The U.S. Drought Portal | Drought.gov
Stay informed with real-time drought data, forecasts, and planning tools at Drought.gov - your resource for understanding and preparing for droughts nationwide.
www.drought.govHere are the latest publicly available highlights about the United States Drought Monitor (USDM) as of May 2026.
Direct answer
- The USDM provides a weekly map and accompanying data that classify drought conditions across the United States into five categories: D0 (Abnormally Dry) through D4 (Exceptional Drought). Updates typically release on Thursdays and are produced jointly by NDMC, NOAA, and USDA.[2][7]
Key sources and what they cover
- Drought.gov (USDM portal): Real-time drought data, forecasts, and planning tools; celebrates 20 years of drought early warning and resilience efforts in 2026. This site is the primary hub for current maps, outlooks, and local impacts.[1]
- USDA Climate Hubs – U.S. Drought Monitor page: Describes the five drought categories, the weekly release cadence, and how producers use USDM to access drought assistance programs.[2]
- Climate Prediction Center (NOAA) drought information: Explains how the USDM feeds into drought outlooks (SDO and MDO) and notes potential inconsistencies due to timing between outlook products.[4]
- Current conditions and regional summaries: The USDM site and its partners provide current map views, regional conditions, and impact reporting to help interpret drought risk and response needs.[6][8]
What this means for you
- If you need the current state of drought nationally or in a specific region, check the latest weekly USDM map on drought.gov and review the accompanying brief for regional notes, forecast implications, and potential impacts on water and agriculture.[7][1]
- For guidance on how drought classifications translate into policy or assistance, the USDM page explains how classifications are used for programs like emergency loans and forage support.[2]
Illustration
- If you’d like, I can fetch the current weekly USDM map and summarize drought categories by region (e.g., West, Plains, Southeast) and highlight any changes from the previous week. I can also provide a short regional outlook based on CPC notes.
Would you like me to provide a region-by-region snapshot of the latest USDM map and any notable changes this week, along with a brief outlook? I can also tailor the summary to your area near Marseille if you’re interested in global drought context.