Map released: Thurs. April 18, 2024
Data valid: April 16, 2024 at 8 a.m. EDT

Intensity

  • None
  • D0 (Abnormally Dry)
  • D1 (Moderate Drought)
  • D2 (Severe Drought)
  • D3 (Extreme Drought)
  • D4 (Exceptional Drought)
  • No Data

Authors

United States and Puerto Rico Author(s):

Pacific Islands and Virgin Islands Author(s):

The Drought Monitor focuses on broad-scale conditions. Local conditions may vary. See accompanying text summary for forecast statements.

Statistics

Statistics type ?
Week Date None D0-D4 D1-D4 D2-D4 D3-D4 D4 DSCI

Estimated Population in Drought Areas:

Current Impacts


To see or report current drought impacts, please visit the Drought Impacts Toolkit, where you can find impacts from media in the Drought Impact Reporter and from citizen scientists and other volunteer observers under Condition Monitoring Observations.

Historic Impacts


No two states have the same experience during a drought. Below are examples of some of the impacts experienced in Colorado in the past. The process for developing this example impact table is described in Noel, M., Bathke, D., Fuchs, B., Gutzmer, D., Haigh, T., Hayes, M., Poděbradská, M., Shield, C., Smith, K. and Svoboda, M., 2020. Linking drought impacts to drought severity at the state level. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 101(8), pp.E1312-E1321. doi: 10.1175/BAMS-D-19-0067.1. To view a more complete record, and to filter impacts by drought severity, sector and season, check out the interactive State Impacts Tool.

CategoryExamples of historically observed impacts
D0Hay production decreases; rangeland is dry
Irrigation begins sooner
D1Dryland crops suffer
Pheasant population declines; ski season is limited
Rangeland growth is stunted; very little hay is available
Wildfires increase
D2CRP lands suffer
Farmers reduce planting; producers sell cattle
Fire season is extended
Snowpack is low; surface water levels are low; river flow is reduced
D3City landscapes are dying
Grasshopper and insect infestation are noted
Large fires develop
Pasture conditions worsen
Rafting, fishing, hunting, skiing are reduced; fish kills occur
Reservoirs are extremely low; mandatory water restrictions are implemented; water temperature increases
D4Agricultural and recreational economic losses are large
Dust storms and topsoil removal are widespread

How is drought affecting you?

Use the Condition Monitoring Observer Report (CMOR) system to let us know how dry, wet or normal conditions are affecting you, and see what others are saying.

Submit report