National Drought Situation Report

Prepared by: National Preparedness Network

Date: June 2026

Subject: Current U.S. Drought Conditions and Preparedness Concerns

Drought remains a major national preparedness concern. During the reporting period ending June 9, 2026, Drought.gov reported that 46.93% of the United States and Puerto Rico were experiencing drought conditions. In the Lower 48 states, the number was higher, with 56.16% of the region in drought.

This means drought is not limited to one part of the country. It is affecting communities, farms, water systems, livestock operations, gardens, forests, and local economies across multiple regions. Drought is a slow-moving disaster, but its impacts can become severe when it continues over weeks or months.

Current Impact

Drought.gov reported that approximately 150 million people in the United States were affected by drought during the current reporting week. The same report showed that 245.1 million acres of U.S. crops were experiencing drought conditions. Forty-five states were experiencing Moderate Drought or worse.

These numbers show that drought should be treated as both an agricultural threat and a community resilience threat. It can reduce crop production, increase food costs, stress livestock, dry out pastures, limit garden production, and place pressure on local water supplies.

The Cause and Effect

Drought creates several problems at the same time. It reduces available water for homes, farms, businesses, fire departments, and public utilities. It dries out soil, grass, brush, and wooded areas, increasing the risk of wildfire and brush fires. It also places stress on crops, livestock, and gardens, which can affect food supply and local food security.

Unlike storms, floods, or tornadoes, drought does not always create immediate visible damage. The danger builds slowly. By the time the public notices the problem, wells, creeks, ponds, gardens, fields, and livestock water sources may already be under stress.

The current drought affecting much of the United States is being driven first by a basic water shortage in the weather pattern. Many areas have received less rain than normal over an extended period, and in some regions, winter snowpack and seasonal runoff have also been weaker than needed. When rain and snow do not replace the water

being used by people, farms, soil, rivers, and reservoirs, the whole system begins to fall behind. Long stretches of high pressure, shifting storm tracks, weak seasonal rainfall, and changing climate patterns such as El Niño or La Niña can all steer storms away from certain areas. This means drought is not always caused by one single event. It is often caused by weeks or months of missed rainfall, reduced runoff, and weather systems that repeatedly fail to bring enough moisture to the same regions.

Heat has made the current drought worse. Higher temperatures pull moisture out of the soil, crops, grass, ponds, streams, and reservoirs faster than normal. Even when an area receives some rain, extreme heat can erase the benefit quickly by increasing evaporation. Hot, dry, windy weather also increases what is called evaporative demand, meaning the air is actively pulling water from the land and vegetation. This creates a cycle where dry soil leads to hotter ground, hotter ground dries the area further, and plants become stressed faster. In some places, drought conditions can become severe even when rainfall is only slightly below normal because the heat is removing water faster than nature can replace it.

Human water demand has also turned dry conditions into deeper water shortages. Agriculture, livestock, irrigation, population growth, industry, power generation, lawn watering, and leaking water systems all draw from the same limited supply. During normal years, these demands may be manageable, but during drought they place extra pressure on rivers, wells, aquifers, reservoirs, and public water systems. Heavy groundwater pumping can lower aquifer levels, especially when water is being used faster than rainfall can recharge it. Crop choices, large-scale irrigation, poor land management, loss of wetlands, paved development, and damaged watersheds also reduce the land’s ability to hold water. When rainfall does come, more of it may run off instead of soaking into the ground where it can help wells, soil, and streams recover.

Other modern water users, including fracking, mining, oil and gas operations, large industrial sites, and data centers, usually do not cause the weather drought itself, but they can make local shortages worse. Fracking uses water during drilling and well completion, and data centers may require large amounts of water for cooling, depending on their design and location. In water-stressed areas, these demands can compete with farms, households, fire departments, small towns, and ecosystems. The key point is that weather causes the drought, heat intensifies it, and human demand determines how fast the remaining water is used up. When low rainfall, high temperatures, heavy pumping, industrial demand, population growth, and poor water retention all happen at the same time, a drought can turn into a serious water supply emergency.

Agriculture and Food Concerns

Drought can directly affect farms and ranches by reducing soil moisture, lowering crop yields, drying up hay fields, and limiting grazing land. Livestock producers may face higher feed and water costs if pasture conditions decline. Gardeners and small growers may also struggle to keep plants alive during periods of extended heat and low rainfall.

For communities already dealing with food insecurity, drought can make the problem worse. Lower production and higher operating costs can lead to higher food prices. This can especially affect elderly residents, low-income families, people experiencing homelessness, and rural households with limited transportation.

Wildfire and Fire Service Concerns

Drought increases wildfire and brush fire risk by drying vegetation and reducing

moisture in grasses, leaves, and forest fuels. Even areas that do not usually think of themselves as wildfire-prone can see increased brush fire danger during dry periods.

Volunteer fire departments and rural fire agencies may face increased call volume during drought periods. They may also face water supply problems if ponds, creeks, cisterns, or hydrant-supported systems are limited. This creates a preparedness concern for both fire suppression and public safety.

Water Supply Concerns

Drought can strain municipal water systems, private wells, farm ponds, creeks, and small public water systems. Communities may need to prepare for water conservation messaging, bottled water needs, agricultural water issues, and emergency support for vulnerable households.

Small rural systems are especially important to watch because they may have fewer backup options. Private wells are also a concern because individual households may experience water problems before a larger public warning is issued.