alpine Slide in Thompsonville, Michigan.
• All are about a six-hour drive from Columbus.

If you're house-hunting with a modest budget of $1 million, we regret to inform you that a luxury home may soon be out of reach in Columbus.

Stat du jour: Our metro area's luxury home price crossed over the $1 million threshold for the first time in May and now sits at $1,017,342, according to new Redfin data.

• "Luxury homes" are those estimated to be in the top 5% of the local market.

Yes, but: That's still a bargain compared to most other places in the U.S., where demand and prices for luxury homes are booming.

• The national median price is $1,374,470 and many California mansions are well over $5 million.

👀 The other side: You always consider relocating to Cleveland.

The summer ice creams keep on coming — this time with another batch of seasonal flavors from Columbus' own Jeni's.

I tried them:

⛺️ Campfire S'mores is about what you'd expect: marshmallow and toasted sugar ice cream with "gooey chocolate" and graham cracker pieces.

• This s'mores flavor is more chocolate and marshmallow-forward than graham cracker or smokey, but it's delicious.
• The chocolate really is gooey, though. It's the chocolate equivalent of a big cheese pull when you scoop it.

🍓 Strawberry Pretzel Pie is a rich cream cheese ice cream filled with pretzel streusel and strawberry sauce.

• There was a little less strawberry and pretzel than I expected, but if you get it all in one bite, it's an incredible flavor.
• The streusel is the star — I would eat a flavor that's just vanilla ice cream and pretzel streusel.

🌶️ Hibiscus Chili Punch Sorbet is juicy, but with a spicy bite from jalapeno and black pepper.

• Easily the most ambitious of the bunch, this is a tasty sorbet but much spicier than I anticipated.
• I couldn't handle more than a couple bites, but I'm planning to make a margarita with it.

Pro tip: Mixing the s'mores and strawberry together created one of the best bowls of ice cream I've ever had.

• It's like a self-contained sundae.

The last scoop: These are limited time offerings, so get them in Jeni's shops while they're still around this summer.