To view the latest Oklahoma drought map, CLICK HERE.
According to the latest Oklahoma Drought Monitor report, exceptional drought remains at 0 percent, unchanged from the start of the calendar year.
Extreme drought or worse conditions remain at zero percent, unchanged since the week of October 29, 2024.
Severe drought or worse conditions remain at zero percent, unchanged since the week of May 29, 2025.
Moderate Drought remains mostly unchanged since last week, new conditions have emerged in Bryan County.
Abnormally dry or worse conditions have remained unchanged since last week.
According to the 6-to-10-day precipitation outlook map, the panhandle will have near-normal conditions while the rest of the state is leaning above 33-40% chance of precipitation.
To view the United States Drought Map, CLICK HERE.
It was a challenging period for drought monitoring, with a broad mix of improvement and deterioration. Additionally, a significant rainfall event was underway in parts of the central, eastern, and southern U.S. when the drought-monitoring period ended early Tuesday. Any precipitation that fell after the Tuesday cutoff will be considered for next week’s map. Broadly, precipitation fell across the Plains, Midwest, and mid-South, mostly from the central Rockies to the western slopes of the Appalachians. Locally significant showers also dotted the Southwest, providing limited drought relief but triggering flash flooding. In contrast, mostly dry weather prevailed in the Northwest, Intermountain West, Deep South, and along much of the Atlantic Coast.
In the southern plains, Rain arrived late in the drought-monitoring period across the northern tier of the region. Elsewhere, hot, mostly dry weather dominated. On September 21, prior to the rain’s arrival, topsoil moisture—as reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture—was rated 78% very short to short in Tennessee, along with 71% in Arkansas. By September 23, a core area of severe to extreme drought (D2 to D3) existed across the mid-South, including parts of Arkansas and Tennessee. Statewide, 40% of the pastures in Arkansas were rated very poor to poor on that date.
In the High Plains, Most of the region is free of drought or received drought-easing precipitation, including some high-elevation snow in the central Rockies. Although rain slowed fieldwork, including summer crop harvesting and winter wheat planting, moisture should benefit rangeland, pastures, and fall-sown crops.
In the West, Worsening drought in parts of the Northwest contrasted with locally heavy showers farther south. In the Southwest, those showers led to targeted drought improvement, but also resulted in spotty flash flooding in some of the nation’s driest locations, including Death Valley, California. Farther north, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that statewide topsoil moisture (on September 21) was rated 92% very short to short in Washington, along with 80% in Oregon. Winter wheat planting has been advancing quickly in Washington and was 58% complete by September 21. Any fall-sown Northwestern crops will soon need moisture for proper autumn establishment. Currently, at least 45% of the rangeland and pastures in all Northwestern States were rated very poor to poor, led by Montana (61%).
Looking Ahead, Rainfall will continue to shift southward and eastward, resulting in a boost in soil moisture in many areas experiencing short-term drought. Five-day rainfall should reach 1 to 3 inches or more across much of the eastern U.S., as well as portions of the Gulf Coast States. Once rain ends across the Plains and Midwest, dry weather will prevail for the next several days. Dry weather should extend into the Northwest until late in the weekend, when showers will arrive along the northern Pacific Coast. Elsewhere, a late-season monsoon surge will result in unusually heavy showers for this time of year in parts of the Southwest, leading to another round of possible flash flooding. The NWS 6- to 10-day outlook for September 30 – October 4 calls for near- or above-normal temperatures nationwide, with the north-central U.S. having the greatest likelihood of experiencing warmer-than-normal weather. Meanwhile, near- or above-normal precipitation across most of the country should contrast with drier-than-normal weather in a band stretching from the southern Plains into the Great Lakes region and the Northeast.
To view the 6-10 Day Precipitation Outlook Map, click here.
To view the 6-10 Day Temperature Outlook Map, click here.
To view the Monthly Drought Outlook Map, click here.
