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62

primary counties with USDA Drought Disaster Designations, according to USDA Farm Service Agency

Change of
0
~364,800

Louisiana residents in areas of drought, according to the Drought Monitor

Decrease of
3.1%
since last week
12th

driest August on record (since 1895)

2.69 in.
total precipitation
Decrease of
1.95 in.
from normal
10th

wettest January—August on record (since 1895)

51.11 in.
total precipitation
Increase of
11.56 in.
from normal
Current Louisiana Drought Maps

Drought & Dryness Categories
% of LA
19.3
6.9
0.0
0.0
0.0
6.9
Drought Change Since Last Week
Dry Conditions
Wet Conditions
Dry Conditions
Wet Conditions

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Drought in Louisiana

Although Louisiana features several large bodies of water, thousands of miles of rivers, streams, and bayous, and is home to thousands of acres of wetlands, the state has experienced occasional drought conditions. Significant periods of drier-than-average conditions include the mid-1890s through the mid-1900s, the 1950s, the 1960s through the early 1970s, the early 2000s and early 2010s, and late 2022.

A drought's impact in Louisiana may include direct effects to the local economic and hydrological (rivers, reservoirs, and water tables) resources, or may be the cause for secondary effects such as wildfires. Northern parishes have been especially prone to agricultural droughts, which lead to severe decreases in soil moisture and have serious consequences for crop production. For example, Louisiana’s late 2022 drought contributed to record-breaking low water levels along the Mississippi River.

NIDIS supports eight regional Drought Early Warning Systems (DEWS) throughout the United States. In addition, NIDIS supports states outside these regions, like Louisiana, by delivering drought early warning information through Drought.gov; investing in drought research to address key scientific and societal needs; and supporting the development of new tools and products that serve the entire nation. 

Louisiana State Drought Resources

Louisiana Current Conditions

A number of physical indicators are important for monitoring drought, such as precipitation & temperature, water supply (e.g., streamflow, reservoirs), and soil moisture. Learn more about monitoring drought.

Louisiana Precipitation Conditions

Inches of Precipitation
Percent of Normal Precipitation (%)
100%
Percent of Normal Precipitation (%)
100%

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Louisiana Temperature Conditions

Maximum Temperature (°F)
60
Departure from Normal Max Temperature (°F)
0
Departure from Normal Max Temperature (°F)
0

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Louisiana Streamflow Conditions

Streamflow Conditions
Streamflow Conditions
Streamflow Conditions

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Louisiana Soil Moisture Conditions

0–100 cm Soil Moisture Percentile
70
100
Soil Moisture Anomaly
0%

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Outlooks & Forecasts for Louisiana

Predicting drought in Louisiana depends on the ability to forecast precipitation and temperature within the context of complex climate interactions. View more outlooks & forecasts.

Future Precipitation & Temperature Conditions

Predicted Inches of Precipitation
1.75
Probability of Below-Normal Precipitation
100%
Probability of Above-Normal Precipitation
100%
Probability of Below-Normal Temperatures
100%
Probability of Above-Normal Temperatures
100%

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Drought Outlooks for Louisiana

Drought Is Predicted To...
Drought Is Predicted To...

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Historical Drought Conditions in Louisiana

Drought is a normal climate pattern that has occurred in varying degrees of length, severity, and size throughout history. Below, you can look back at past drought conditions for Louisiana according to 3 historical drought indices. The U.S. Drought Monitor is a weekly map that shows the location and intensity of drought across the country since 2000. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is a monthly depiction of drought based on precipitation (with data going back to 1895). And the paleoclimate data uses tree-ring reconstructions to estimate drought conditions before we had widespread instrumental records, going back to the year 0 for some parts of the U.S. View more historical conditions.

U.S. Drought Monitor

The U.S. Drought Monitor (2000–present) depicts the location and intensity of drought across the country. Every Thursday, authors from NOAA, USDA, and the National Drought Mitigation Center produce a new map based on their assessments of the best available data and input from local observers. The map uses five categories: Abnormally Dry (D0), showing areas that may be going into or are coming out of drought, and four levels of drought (D1–D4). Learn more.

Drought Resources for Louisiana

Stay Informed: Local Drought Updates

Drought Alert Emails
Get email updates when U.S. Drought Monitor conditions change for your location or a new drought outlook is released.

Dry Times Bi-Weekly Drought Newsletter
Issued every other Thursday, Dry Times is an email newsletter with the latest drought news, events, and data & maps.

Get Involved: Submit Local Drought Impacts

Drought in your area? 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.