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Topic: Drought

A carpet of colorful (mostly yellow and orange) wildflowers in California with red-toned mountains in the distance.

Spring Outlook: Drought forecasted to expand in U.S. West, parts of Plains

March 20, 2026

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A carpet of colorful (mostly yellow and orange) wildflowers in California with red-toned mountains in the distance.

Photo showing Lassen National Volcanic Park, Warner Valley, California, May 2012. Image credit: Dr. John Cloud, NOAA (ret).

Spring Outlook: Dry in the West, milder than average in the South and East

March 20, 2025

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Weather-ready Nation

Photo showing Lassen National Volcanic Park, Warner Valley, California, May 2012. Image credit: Dr. John Cloud, NOAA (ret).

Photo showing closeup shot of sweetgrassees in a field. Drought resilience planning for the Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation will include including conservation of sweetgrass, a culturally important wetland plant which can help build resilience to drought. Photo credit: Shutterstock

Biden-Harris Administration, NOAA award $1.95 million to support tribal drought resilience

December 9, 2024

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Inflation Reduction Act

Tribal Nations and Indigenous Peoples

Photo showing closeup shot of sweetgrassees in a field. Drought resilience planning for the Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation will include including conservation of sweetgrass, a culturally important wetland plant which can help build resilience to drought. Photo credit: Shutterstock

OCTOBER 3, 2024: Vehicles passing along the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles, California, during a triple-digit heatwave throughout Southern California.

U.S. had its 2nd-warmest October on record

November 8, 2024

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monthly climate report

OCTOBER 3, 2024: Vehicles passing along the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles, California, during a triple-digit heatwave throughout Southern California.

The Enterprise Bridge passes over a section of Lake Oroville that was nearly dry on September 30, 2014, in Oroville, California. Lake Oroville, California's 2nd largest reservoir, was at 49% of average (30% of capacity), the second lowest level on record (behind 1977.) Heavy rains in December 2014 allowed lake levels to recover slightly--as of January 23, 2015 Lake Oroville was at its 7th lowest level of the past 35 years.

Biden-Harris Administration awards $4.9 million to advance drought monitoring and prediction in U.S. West through the Investing in America agenda

June 24, 2024

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Inflation Reduction Act

The Enterprise Bridge passes over a section of Lake Oroville that was nearly dry on September 30, 2014, in Oroville, California. Lake Oroville, California's 2nd largest reservoir, was at 49% of average (30% of capacity), the second lowest level on record (behind 1977.) Heavy rains in December 2014 allowed lake levels to recover slightly--as of January 23, 2015 Lake Oroville was at its 7th lowest level of the past 35 years.

Image showing map from NOAA's new National Water Prediction Service (NWPS), transforming how water resources information and services are delivered, and providing a greatly improved user experience through enhanced displays. National Water Prediction Service (NWPS) map showing River Gauge observations and forecasts and associated precipitation estimates for March 26, 2024. This map should not be used for decision making.

National Weather Service launches new website for water prediction and products

March 28, 2024

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Image showing map from NOAA's new National Water Prediction Service (NWPS), transforming how water resources information and services are delivered, and providing a greatly improved user experience through enhanced displays. National Water Prediction Service (NWPS) map showing River Gauge observations and forecasts and associated precipitation estimates for March 26, 2024. This map should not be used for decision making.

Photo of a vast landscape in Montana (2022). Credit: Getty images.

Spring Outlook: Warmer for most of U.S., wetter in the Southeast

March 21, 2024

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climate outlooks

Weather-ready Nation

Photo of a vast landscape in Montana (2022). Credit: Getty images.

Straddling the equator, the Amazon River Basin occupies more than a third of South America. Rainfall is seasonal, shifting north of the equator in Northern Hemisphere summer and south of the equator in Northern Hemisphere winter.

What's causing the Amazon’s ongoing record drought?

February 8, 2024

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Straddling the equator, the Amazon River Basin occupies more than a third of South America. Rainfall is seasonal, shifting north of the equator in Northern Hemisphere summer and south of the equator in Northern Hemisphere winter.

October 4, 2023: An aerial view of the drought-hit harbor of Cacau Pirêra, where houses that normally float on the water are lying on the river bed in Iranduba, Amazonas, Brazil. October 2023 was the world’s — and South America’s — warmest October on record.

The planet just had its warmest October on record

November 15, 2023

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monthly climate report

October 4, 2023: An aerial view of the drought-hit harbor of Cacau Pirêra, where houses that normally float on the water are lying on the river bed in Iranduba, Amazonas, Brazil. October 2023 was the world’s — and South America’s — warmest October on record.

October 9, 2023: An aerial view shows low water levels on the Mississippi River in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, revealing pipes that are typically underwater The low water levels caused barges and ships to run aground along parts of the Mississippi River in October and created saltwater intrusion concerns in southern Louisiana.

Mississippi River hit record-low levels in October

November 8, 2023

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Billion-Dollar Disasters

monthly climate report

October 9, 2023: An aerial view shows low water levels on the Mississippi River in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, revealing pipes that are typically underwater The low water levels caused barges and ships to run aground along parts of the Mississippi River in October and created saltwater intrusion concerns in southern Louisiana.

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