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82

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

Change of
0
~674,000

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

Increase of
4.8%
since last week
1st

driest August on record (since 1895)

1.16 in.
total precipitation
Decrease of
2.76 in.
from normal
48th

wettest January—August on record (since 1895)

41.58 in.
total precipitation
Increase of
2.30 in.
from normal
Current Mississippi Drought Maps

Drought & Dryness Categories
% of MS
33.7
22.3
13.6
0.5
0.0
36.4
Drought Change Since Last Week
Dry Conditions
Wet Conditions
Dry Conditions
Wet Conditions

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Drought in Mississippi

Mississippi is situated in a region where water is an abundant natural resource. Statewide annual average precipitation is 56 inches, ranging from 51 inches in the north to nearly 64 inches near coastal regions. However, this precipitation is highly variable, and this climatic variability has led to the present arrangement of agricultural and forestry activities, urban and industrial water supply types, and other land use patterns and resource use considerations.

While droughts can occur at any time of the year in Mississippi, in general they occur during the late summer and early fall seasons. Row crops, poultry, and pasture productivity are often extensively reduced during periods of late summer drought, with pricing consequences that can last for months. In addition to the disruption of crop growth, the lack of rainfall is also a precursor to wildfires. During a drought in the fall season, leaf litter and dry brush and grasses lead to enhanced fuel loads and more opportunities for wildfire activity.

NIDIS supports eight regional Drought Early Warning Systems (DEWS) throughout the United States. In addition, NIDIS supports states outside these regions, like Mississippi, 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. 

Mississippi 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.

Mississippi Precipitation Conditions

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

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Mississippi Temperature Conditions

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

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Mississippi Streamflow Conditions

Streamflow Conditions
Streamflow Conditions
Streamflow Conditions

Mississippi Soil Moisture Conditions

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

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Outlooks & Forecasts for Mississippi

Predicting drought in Mississippi 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%

Drought Outlooks for Mississippi

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

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Historical Drought Conditions in Mississippi

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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi

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.