Drought
Above normalNevada drought
Share of state area in drought (D1-D4) or worse, week over week
Data through Sep 29, 2026 · source last checked Oct 1, 2026 · page revised Oct 1, 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
- Nevada
- Unit
- %
- Calculation
- Conditions as of the prior Tuesday
- Last observation
- Sep 29, 2026
- Update frequency
- Weekly, released Thursdays
Drought held steady week over week (now 96%).
Ninety-six percent of Nevada was in moderate drought or worse, unchanged on the week. Coverage worsened 6 points from last month and sits 17 points above both its year-ago level and the 5-year median.
| Period | Current | Prior | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week over week | 96% | 96% | +0 pts |
| Month over month | 96% | 89% | +6 pts |
| Year over year | 96% | 78% | +17 pts |
| vs 5-yr median | 96% | 78% | +17 pts |
| Category | Share of area in this category | At this level or worse |
|---|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry | 4.2% | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought | 36.3% | 95.8% |
| D2 severe drought | 52.4% | 59.4% |
| D3 extreme drought | 6.3% | 7% |
| D4 exceptional drought | 0.7% | 0.7% |
Previous weeks
Week of Sep 22, 2026
Nevada drought coverage reached 96%, up 4 points week over week per the US Drought Monitor. Over the month it has risen 6 points, and over the past year 17 points. Coverage sits 17 points above the 5-year median for this period.
Week of Sep 8, 2026
Nevada drought coverage held at 89% week over week. Over the past month it rose 14 points, and year over year it has climbed 24 points. Coverage stands 24 points above the 5-year median.
Week of Sep 1, 2026
Nevada drought coverage held steady at 89% week over week. Month over month the share rose 14 percentage points from 75%, and year over year it has climbed 24 points to sit 24 points above the 5-year median.
Week of Aug 25, 2026
Drought now covers 89% of Nevada, up 1 point week over week. Month over month the expansion was sharper, a 14-point jump from 75%. Against the 5-year median of 65%, the state is 24 points worse, per the US Drought Monitor.
Nevada drought conditions
Nevada has 95.8% of its area in drought (D1 or worse) on the US Drought Monitor map dated Sep 29, 2026, and 100% at least abnormally dry (D0 or worse). The most severe category present is D4, exceptional drought, covering 0.7% of the state.
Over the last 52 weekly maps the share in drought ranged from 20% (Jan 13, 2026) to 95.8% (Sep 22, 2026), and every one of them showed at least some drought.
The Monitor sorts land into five categories, from D0, abnormally dry and not yet drought, to D4, exceptional drought, and this page counts D1 through D4 as drought. The guide to what D0 to D4 mean explains each class, who draws the weekly map and why it lags a fast-moving storm.