Drought.gov | Advancing Drought Science and Preparedness across the Nation

Advancing Drought Science and Preparedness across the Nation

How is Drought Affecting your Neighborhood?

Where is drought this week?

March 11-17, 2020

10.5%

of the US land area.

30.1 million

people are experiencing drought.

Extreme (D3) and Exceptional (D4) drought is present in Texas.
Severe (D2) drought is present in Hawaii, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Idaho, Oregon, California, and Florida.

Featured Resources:

- Coastal Salinity Index (CSI) - A New Tool for Coastal Managers

Drought Status Updates Two-page status updates on drought conditions, including current conditions, impacts, and outlook:
- California-Nevada Drought Outlook - December 2019
- California-Nevada Drought Outlook - October 2019
- California-Nevada Drought & Climate Outlook Webinar - May 28, 2019
- California-Nevada Drought Outlook - March 2019

News & Updates

Picture of dry earth and a hand making a heart with water

New Research on Conservation During Drought

The Alliance for Water Efficiency has released a new research study on municipal drought response and water demand. The report, Use and Effectiveness of Municipal Irrigation Restrictions During Drought, explores...

Billion dollar disaster story thumbnail showing a billion dollar medal with mudcracks in the background

The High Cost of Drought

NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) tracks U.S. weather and climate events that have great economic and societal impacts (www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions). Since 1980, the U.S. has sustained 258...

Thumbnail displays the 2019 cumulative drought index values for the CONUS

2019 in Review: A Look Back at Drought across the United States in 10 Maps

Using data from the 52 weekly U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) maps published during 2019, the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) generated annual maps to...

Featured Drought Data, Maps & Tools

Drought Impacts Report

The National Drought Mitigation Center developed this database of drought impacts, which can be searched by location, type of impact, time period and more.

Wildfire Risks

The National Interagency Coordination Center in Boise, Idaho, produces these maps monthly.

Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI)

The Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI) is an experimental tool that can serve as an indicator of both rapidly evolving "flash" droughts (developing over a few weeks) and sustained droughts (developing over months but lasting up to years).

How is Drought Affecting your Neighborhood?

Current Conditions for /city/, /state/ (/county/)

RTNWSBrownsville: Worsening drought conditions continue across Deep South Texas with severe (D2) to exceptional (D4) drought levels. Portions of Zapata County now have the worse drought conditions in the United States according to the latest drought monit

RTNWSPhoenix: How about some good news for a change! The rainfall/snowfall so far this cool season has really helped out our drought situation across AZ. Something us desert-dwellers always want to see! https://t.co/dDcUQPncJK #azwx @SRPconnect @NWSFlagst

DroughtGov: U.S. Spring Outlook from @NOAA forecasts another year of widespread river flooding, warmer-than-average temps from coast to coast, and #drought persisting/expanding in CA and persisting in central/southern Rockies, Southern Plains, South TX,

RTNWSSacramento: We saw impressive #snow totals from the storm this last weekend! Here is a look at the snow depth change over the last 7 days. #cawx https://t.co/dPjNek3PP7

RTFLClimateCenter: Back to weather and climate....Florida peninsula starting to dry out with high temperatures and little rain in the past few weeks. Note - D0 or "abnormally dry" does not mean drought conditions, just a heads up. https://t.co/

RTUCDRange: Join the @DroughtGov California-Nevada Drought &amp; Climate Outlook Webinar, March 23rd 11am-12pm PT @flyingmulefarm , @ucanr #UCCE Livestock &amp; Natural Resources Advisor, will discuss #drought &amp; #ranching impacts https:/

DroughtGov: #DroughtMonitor 3/17: Next week, @NOAA's @NWSCPC sees a continued wet and cold pattern over most of the dry areas out west. In contrast, it looks warm and dry in TX, FL, and the Gulf Coast in-between. See https://t.co/QR0IQIwX9a and ht

DroughtGov: #DroughtMonitor 3/17: @NOAA's @NWSCPC Spring Outlook sees #drought expanding in much of the far West and developing in most of FL. The Central/Southern Plains may improve, including areas in CO, OK, KS, NM, and TX. See https://t.co/Gk

DroughtGov: #DroughtMonitor 3/17: For the first time since March 2019, Exceptional Drought appears in the USA, in South TX. Extreme Drought expanded in South TX, but West TX actually improved. Severe #Drought was added to the OR/CA border. See https://

DroughtGov: #DroughtMonitor 3/17: Heavy rain and snow stopped the expansion of #Drought2020 in most of CA/NV. More precip coming. On the opposite coast, almost all of FL and part of the Northeast has dried out. 10.5% of USA is in #drought with 31.1M peop

RTNWSSacramento: Some impressive snowfall totals over the last several days. Here is a a current update of storm totals with a few sites that haven't reported complete storm totals listed as well. #CAwx https://t.co/WeNEw7rtjp

RTmdettinger: This (past) wkend's storm gave Sierra water storage a kick but not a drought buster by a long shot. Almost all of the precip/snow-gain was in the central Sierra. https://t.co/DNsBA3QsBp @CnapRisa @DroughtGov @CW3E_Scripps https://t.c

RTtwdb: Texas has always had dry spells, but the drought of the 1950s was unlike any other. From 1950 to 1957, the state experienced what is known as the drought of record. So severe was this drought that it was the catalyst for major state legislation. #

RTNWSSacramento: Here are some precipitation totals from the past 72 hours. The wettest locations were along &amp; between the I-80 &amp; Hwy 50, with some spots up to 4 to 6 inches of liquid equivalent (in the form of snow). #cawx https://t.co/9

RTNWSPhoenix: And we thought last year we started off strong. #azwx https://t.co/5RPelSKYK3

News & Updates

New Research on Conservation During Drought

The High Cost of Drought

2019 in Review: A Look Back at Drought across the United States in 10 Maps

Featured Drought Data, Maps & Tools

Drought Impacts Report

The National Drought Mitigation Center developed this database of drought impacts, which can be searched by location, type of impact, time period and more.

Drought Impacts Report

Wildfire Risks

The National Interagency Coordination Center in Boise, Idaho, produces these maps monthly.

Wildfire Risks

Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI)

The Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI) is an experimental tool that can serve as an indicator of both rapidly evolving "flash" droughts (developing over a few weeks) and sustained droughts (developing over months but lasting up to years).

Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI)

How is Drought Affecting your Neighborhood?

Current Conditions for /city/, /state/ (/county/)

News & Updates

Featured Drought Data, Maps & Tools

Drought Impacts Report The National Drought Mitigation Center developed this database of drought impacts, which can be searched by location, type of impact, time period and more.

Wildfire Risks The National Interagency Coordination Center in Boise, Idaho, produces these maps monthly.

Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI) The Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI) is an experimental tool that can serve as an indicator of both rapidly evolving "flash" droughts (developing over a few weeks) and sustained droughts (developing over months but lasting up to years).

Drought Impacts Report

The National Drought Mitigation Center developed this database of drought impacts, which can be searched by location, type of impact, time period and more.

Wildfire Risks

The National Interagency Coordination Center in Boise, Idaho, produces these maps monthly.

Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI)

The Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI) is an experimental tool that can serve as an indicator of both rapidly evolving "flash" droughts (developing over a few weeks) and sustained droughts (developing over months but lasting up to years).