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# California 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_

> 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.

## The numbers

| 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 |

## 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 period: Conditions as of the prior Tuesday
- Last observation: Aug 25, 2026
- Update frequency: Weekly, released Thursdays

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Cite: California: 14% of area in drought (D1-D4) or worse as of Aug 25, 2026 (US Drought Monitor). The Waterline. https://the-waterline.com/drought/california
Canonical URL: https://the-waterline.com/drought/california