Recent U.S. Drought Monitor data valid September 15, 2026, show exceptional (D4) drought persisting or expanding in pockets of the southern Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley, Colorado, the northern Rockies including southern Idaho and northern Nevada, northeastern Oregon, and parts of North Carolina. Record warmth and below-normal precipitation during the warmest June–August on record fueled flash drought intensification across these regions, while limited rainfall produced localized improvements elsewhere. The next USDM map, released around September 24 and reflecting conditions through September 22, will incorporate any late-week precipitation or temperature shifts. Forecasters note continued above-normal heat and below-normal rainfall likely across much of the central and southern U.S. in the short term, with an emerging El Niño potentially favoring wetter conditions later in the fall.