Drought Covers More Than 60 Percent of Continental U.S. Since April

U.S. Drought Monitor. The dry period began in early autumn 2025 and has continued into late May 2026.

Up to 44 percent of this year's winter wheat is rated very poor to poor, the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Tuesday. Nebraska shows the highest share at 82 percent, followed by elevated rates in Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. S.

Department of Agriculture meteorologist, said the Great Plains region from Montana to Texas has been hit hardest by the combination of drought and spring freezes. Brad Fuller, president of Western Horizons Corporation, noted that southwest Kansas has recorded more than 200 days with less than half an inch of rain.

Agriculture experts project a 32 percent abandonment rate for winter wheat this year, according to the USDA Wheat Outlook. The last comparable rate occurred in 2022.

Poor rangeland and pasture conditions are also affecting the cattle industry, Rippey said. In the West, low snowpack has left Lake Mead and Lake Powell at or near record-low levels, with Lake Mead projected to reach 1,036 feet of elevation this year.

The Colorado River basin currently holds 49 percent of its historic average storage. S. lettuce and leafy greens are grown in California, where reduced surface water may increase groundwater pumping. Monsoon season is expected to begin in early July and continue through September, followed by El Niño conditions that could bring additional moisture from October onward, Rippey said.