Drought
Below normalCalifornia drought
Share of state area in drought (D1-D4) or worse, week over week
Data through Aug 25, 2026 · source last checked Aug 27, 2026 · page revised Aug 27, 2026
Cite
- % in drought
About this data
- Source
- US Drought Monitor (National Drought Mitigation Center, USDA, NOAA)
- Series
- Share of area in moderate drought (D1) or worse
- Geography
- California
- Unit
- %
- Calculation
- Conditions as of the prior Tuesday
- Last observation
- Aug 25, 2026
- Update frequency
- Weekly, released Thursdays
Drought worsened week over week (now 14%).
California drought coverage rose to 14% of state area, up 7 percentage points week over week. Year over year and versus the 5-year median, coverage has declined 26 percentage points.
| Period | Current | Prior | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week over week | 14% | 7% | +7 pts |
| Month over month | 14% | 7% | +7 pts |
| Year over year | 14% | 40% | -26 pts |
| vs 5-yr median | 14% | 40% | -26 pts |
Previous weeks
Week of Aug 18, 2026
Drought coverage stood at 7% on August 18, up 1 percentage point from the prior week. Year over year, the state's drought area fell 32 percentage points from 40%, and remains well below the 5-year median of 40%.
An earlier week
California drought coverage held at 7% for the week. Over the month it rose 1 point from 6%, but year over year coverage fell from 40% to 7%. At 7%, coverage sits well below the 5-year median of 40%, per the US Drought Monitor.
Week of Aug 13, 2026
California held at 7% of its area in moderate drought or worse, unchanged on the week. Coverage worsened one point month over month but fell 33 points year over year, 33 points below the 5-year median of 40%.