Recent U.S. Drought Monitor data valid September 1, 2026, and released September 3 show exceptional (D4) drought limited to small areas in North Carolina, including parts of Guilford and Brunswick counties, amid broader D1–D3 conditions affecting about 49.5% of the contiguous U.S. Primary drivers include ongoing flash drought from hot, dry weather in the South-Central states and persistent short-term deficits in the Southeast and northern New England, offset by scattered heavy rains that improved conditions in Florida, coastal South Carolina, and parts of the Mid-Atlantic. The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center’s 6–10 day outlook favors above-normal precipitation across much of the Great Plains and West but drier conditions in the Tennessee and Ohio valleys through mid-September. The next USDM update, expected around September 10, will incorporate new precipitation, soil moisture, and streamflow observations to determine any D4 expansion or contraction for the week of September 8.