In any given year, approximately 14% of the United States is in severe or extreme drought. A drought is a long period of dry weather when there isn’t enough rain to grow crops or replenish water supplies. The country’s worst drought occurred in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas during the “Dust Bowl” era of the 1930s. Droughts are caused by natural weather pattern shifts such as El Niño and La Niña, deforestation, and climate change. They can destroy ecosystems and produce famines, forcing animals and people to migrate to more hospitable areas.
NASA collects and archives large amounts of drought and related data for use by everyone from researchers to decision-makers. The data can inform questions and decisions regarding agriculture and water management, help explain changes in animal behavior patterns, provide insight into how rainfall and climate are changing, and provide essential details for responding to drought-triggered crisis and other connected topics.
Learn more about near real-time drought data provided by NASA's Land, Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for Earth observation (LANCE).
Access a range of datasets and data tools to further your drought research.
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