mastodon 4.7.3We're the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Our mission is to reduce the effects of drought on people, the environment and the economy with cutting-edge science and thoughtful planning. We host the U.S. Drought Monitor, the nation's leading resource to track drought conditions.
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This week’s CMOR photo is from Sharp County, Arkansas.
“Dried up creek that old timers say they have never seen dry.”
Submit your photos: https://go.unl.edu/cmor_drought
#drought #drought2026 #US #CMOR #photos #citizenscience #Arkansas
US Drought Monitor 3-5-26
For the 50 states and Puerto Rico, the US Drought Monitor shows 45.94% in moderate drought or worse, compared to 42.81% last week.
Colorado has seen its warmest year on record so far. It is also one of the driest, with snow-water equivalent levels below the fifth percentile in many locations, and at a record low for some.
In response, Colorado governor Jared Polis activated the state’s drought task force earlier this month, and yesterday (March 25), Denver enacted twice-weekly water restrictions.
Drought and dryness worsened across areas of the West, High Plains, South and Southeast this week.
The Drought Download video series uses maps, climate indicators and graphics to visualize the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Roz0JyJlTvc
NDMC social scientist Kelsey Varisco and affiliated faculty Deb Bathke shared their expertise in a session at the UNL Center for Great Plains Studies Great Plains Futures conference. NDMC social science coordinator Tonya Haigh moderated.
Kelsey and Deb presented about activities they have shared with stakeholders to start discussions about adapting to climate and drought scenarios.
US Drought Monitor 3-12-26
For the 50 states and Puerto Rico, the US Drought Monitor shows 45.18% in moderate drought or worse, compared to 45.94% last week.
This week’s CMOR photo is from Madison County, Montana.
“Winter seems to have missed us this year. Current snowpack is trending at the lowest level for the Ruby River Basin since records of SNOTEL sites began in 1981.”
Submit your photos: https://go.unl.edu/cmor_drought
#drought #drought2026 #US #CMOR #photos #citizenscience #Montana
Following a drier-than-normal winter, a pattern change at the beginning of March resulted in widespread heavy precipitation. This improved drought and dryness in parts of the Ohio Valley and Middle to Lower Mississippi Valley.
The Drought Download video series uses maps, climate indicators and graphics to visualize the US Drought Monitor.
Learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0K1CUlvlrs
Since the beginning of December, drought has expanded and intensified across the Lower Mississippi Valley and Southern Great Plains, which is typical during a La Niña winter.
The Drought Download video series uses maps, climate indicators and graphics to visualize the US Drought Monitor.
Learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWMJF5_vqnc
With only modest precipitation in areas of the West this week, drought and dryness intensified due to critically low snowpack. On April 8, the Washington Department of Ecology issued a statewide emergency drought declaration as projected water supplies are expected to be well below normal levels.
This week’s CMOR photo is from Emery County, Utah.
“Southeastern Utah is experiencing the driest spring conditions I have seen in this area. The snowpack this year was dismal, barely reaching more than 50% SWE for the basins. The SNOTEL sites are already reading zero SWE at multiple sites across the region. When normally this time of year they are at the peak.”
Submit your photos: https://go.unl.edu/cmor_drought
#drought #drought2026 #US #CMOR #photos #citizenscience #Utah
This week, extreme weather events across the U.S. painted a starkly contrasting picture of drought development and relief.
The Drought Download video series uses maps, climate indicators and graphics to visualize the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Learn more: https://youtu.be/-lCEgQyZldk
Drought conditions continued or worsened across much of the U.S. in February, with localized areas of improvement.
Read more in the February drought climate summary: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/425551fbc3b9434a91c368ef1b370c6c
Wildfire activity in Florida intensified much earlier than usual due to prolonged dry conditions.
Read more in the February drought impacts summary: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/a9a4932610f04a0a93ec8334fea566ae
Heading into spring, low snowpack and early snowmelt are concerns in the West. As of March 12, snow water equivalent is less than 40% of normal in some areas.
Warm weather over the past couple weeks is causing some snow to melt earlier than usual. A potentially historic March heatwave is also expected to affect the region next week.
Despite some rain in southern Florida this past week, aquifers, rivers and lakes continue to decline in the state. Southwest Florida has been in a water shortage, with additional restrictions set to take effect on April 3. Wildfires have also been a concern.
This week’s CMOR photo is from Fall River County, South Dakota.
“I have never seen the dust blow like this here before. My wind speed topped today so far at 42 MPH.”
Submit your photos: https://go.unl.edu/cmor_drought
#drought #drought2026 #US #CMOR #photos #citizenscience #SouthDakota
This week, drought and dryness worsened across areas of the West, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic. Meanwhile, rainfall over the past week led to improvements in drought-affected areas of the South, Plains, and Midwest.
The Drought Download video series uses maps, climate indicators and graphics to visualize the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6v4kHDiZw4
This week’s CMOR photo is from Benton County, Arkansas.
“Ponds are approaching 10 year low water mark. Similar to severe drought August 2024.”
Submit your photos: https://go.unl.edu/cmor_drought
#drought #drought2026 #US #CMOR #photos #citizenscience #Arkansas