Map released: Thurs. October 3, 2024
Data valid: October 1, 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 Hawaii 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
D0Corn quality declines; less water is available for irrigation
Hiking trails are noticeably dry with soil erosion
D1Concerns about fire danger increase
More bugs observed than normal
Pasture and crop growth is stunted; farmers are not allowed to use reservoir water for irrigation
Water levels decline; voluntary water restrictions are issued; reservoir levels are depleted in high elevations
D2Fire danger is high
Pasture conditions are very dry/poor; cattle health is poor; protea, coffee bean, sugar cane crops struggle
Reservoir levels are low; springs are dried up; mandatory water restrictions are implemented
D3Fires spread rapidly; outdoor burn bans are implemented
Producers cull cattle, buy supplements and haul water for livestock
Sugar cane producer lays off many employees
Trees are dry and dropping leaves; feral donkeys move into populated areas
Water production is reduced
D4Cattle die; cattle conception rates are reduced
Hunting areas and hiking trails may be closed due to increased fire danger
Specialty crops, orchards are dying
Surface water is severely impacted
Tree beetle populations decline

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