Hotter days are fueling and extending droughts across the US, with severe knock-on effects. They cause water restrictions and increase wildfire risk. They expose more people to extreme heat. But they also threaten local economies that rely on agriculture.
The interactive map below from Esri tells the story of drought and its impacts in the US since 2000. You can browse drought intensity and explore conditions for any week over the past 20 years. You can also see drought forecasts for the rest of the month and season.
Launch Interactive Map
Demographic, agricultural, and economic data quantify drought impacts in each county. Data points include agriculture sales or people employed in the industry. You can also drill into the sales of specific crops to better understand how drought may affect a place.
Impact maps are effective because they make data operational and actionable. They tie the where and the why together. A drought map is useful, but a drought map that tells you how a drought affects a place is even better. Adding demographics and agricultural data paints a more complete picture. These insights inform how communities and businesses could adapt to changing climate patterns.
More to Explore
- Learn more about how the interactive map was made.
- Browse maps about specific crops and agricultural activities from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Census of Agriculture.
