NDMC map · Updated weekly

US Drought Monitor

NDMC’s share of the Lower 48 in drought shows here after each Thursday read. The map below is this week’s.

This week’s map, your county’s numbers, and what each category means for crops.

The drought numbers are NDMC’s.

Source: droughtmonitor.unl.edu · Updated Thursdays by 8:30 AM ET
Next update: -

Is your county in drought this week?

This week’s share in each category, how long it has run, rain this year and the record since 2000. NDMC county numbers and the county’s rain gauge.

US Drought Monitor: weekly national map

The drought map image did not load.
See the current map at droughtmonitor.unl.edu.

US · national view
AGSIST's saved copy of the national map. Source: droughtmonitor.unl.edu · National Drought Mitigation Center · USDA · NOAA
Drought intensity scale
D0: abnormally dry
D1: moderate drought
D2: severe drought
D3: extreme drought
D4: exceptional drought
Crop stress windows: when drought hurts most

My rule of thumb as a crop adviser, not an NDMC rating. Soil, rooting depth and stored moisture move these a lot.

CropCritical PeriodDrought RiskWhat's at Stake
Corn Late July – August D1+ = High risk Pollination failure; grain fill stunted. Stress at silking costs more yield than at any other stage.
Corn June (early growth) D2+ = Moderate risk Root development impaired; plants stress before they can show it.
Soybeans Late July – September D1+ = High risk Pod set and seed fill, most water-sensitive stage. Yield loss compounds quickly.
Winter Wheat Fall establishment & spring green-up D1+ = Moderate risk Poor tiller development; winter kill risk increases on shallow soils.
Hay / Pasture May – August D0+ = Risk begins First cutting reduced; recovery slows. Supplemental feed costs escalate at D2.
What comes next: NOAA’s rain outlooks

NOAA Climate Prediction Center odds of more or less rain than normal, for next month and the next three months. Green leans wet, brown leans dry; white is equal chances. Copies AGSIST saves when CPC issues them (third Thursday of the month).

Release Schedule

Published every Thursday by 8:30 AM ET. The map reflects conditions through the preceding Tuesday. The national map here is a copy AGSIST saves after each release, labeled with its valid date.

USDA programs and the drought map

Different USDA programs respond to drought in different ways. LFP (Livestock Forage Disaster Program) is tied directly to the USDM: FSA counts weeks with any part of the county in D2, D3 or D4 during the county's normal grazing period (the rule is 7 CFR part 1416). The county box on this page counts those weeks for any county. PRF (Pasture/Rangeland/Forage) is a rainfall-index product and does not use USDM categories. It pays when the grid's rainfall index for an insured interval falls below the coverage level the producer picks, 70% to 90% of normal. See what PRF would have paid on your grid, every year since 1951. WFRP (Whole-Farm Revenue Protection) pays when year-end revenue falls below your insured revenue from any covered cause, not on USDM status. NDMC keeps an LFP drought page for FSA by county.

Regional drought patterns

The western Corn Belt (Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota) and Southern Plains see drought most frequently. Sandy soils drain fast and show stress first in any region. Check your county on the state view and watch the CPC outlook for 1–3 month trend.

Basis Impact

A local drought means fewer bushels coming in, and elevators may bid basis up to get them. A drought rally in futures can pull the other way. Watch both on the Cash Bids page.

Other drought resources
CPC drought outlook USDM map archive Crop Progress report Cash Bids Grain Prices

Common questions

Is my county in drought this week?
Type your county in the box near the top of this page. It shows how much of the county is in each Drought Monitor category on the newest weekly map, the change from a week and four weeks before, how many weeks in a row some part of it has been in drought, rain since January 1 at the county's gauge, and how many weeks since 2000 at least half of it sat in severe drought or worse. The numbers are NDMC's county statistics, read each Thursday after the map comes out.
How does drought affect corn and soybean yields?
Corn is most vulnerable to drought during pollination (late July) and grain fill (August). Drought stress at silking costs more corn yield than stress at any other stage. Soybeans are most sensitive during pod set and fill, roughly late July through early September. Even D1 moderate drought during peak demand can cut yields.
What is D2 drought and what does it mean for farmers?
D2 is Severe Drought on the US Drought Monitor scale. At D2 and above, crop and pasture losses become likely and water restrictions may begin. FSA's Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) counts weeks with any part of a county in D2 or worse during the county's normal grazing period. The county box on this page counts those weeks for any county. D3 (Extreme) and D4 (Exceptional) mean widespread losses and major economic impacts for agriculture. Revenue and rainfall-index insurance products use different mechanisms and are not triggered directly by USDM categories.
When is the US Drought Monitor updated?
The US Drought Monitor is published every Thursday by 8:30 AM ET by the National Drought Mitigation Center, USDA, and NOAA. The map reflects conditions through the previous Tuesday.
Does drought monitor status affect crop insurance?
Different USDA programs work differently. The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) is tied directly to USDM status: FSA counts weeks with any part of the county in D2, D3 or D4 during the county's normal grazing period. The county box on this page counts those weeks for any county. The Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) rainfall-index program does not use USDM categories. It pays when the grid's rainfall index for an insured interval falls below the coverage level the producer picks, 70% to 90% of normal. Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) pays on year-end revenue shortfall from any covered cause, not USDM status.
Which states are most affected by drought in the Corn Belt?
Drought impacts in the Corn Belt vary year to year. Each state’s history is in the US Drought Monitor record (droughtmonitor.unl.edu, weekly since 2000). Use the state view on this page to check current conditions for any agricultural state.
How many weeks does my county have to be in D2 before LFP kicks in?
USDA's rule is D2 in any part of the county for at least 4 weeks in a row during the normal grazing period. D3 or D4 anywhere in the county at any time during that period also counts, with no wait.
What's the most LFP will pay me in a year?
Five monthly payments for the same livestock in a calendar year, no matter how many drought ratings the county gets. Each monthly payment is 60 percent of a monthly feed cost, figured on the lower of your herd or your grazing land's normal carrying capacity.
Does grazing corn stalks count for LFP if we're in drought?
No. USDA counts native or improved pasture and crops planted for grazing, like forage sorghum, small grains or annual ryegrass, but not corn stalks or grain sorghum stalks.

Made by Sigurd Lindquist, CCA, Chetek, Wisconsin.