Arkansas
The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is updated each Thursday to show the location and intensity of drought across the country. This map shows drought conditions across Arkansas using a five-category system, from Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions to Exceptional Drought (D4). The USDM is a joint effort of the National Drought Mitigation Center, USDA, and NOAA. Learn more.
The following state-specific drought impacts were compiled by the National Drought Mitigation Center. While these impacts are not exhaustive, they can help provide a clearer picture of drought in Arkansas.
- Fire danger increases
- Forage crops are stunted
- River levels decline
- More wildfires occur than normal
- Crops are negatively impacted; some crops are not planted; hay yield is low; farmers begin feeding cattle early
- Burn bans begin
- Reservoirs decline; rivers are very low; rivers are dredged
- Pastures are depleted; hay is short; cattle are sold
- There are more insects than normal; trees show drought stress; wildlife seek food and water
- Water shortages are noted; water table is low; stock ponds are dry
- Crops have little or no yield; cattle weights are low; milk production is low
- Trees and wildlife are dying
- Daily life is impacted for outdoor workers
- Fire danger increases
- Forage crops are stunted
- River levels decline
- More wildfires occur than normal
- Crops are negatively impacted; some crops are not planted; hay yield is low; farmers begin feeding cattle early
- Burn bans begin
- Reservoirs decline; rivers are very low; rivers are dredged
- Pastures are depleted; hay is short; cattle are sold
- There are more insects than normal; trees show drought stress; wildlife seek food and water
- Water shortages are noted; water table is low; stock ponds are dry
- Crops have little or no yield; cattle weights are low; milk production is low
- Trees and wildlife are dying
- Daily life is impacted for outdoor workers
- Fire danger increases
- Forage crops are stunted
- River levels decline
- More wildfires occur than normal
- Crops are negatively impacted; some crops are not planted; hay yield is low; farmers begin feeding cattle early
- Burn bans begin
- Reservoirs decline; rivers are very low; rivers are dredged
- Pastures are depleted; hay is short; cattle are sold
- There are more insects than normal; trees show drought stress; wildlife seek food and water
- Water shortages are noted; water table is low; stock ponds are dry
- Crops have little or no yield; cattle weights are low; milk production is low
- Trees and wildlife are dying
- Daily life is impacted for outdoor workers
Explore Drought Conditions by City and County
View up-to-date drought conditions down to the city and county level, including temperature, and precipitation conditions, key drought indicators, outlooks, historical conditions, and water supply, agriculture, and public health maps.
Drought in Arkansas from 2000–Present
The U.S. Drought Monitor started in 2000. Since 2000, the longest duration of drought (D1–D4) in Arkansas lasted 101 weeks beginning on April 20, 2010, and ending on March 20, 2012. The most intense period of drought occurred the week of August 14, 2012, where D4 affected 53.6% of Arkansas land.
The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is a national map released every Thursday, showing parts of the U.S. that are currently in drought. The USDM relies on drought experts to synthesize the best available data and work with local observers to interpret the information. The USDM also incorporates ground truthing and information about how drought is affecting people, via a network of more than 450 observers across the country, including state climatologists, National Weather Service staff, Extension agents, and hydrologists. Learn more.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is an index to characterize meteorological drought on a range of timescales, ranging from 1 to 72 months. The SPI is the number of standard deviations that observed cumulative precipitation deviates from the climatological average. NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information produce the 9-month SPI values below on a monthly basis, going back to 1895. Learn more.
Tree-rings are used to extend the instrumental record of drought to over 2,000 years. The Living Blended Drought Product (LBDP) is a recalibrated data series of June-July-August Palmer Modified Drought Index (PMDI) values in the lower 48 U.S. states. This dataset blends tree-ring reconstructions and instrumental data to estimate the average summer PMDI values, which extend over 2,000 years in some parts of the U.S. Learn more.
Web Resources for Arkansas
Arkansas Natural Resources Commission
Arkansas Cooperative Extension | Drought Effects in Arkansas
NDMC | Arkansas Drought Planning Resources
USDA Farm Service Agency | Arkansas
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office | JAN - Jackson, Mississippi
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office | LZK - Little Rock, Arkansas
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office | MEG - Memphis, TN
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office | SHV - Shreveport, Louisiana
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office | TSA - Tulsa, Oklahoma
Southern Regional Climate Center
Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center
Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program (SCIPP, a NOAA RISA team)
National Weather Service | Southern Region
National Weather Service | Arkansas-Red Basin River Forecast Center (ABRFC)
National Weather Service | Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center (LMRFC)
Tell us how drought is impacting your community by submitting a condition monitoring report. Your submissions help us better understand how drought is affecting local conditions.