Molly Woloszyn

ALT A U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook map for June 18 to September 30, 2026, illustrates predicted changes in drought conditions across the United States. The data indicates widespread persisting drought across the Pacific Northwest, Northern Rockies, Great Plains, and Mid-Atlantic, while drought development is anticipated across the Midwest, South, and portions of Texas. Conversely, drought removal or improvement is forecasted primarily across the Southwest, South, Southeast, and parts of New England.

ALT A U.S. Drought Monitor map focusing on the Midwestern United States with data valid through May 26, 2026, showing little drought outside of Kentucky, southern Missouri, and a few pockets in the Upper Midwest.

ALT A map of the Midwestern United States shows the percent of normal precipitation from April 28 to May 27, 2026, with a stark contrast between dry northern areas and wet southern regions. While areas like Wisconsin, Michigan, and northern Illinois experienced severe deficits under 50% of normal precipitation, a heavy band stretching across southern Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio received well over 150% to 300% of its normal rainfall.

ALT A map of the Midwest showing the NOAA 6-10 Day Precipitation Outlook valid for June 2–6, 2026. Below-normal precipitation is expected for much of the Great Lakes/Midwest region.

ALT A NOAA Climate Prediction Center map shows the Days 8–14 U.S. Hazards Outlook for June 5–11, 2026, highlighting a large area of "Extreme Heat" across the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest from June 6–8. A smaller, overlapping shaded region indicates a "Rapid Onset Drought Risk" across parts of Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

ALT A U.S. Drought Monitor map focusing on the South-Central United States with data valid through May 19, 2026, showing widespread severe to exceptional drought conditions across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

ALT A map of the South-Central United States showing the 7-Day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast for May 19–26, 2026, with the heaviest rainfall of 4 to 10 inches projected across eastern Texas and Louisiana. Lighter precipitation gradients down to less than 0.1 inches extend northward and westward across Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, and Colorado, with tribal nation boundaries explicitly outlined.

ALT Map of the United States showing the departure from normal precipitation in inches from August 20, 2025, to May 19, 2026. The outlined area focuses on the South Central and Lower Mississippi Valley regions, specifically highlighting parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and eastern Texas. This region is dominated by deep red shading, indicating a severe precipitation deficit of 16 to 20+ inches below normal over the 9-month period.

ALT Snow Telemetry (SNOTEL) snow water equivalent (SWE) values for watersheds in the western U.S. as a percentage of the 1991–2020 median recorded by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The map from March 8, 2026 shows below-normal SWE for almost all of the western United States.

ALT Snow Telemetry (SNOTEL) snow water equivalent (SWE) values for watersheds in the western U.S. as a percentage of the 1991–2020 median recorded by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The map shows below-normal SWE for almost all of the western United States.

ALT The Climate Prediction Center's 6-10 day precipitation outlook favors above-normal to normal precipitation chances for almost all of the United States except for the Gulf Coast and Florida.

ALT The Climate Prediction Center's 6-10 day temperature outlook favors above-normal temperature for almost all of the United States.