Colorado drought

Is Logan County in a drought?

D2 Severe drought

Yes. 12.3% of Logan County is in drought on the Drought Monitor map of Sep 15, 2026, the worst of it severe drought (D2) across 0.9% of the county. That is unchanged from a week earlier. It has been in drought since the week of Jan 6, 2026.

Map valid Sep 15, 2026, released Thursday, Sep 17, 2026. The next map is due Thursday, Sep 24, 2026. Statewide, 88.2% of Colorado is in drought.

Logan County forecastWeather alertsLive radar here

This week’s map

The Drought Monitor for Colorado, valid Sep 15, 2026. County lines are drawn in; the categories are the same as the national map.

US Drought Monitor map of Colorado for Sep 15, 2026, shaded D0 abnormally dry through D4 exceptional drought
  • D0 Abnormally dry
  • D1 Moderate drought
  • D2 Severe drought
  • D3 Extreme drought
  • D4 Exceptional drought

Open the live map with the Drought Monitor

Map courtesy of the US Drought Monitor, NDMC-UNL, with USDA and NOAA. Original at droughtmonitor.unl.edu

This week's map, by category

Percent of Logan County in each category or worse, the Drought Monitor's own way of counting. In exactly one category this week: D0 73.7%, D1 11.3%, D2 0.9%, D3 0%, D4 0%; none 14%.

CategoryThis weekSep 15Last weekSep 83 months agoJun 16A year agoSep 16
D0 to D4 Abnormally dry or worse86%86%100%0%
D1 to D4 Moderate or worse12.3%12.3%100%0%
D2 to D4 Severe or worse0.9%0.9%100%0%
D3 to D4 Extreme or worse0%0%30.4%0%
D4 Exceptional drought0%0%0%0%
None14%14%0%100%

The past year

Percent of Logan County in each category, week by week. Each color includes the worse categories drawn over it.

Percent of Logan County in drought categories from Sep 16, 2025 to Sep 15, 2026. On the latest map, 12.3% is in drought (D1 or worse) and 86% is abnormally dry or worse.0%25%50%75%100%OctNovDec2026FebMarAprMayJunJulAugSep
  • D0 Abnormally dry
  • D1 Moderate drought
  • D2 Severe drought
  • D3 Extreme drought
  • D4 Exceptional drought
Every week in the chart
MapD0+D1+D2+D3+D4+
Sep 15, 202686%12.3%0.9%0%0%
Sep 8, 202686%12.3%0.9%0%0%
Sep 1, 202686%43.1%10.7%0%0%
Aug 25, 2026100%56.1%10.9%0%0%
Aug 18, 2026100%56.1%10.9%0%0%
Aug 11, 2026100%91.7%35.4%0%0%
Aug 4, 2026100%85.9%21.2%0%0%
Jul 28, 2026100%84.3%14%<0.1%0%
Jul 21, 2026100%84.3%14%<0.1%0%
Jul 14, 2026100%84.3%14%<0.1%0%
Jul 7, 2026100%92.2%14%<0.1%0%
Jun 30, 2026100%100%54%13.3%0%
Jun 23, 2026100%100%100%30.4%0%
Jun 16, 2026100%100%100%30.4%0%
Jun 9, 2026100%100%100%30.4%0%
Jun 2, 2026100%100%100%30.6%0%
May 26, 2026100%100%100%30.6%0%
May 19, 2026100%100%100%58%0%
May 12, 2026100%100%100%58%0%
May 5, 2026100%100%100%66.3%0%
Apr 28, 2026100%100%100%66.3%0%
Apr 21, 2026100%100%100%62.8%0%
Apr 14, 2026100%100%100%62.8%0%
Apr 7, 2026100%100%82.8%33%0%
Mar 31, 2026100%100%82.8%33%0%
Mar 24, 2026100%100%55.9%0%0%
Mar 17, 2026100%100%55.9%0%0%
Mar 10, 2026100%100%55.9%0%0%
Mar 3, 2026100%100%55.9%0%0%
Feb 24, 2026100%100%55.9%0%0%
Feb 17, 2026100%100%55.9%0%0%
Feb 10, 2026100%100%55.9%0%0%
Feb 3, 2026100%100%54.2%0%0%
Jan 27, 2026100%100%28%0%0%
Jan 20, 2026100%100%28%0%0%
Jan 13, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Jan 6, 2026100%64.2%0%0%0%
Dec 30, 2025100%0%0%0%0%
Dec 23, 202559.2%0%0%0%0%
Dec 16, 20250%0%0%0%0%
Dec 9, 20250%0%0%0%0%
Dec 2, 20250%0%0%0%0%
Nov 25, 20250%0%0%0%0%
Nov 18, 20250%0%0%0%0%
Nov 11, 20250%0%0%0%0%
Nov 4, 20250%0%0%0%0%
Oct 28, 20250%0%0%0%0%
Oct 21, 20250%0%0%0%0%
Oct 14, 20250%0%0%0%0%
Oct 7, 20250%0%0%0%0%
Sep 30, 20250%0%0%0%0%
Sep 23, 20250%0%0%0%0%
Sep 16, 20250%0%0%0%0%

Since 2000

Every weekly map of Logan County since January 2000.

Percent of Logan County in drought categories from Jan 4, 2000 to Sep 15, 2026. On the latest map, 12.3% is in drought (D1 or worse) and 86% is abnormally dry or worse.0%25%50%75%100%200420082012201620202024
  • D0 Abnormally dry
  • D1 Moderate drought
  • D2 Severe drought
  • D3 Extreme drought
  • D4 Exceptional drought
Year by year
YearWorst categoryMost in droughtWeek ofWeeks with drought
2026D3 Extreme drought100%Jan 1337 of 37
2025D2 Severe drought99.1%May 2029 of 52
2024D2 Severe drought53.5%Nov 57 of 53
2023D2 Severe drought100%Jan 322 of 52
2022D3 Extreme drought100%Jan 452 of 52
2021D3 Extreme drought100%Jan 539 of 52
2020D3 Extreme drought100%Aug 437 of 52
2019D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 53
2018D1 Moderate drought34.1%Jan 94 of 52
2017D1 Moderate drought49.9%Feb 1413 of 52
2016D1 Moderate drought35.9%Dec 67 of 52
2015D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2014D1 Moderate drought55.9%May 65 of 52
2013D4 Exceptional drought100%Jan 139 of 53
2012D4 Exceptional drought100%Jun 1932 of 52
2011D2 Severe drought100%Apr 520 of 52
2010D1 Moderate drought95.8%Nov 913 of 52
2009D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2008D1 Moderate drought85.3%Jul 2915 of 53
2007D2 Severe drought100%Jan 222 of 52
2006D3 Extreme drought100%Apr 448 of 52
2005D2 Severe drought87.1%Jan 433 of 52
2004D3 Extreme drought100%Jan 652 of 52
2003D3 Extreme drought100%Jan 751 of 52
2002D4 Exceptional drought100%Mar 2648 of 53
2001D1 Moderate drought8.2%Jul 31 of 52
2000D2 Severe drought100%Jul 1117 of 52

Drought history since 2000

Some part of Logan County was in drought on 46% of the weekly maps since Jan 4, 2000, and exceptional drought (D4) last reached the county the week of Apr 2, 2013.

Weeks with some drought
643 of 1,394 (46%)
Worst category reached
D4 Exceptional drought, last the week of Apr 2, 2013
Most widespread
100% in drought, week of Jun 30, 2026
Longest spell
103 weeks, Jul 8, 2003 to Jun 21, 2005
Current spell
37 weeks, since Jan 6, 2026

Outlook

The Climate Prediction Center's drought outlooks at the center of Logan County: whether drought is expected to develop, persist, improve or end.

Monthly outlook, Sep 2026
No drought expected
Seasonal outlook, through December 31 (issued Sep 17)
No drought expected

The monthly outlook is issued on the last day of each month, the seasonal one on the third Thursday. CPC's discussion.

What drought has meant in Colorado

The National Drought Mitigation Center's examples of impacts observed in Colorado at each level of drought, starting with this week's worst here.

D2 Severe drought This week

  • CRP lands suffer
  • Farmers reduce planting; producers sell cattle
  • Fire season is extended
  • Snowpack is low; surface water levels are low; river flow is reduced

D0 Abnormally dry

  • Hay production decreases; rangeland is dry
  • Irrigation begins sooner

D1 Moderate drought

  • Dryland crops suffer
  • Pheasant population declines; ski season is limited
  • Rangeland growth is stunted; very little hay is available
  • Wildfires increase

D3 Extreme drought

  • City landscapes are dying
  • Grasshopper and insect infestation are noted
  • Large fires develop
  • Pasture conditions worsen
  • Rafting, fishing, hunting, skiing are reduced; fish kills occur
  • Reservoirs are extremely low; mandatory water restrictions are implemented; water temperature increases

D4 Exceptional drought

  • Agricultural and recreational economic losses are large
  • Dust storms and topsoil removal are widespread

Drawn from the Drought Impact Reporter and local observers.

Burn bans and water restrictions

The Drought Monitor does not issue burn bans or water restrictions. Logan County's officials, the state forestry or fire agency, and local water utilities set them, often once drought reaches D2 or dry fuels raise the fire danger. Check the county's emergency management office or fire marshal for a ban in force, and the alerts page for red flag warnings and fire weather watches.

This week in the High Plains

The Drought Monitor authors' narrative for the map of Sep 15, 2026, released Sep 17, 2026.

Eastern Kansas had above normal precipitation over the past week; this led to improvement in drought conditions in this area. Eastern Nebraska and eastern South Dakota also had decent rainfall and resulting improvement to drought. Other areas of South Dakota that missed out on the rain had drought degradation. Colorado had drought degradations in the center part of the state, with drought improvements in both the southwest and southeast parts. Extreme drought continues over much of Colorado and Wyoming, western Nebraska and the Dakotas, and in eastern North Dakota. Exceptional drought is observed over much of central Colorado as well as two localized areas in far western Nebraska.

Looking ahead

Over the next five days leading up to next Tuesday, above normal rainfall is forecast in south Florida as well as a large area in southern Wisconsin and Minnesota into eastern Iowa and northern Illinois. The latter area of forecasted rainfall continues to the east through central Michigan, the southern Great Lakes, Pennsylvania, New York, and much of central and southern New England. Other locations with rainfall in the forecast this week are in the Appalachian Mountains, the western Great Plains, and the Four Corners states. Unfortunately, most of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are forecast to receive little rainfall. Dry conditions are also forecast in California, Nevada, and Washington. Much above normal temperatures are forecast to continue this week in the central and southern U.S.

The 6- to 10-day outlook (September 22-26, 2026) favors above normal temperatures continuing over nearly all of the continental United States. Areas most likely to be above normal are again the south into the southeast, plus the far north. Hawaii is also likely to be above normal. For precipitation, the Eastern Seaboard is likely to have above normal rainfall as is the Southwest. The central U.S. into the upper Midwest is likely to have below normal rainfall. Hawaii and Alaska are both likely to have above normal rain during this period.

Written by Lindsay Johnson, National Drought Mitigation Center; David Mocko, SSAI, NASA/GSFC. The national narrative.

What this means

The five categories the Drought Monitor draws, and how the map is made.

D0 Abnormally dry
Going into or coming out of drought.
D1 Moderate drought
Some damage to crops and pastures; water shortages developing.
D2 Severe drought
Crop or pasture losses likely; water restrictions imposed.
D3 Extreme drought
Major crop and pasture losses; widespread water shortages.
D4 Exceptional drought
Exceptional and widespread losses; water emergencies.

The US Drought Monitor is drawn every week by authors at the National Drought Mitigation Center, USDA and NOAA, who weigh rainfall, soil moisture, streamflow, groundwater, vegetation health and reports from local observers. Each map shows conditions through Tuesday morning and is released on Thursday. It shows where drought is and how bad it is; it does not forecast it. CPC's outlooks do that.

Nearby

The counties bordering Logan County, with the worst category on this week's map.

Sources

Statistics and narrative from the US Drought Monitor, courtesy of the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with USDA and NOAA. Outlooks from the NOAA Climate Prediction Center. Impacts from NDMC's State Impacts tool.