Evidences
7 results
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
>70% is the probability of much below-normal precipitation across the northeastern Caribbean from September through November 2026, according to the North American Multi-Model Ensemble.
National Weather Service San Juan (2026).
National Weather Service San Juan. (2026, September 3). Drought Information Statement for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?issuedby=SJU&product=DGT&site=NWS
As of September 1, 2026, 49.51% of the United States and Puerto Rico was in drought (59.05% across the Lower 48 states), according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Drought conditions worsened that week across the south-central United States and along the North Dakota-South Dakota-Minnesota border area.
U.S. Drought Monitor / Drought.gov (2026)
National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). (2026, September 1). National Drought Status. Drought.gov. https://www.drought.gov/national
47.56% of the United States and Puerto Rico was in drought as of August 25, 2026.
National Integrated Drought Information System (2026)
National Integrated Drought Information System. (2026, August 27). National drought status. Drought.gov. https://www.drought.gov/national
Less than 20% of normal precipitation fell across southern and southwestern Puerto Rico during the 60 days preceding July 21, 2026, representing deficits of 3 to 6 inches. Most of the island received less than 60% of normal rainfall.
National Integrated Drought Information System (2026)
National Integrated Drought Information System. (2026, July 23). Drought update for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drought.gov. https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/drought-update-puerto-rico-and-us-virgin-islands-2026-07-23
Three days per week was the water-rationing schedule for farmers in Puerto Rico's Southwest District in July 2026. Irrigation flow in Juana Díaz was reduced by approximately 5%, while streams in Patillas supplied only 25% of their normal flow.
National Integrated Drought Information System (2026)
National Integrated Drought Information System. (2026, July 23). Drought update for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drought.gov. https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/drought-update-puerto-rico-and-us-virgin-islands-2026-07-23
USD 93 billion cost the sub-regional Caribbean the 2017 hurricane season, including USD 13 billion for Cuba and USD 68 billion for Puerto Rico (ECLAC, 2024).
CEPAL, 2024
M. Williams and A. Constable, “Climate change financing in the Caribbean: an analysis from a gender perspective”, Gender Affairs Series, No. 165 (LC/TS.2024/104), Santiago, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), 2024
