What state is in the worst drought?

As of early January 2026, several Western states, particularly Colorado, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, Arizona, and the entire Colorado River Basin, are facing severe drought conditions, with Colorado experiencing its worst in years and the Pacific Northwest dealing with its third consecutive drought year, impacting vast regions with extreme dryness and water scarcity. Florida also saw its entire state in some form of drought at the very start of the year, highlighting broad impacts.

Which state has the worst drought?

Between 2020 and 2022, eastern Connecticut experienced one of the worst droughts in the last 100 years.

What is the driest state in the USA?

The driest state in the USA is Nevada, consistently receiving the least annual rainfall, averaging less than 10 inches per year, far below the national average, largely because the Sierra Nevada mountains block Pacific moisture. Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, and New Mexico follow as the next driest states, all characterized by desert climates with very low precipitation.
 

Which state is most affected by drought?

Rajasthan is one of the most drought-prone states in India, characterized by low rainfall, hot and dry climate and arid regions. It receives very less rainfall annually, mostly between 150-750 mm. Large areas of western Rajasthan like Jodhpur and Bikaner are prone to frequent droughts.

What are the top 3 worst droughts?

The three longest drought episodes occurred between July 1928 and May 1942 (the 1930s Dust Bowl drought), July 1949 and September 1957 (the 1950s drought), and June 1998 and December 2014 (the early 21st-century drought).

Western U.S. seeing the worst drought in 1,200 years, study reports

Why has 2025 been so dry?

High pressure has been a frequent feature of 2025's weather. Areas of high pressure form as air descends in the atmosphere, leading to largely dry and settled weather.

How many states are in a drought?

As of December 23, 2025, 34.75% of the U.S. and Puerto Rico and 41.44% of the lower 48 states are in drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

What is the longest drought in the United States?

The Dust Bowl | National Drought Mitigation Center. Of all the droughts that have occurred in the United States, the drought events of the 1930s are widely considered to be the “drought of record” for the nation.

What states are least likely to experience drought?

By this scoring system, the most vulnerable states are Oklahoma, Montana, and Iowa, while Delaware, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and California are least vulnerable to drought.

What are the first signs of a drought?

Temperature and amount of rainfall are the most noticeable drought indicators, but water levels in streams, rivers, and lakes; the amount of moisture in the soil, and the amount of snowpack in the mountains are also important drought indicators.

What is the best state to live in with low humidity?

The Top 5 States With the Lowest Humidity

1. Arizona. Arizona consistently ranks as one of the best states with low humidity and warm weather. ...
2. Nevada. Nevada is another state known for its dry climate and low humidity, especially in southern cities like Las Vegas and Henderson. ...
3. 3. California. ...
4. New Mexico. ...
5. Colorado.

Which US state is safest from climate change?

The Northeast offers better prospects, particularly Vermont and New Hampshire, which rank as the two safest states from climate change. Vermont stands out as a haven – free from wildfires, extreme heat, and hurricanes.

What state rains the most?

Hawaii is the rainiest U.S. state by average annual precipitation (around 63.7 inches), thanks to its tropical climate and mountains that trap moisture, creating extreme differences between wet windward slopes and dry leeward sides, with other very wet states including Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.
 

Which US state has the least water?

Which state has the least amount of water on its land? Unsurprisingly, New Mexico, known for its arid climate and vast deserts, is ranked among the driest states. Only 0.2% of the state’s total area is water.

What is the deadliest drought in history?

There isn't one single "deadliest" drought globally, as deaths are hard to track historically, but the Great Chinese Famine (1959-1961), exacerbated by severe drought and poor policies, caused tens of millions of deaths, making it the deadliest famine/drought event in history. For the U.S., the Dust Bowl (1930s) was the most devastating, leading to mass migration and ecological collapse, while recent megadroughts, like the one in the American Southwest (2000-2021), are the driest in 1,200 years, impacting water resources severely. 

Which state has the most water shortages?

Top 10 Water-Scarce States in India

• Karnataka. ...
• Gujarat. ...
• Andhra Pradesh. ...
• Madhya Pradesh. ...
• Telangana. ...
• Tamil Nadu. ...
• Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, has its own set of water issues. ...
• Haryana. Haryana, in northern India, faces water scarcity because of its agricultural practices and overuse of groundwater.

Where should I live based on climate change?

The Northeast is one of the safest long-term regions in North America for climate adaptation. Abundant freshwater from the Great Lakes and rivers, moderate seasonal weather, and proactive state policies make it ideal for sustainable living.

What state in the US gets the least rain?

Nevada consistently gets the least rain, making it the driest U.S. state, followed closely by Utah, Wyoming, and Arizona, with Southwestern states dominating the arid regions due to their desert climates.
 

What are the top 3 biggest droughts?

California is no stranger to drought; it is a recurring feature of our climate. We recently experienced the 5-year event of 2012-2016, and other notable historical droughts included 2007-09, 1987-92, 1976-77, and off-and-on dry conditions spanning more than a decade in the 1920s and 1930s.

Could another Dust Bowl happen again?

The good news however is that land management on our part has improved but that might not be enough to stop a second dust bowl if the drought continues to worsen. Dust storms are already a common occurrence, especially in southern Pinal County and in Pima County.

Which year of the last 30 years was the driest?

2011-2017 was the longest drought in California beginning December 2011 and ending March 2017. The period between late 2011 and 2014 was the driest in California history since record-keeping began.

Which states have water shortages?

Several U.S. states face significant water shortages, particularly in the West and Southwest, including New Mexico (highest stress), California, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada, due to overuse and drought impacting major sources like the Colorado River; other states like Texas, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Kansas, Mississippi, Florida, and parts of the Carolinas also experience severe drought and water stress. These shortages are driven by climate change, excessive groundwater pumping, and high demand for agriculture, threatening water supplies for cities and industries.
 

Why are we in such a drought?

We're in a drought due to natural climate variability combined with human-caused climate change, leading to less precipitation, record-high temperatures that increase evaporation, and persistent "stuck" weather patterns (like high-pressure ridges blocking rain) that shift moisture away from dry regions, creating severe water shortages and intensifying "weather whiplash" between wet and dry extremes. 

Which state is most vulnerable to drought?

In parts of India, failure of the monsoons causes water shortages, resulting in poor yields. This is particularly true of major drought-prone regions southeastern Maharashtra, northern Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Telangana, and Rajasthan.