The latest verifiable U.S. Drought Monitor figures in this article are for conditions valid September 29, 2026: drought covered 49.78% of the United States and Puerto Rico and 59.38% of the Lower 48. Those are separate geographic measures, not figures for the same area. The official map page displayed a map released October 1, but an October 8 map or updated national percentage could not be verified. Check the live U.S. Drought Monitor for a later release, and use the map’s printed validity date when describing conditions.
What the latest verified U.S. drought figures show
The National Integrated Drought Information System reported that, on September 29, 2026, 49.78% of the United States and Puerto Rico and 59.38% of the Lower 48 were in drought. The figures cover different geographic areas and should not be combined or compared as though they were identical. See the NIDIS current-conditions page for the national statistics.
The October 1 U.S. Drought Monitor summary described drought worsening across much of Texas and Oklahoma, as well as Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia. Conditions also worsened in northern Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin. Heavy rain brought drought relief to New Mexico and parts of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and the central High Plains. In the Northeast, a nor’easter improved conditions in some areas, but the summary noted lingering groundwater and well concerns in coastal areas and drought across much of Maine. These regional descriptions refer to conditions valid September 29, not October 8.
Why the date matters
The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is a weekly assessment. Its map data cutoff is Tuesday at 8 a.m. Eastern Time, and maps are normally released Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. A map’s release date and its validity date are different: the October 1 release assessed conditions valid September 29.
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The official pages checked did not verify a newer October 8 map or national percentage. Other drought-related datasets with later dates do not, on their own, establish that a newer USDM map was published. For the latest status, open the official current map and confirm both its release date and the date through which its data are valid.
How to interpret drought categories
The USDM classifies conditions from abnormally dry to exceptional drought. D0 is not a drought category; D1 through D4 are:
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| Map label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| None | Normal or wet conditions |
| D0 | Abnormally dry; may signal a transition toward drought or recovery from it, but is not counted as a drought category |
| D1 | Moderate drought |
| D2 | Severe drought |
| D3 | Extreme drought |
| D4 | Exceptional drought |
When comparing weeks or places, keep D0 separate from drought coverage (D1–D4). Severity also matters: the share in D2–D4 can tell a different story from the overall share in drought.
What the map measures—and what it does not
The USDM is a broad-scale snapshot of drought extent and severity, not a rainfall-only measure. Its assessment considers precipitation, streamflow, reservoir levels, temperature and evaporative demand, soil moisture, vegetation health, observed impacts and local expert reports. Because these indicators can differ, the map’s authors reconcile multiple lines of evidence rather than relying on a single measurement. The USDM media kit and data information explain the product and its inputs.
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The map can also show impact-duration labels: S indicates short-term impacts, typically less than six months, such as effects on agriculture and grasslands; L indicates long-term impacts, typically greater than six months, such as hydrologic and ecological effects; and SL indicates both. These labels add context to the category and are not forecasts.
How to check whether your state is in drought
- Open the U.S. Drought Monitor and confirm the map’s validity date.
- Choose your state or territory map, or use the interactive viewer for a more local view. The site also provides regional maps, statistics and downloadable data.
- Read the category on the map: D0 means abnormally dry; D1–D4 indicate increasing drought severity. Check any S, L or SL impact label as well.
- For local decisions, consult your state climatologist or regional climate center. National maps are broad-scale, and conditions can vary within a state.
The interactive viewer can display additional layers, including drought outlooks, precipitation and temperature forecasts, streamflow, current weather, vegetation stress and crowdsourced condition reports. Individual layer availability varies by geography.
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How to distinguish current status from a forecast
The USDM answers where drought is and how severe it is in the assessment period. It does not predict what will happen next. NOAA outlook products address future conditions and have their own forecast periods and publication dates; do not present an outlook as observed status.
The October 1 summary included a 6–10-day outlook that favored above-average temperatures and below-normal precipitation chances in western states, while projecting above-average precipitation chances from southern Texas into the Southeast, including Florida. That was a forecast accompanying the October 1 release, not a description of current conditions; check current NOAA outlooks before using it.
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Comparing drought conditions fairly
- Compare the same geography and validity dates.
- Keep D0 (abnormally dry) separate from D1–D4 (drought).
- Track severe categories D2–D4 as well as total drought coverage.
- Note S, L or SL impact labels when they are relevant to the comparison.
- Keep observed maps separate from forecasts, including each product’s geographic coverage and time period.
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