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0

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

2.0 Million

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

Change of
0.0%
since last week
44th

driest October on record (since 1895)

0.46 in.
total precipitation
Decrease of
0.32 in.
from normal
57th

driest January—October on record (since 1895)

7.89 in.
total precipitation
Decrease of
0.52 in.
from normal
Current Nevada Drought Maps

Drought & Dryness Categories
% of NV
71.6
9.4
19.1
0.0
0.0
28.5
Drought Change Since Last Week
Dry Conditions
Wet Conditions
Dry Conditions
Wet Conditions

Experimental
Experimental

Drought in the California–Nevada Region

Drought in California and Nevada is a common occurrence that can last for multiple years. The regional climate is characterized by a distinct dry season (approximately May to September) and wet season (approximately October to April) defined by a few large precipitation events, though additional peaks in precipitation can occur. Topography within the region creates a diverse set of climate conditions, from the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada Range to the Mojave Desert, to the mountains and valleys of the Basin and Range. Given the extreme variability, both spatially and temporally, efficiently using and effectively managing finite water resources is a high priority.

To support drought early warning capacity and resilience to drought events in both California and Nevada, NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) launched the California-Nevada Drought Early Warning System (DEWS). The California-Nevada DEWS is a network of regional and national partners that share information and coordinate actions to help communities in the region prepare for and cope with drought. 

Reach out to Amanda Sheffield, the Regional Drought Coordinator for this region, for more information, or sign up for the California-Nevada DEWS newsletter.

Nevada 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.

Nevada Precipitation Conditions

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

Nevada Temperature Conditions

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

Nevada Streamflow Conditions

Streamflow Conditions
Streamflow Conditions
Streamflow Conditions

Nevada Soil Moisture Conditions

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

Outlooks & Forecasts for Nevada

Predicting drought in Nevada 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 Nevada

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

Historical Drought Conditions in Nevada

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 Nevada 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 Nevada

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.

Regional Drought Status Updates
NIDIS & its partners issue regional updates covering drought conditions, outlooks/forecasts, and local impacts.

California-Nevada Drought Email List
Get regional drought status updates right to your inbox, as well as drought news, webinars, and other events for the California-Nevada region.

California-Nevada Drought & Climate Outlook Webinars
These webinars provide the region with timely information on current drought status and impacts, as well as a preview of current and developing climatic events (i.e., El Niño and La Niña). 

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.