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?

October 14-20, 2020

39.5%

of the US land area.

73.7 million

people are experiencing drought.

Extreme (D3) and Exceptional (D4) drought is present in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, California, Hawaii, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Severe (D2) drought is present in Hawaii, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.

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

A whiteboard with people showcasing different aspects of research

NIDIS Announces Five New Research Projects

NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) Program is announcing five new 2-year projects in Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20), through a multi-program collaboration, that aim to improve our understanding and...

Ecological Drought Enters Unfamiliar Territory

Novel forms of drought are emerging globally due to a warming climate, shifting ocean and atmospheric teleconnection patterns, expanding human water use, and a history of human influence on the environment. These...

A sampling of maps showing the current state of drought in the United States

2020 Drought Update: A Look at Drought Across the United States in 15 Maps

This series of maps shows the current state of drought in the United States. Included are the factors that have led to the drought, primarily below average precipitation coupled with...

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/)

RTNWSSacramento: EXTREME fire weather conditions are forecast tomorrow - Monday‼️ --It is vital that you prepare an emergency plan NOW for if a fire starts near you! Visit https://t.co/4PbDmtOuXj for wildfire safety &amp; preparedness information

DroughtGov: Anatomy of an Atypical Drought Interactive story map by @NWSJuneau on the historic 2017-19 Southeast Alaska drought shows how it can rain 100" but still be #drought. Also how a multi-year drought begins, progresses, and ends. See https:

DroughtGov: Register for Monday's Pacific Northwest Drought and Climate Webinar! According to the Oct 20 #DroughtMonitor, 44.8% of the Northwest is in #drought, including 15.3% in D3. Will the drought continue through fall? Will La Nina help? Find

RTColoradoClimate: Come quickly, snowstorm! https://t.co/rhhmzJMr4U

RTColoradoClimate: #DroughtMonitor map released this morning with expansion of D3 and D4 conditions. The #EastTroublesomeFire in Grand County in the midst of D3/D4 #drought. https://t.co/rioUzdGDPe

RTCW3E_Scripps: The 2020 North American Monsoon season was characterized by extreme heat and a lack of rainfall across the southwestern US. Anomalously warm and dry summer weather caused drought conditions to worsen considerably. #azwx For more informati

RTWeather_West: A really dangerous combination with the very strong offshore wind event coming up this weekend. #CAwx #CAfire https://t.co/LUT7dSWJhp

RTNWSBoulder: GOES East Satellite Time Lapse of the East Troublesome Fire #cowx https://t.co/HzZsAGZp4a

DroughtGov: Lots to unpack w/ the forecasts for #drought areas. Next 1-7 days from @NOAA's @NWSWPC: Really cold in most of the West. Parts may see lots of snow. Wet in the Midwest/East. 6-10 days from @NWSCPC: Stays cold over most of the USA. East/

DroughtGov: #DroughtMonitor 10/20: Spotlight on CO River Basin, where things have gone from bad to worse. 20.3% is in Exceptional Drought, the most D4 since Sept 2002. Next few days look hopeful, but the long-term forecast is problematic w/ La Nina expe

DroughtGov: #DroughtMonitor 10/20: In this week's change map, Extreme and Exceptional #Drought expanded further across the Southwest, Central Rockies, and W. TX. Meanwhile, rain/snow eased #drought a bit in the northern USA and parts of the Midwest.

DroughtGov: #DroughtMonitor 10/20: #Drought continues to wreak havoc in the West, this last week particularly in CO, where high winds and dry fuels led to new and expanding wildfires. But help (snow) is on the way. #Drought2020's Footprint: 39.5% of

RTColoradoClimate: The Grand Lake climate station (roughly 15 miles from where the #EastTroublesomeFire has exploded today) has had just 0.94" of precip since July 1, compared to the normal of 7.07". The next driest year over this period was 191

RTNWSJuneau: As we enter a new water year, and streams/reservoirs replenish from summer rains, we take a moment to reflect back on the extreme #DROUGHT conditions that took hold of the SE Panhandle. Check out this new interactive story detailing 2017-2019

RTsouthwest_casc: Check out @CLIMAS_UA SW Climate Outlook for the month of October! Gives an overview of climate characteristics over the last month including precipitation, drought and temperature analysis. Download the pdf as well as past outlooks here

News & Updates

NIDIS Announces Five New Research Projects

Ecological Drought Enters Unfamiliar Territory

2020 Drought Update: A Look at Drought Across the United States in 15 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).