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US drought accelerates: +12.2% in a month
15/09/2026
The share of the United States and Puerto Rico in drought grew by 12.2 percentage points over the past month, reaching 49.77% as of September 15, 2026 (59.37% across the Lower 48 states); the affected population grew 11.2% over the same period, to 103.5 million people, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
U.S. Drought Monitor / Drought.gov (2026)
National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). (2026, September 15). National Current Conditions. Drought.gov. https://www.drought.gov/current-conditions