Oklahoma drought

Is Garvin County in a drought?

D3 Extreme drought

Yes. All of Garvin County is in drought on the Drought Monitor map of Sep 15, 2026, the worst of it extreme drought (D3) across 27.7% of the county. That is unchanged from a week earlier. It has been in drought since the week of Aug 4, 2026.

Map valid Sep 15, 2026, released Thursday, Sep 17, 2026. The next map is due Thursday, Sep 24, 2026. Statewide, 99.8% of Oklahoma is in drought.

Garvin County forecastWeather alertsLive radar here

This week’s map

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

US Drought Monitor map of Oklahoma 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 Garvin County in each category or worse, the Drought Monitor's own way of counting. In exactly one category this week: D0 0%, D1 0%, D2 72.3%, D3 27.7%, D4 0%; none 0%.

CategoryThis weekSep 15Last weekSep 83 months agoJun 16A year agoSep 16
D0 to D4 Abnormally dry or worse100%100%100%15%
D1 to D4 Moderate or worse100%100%32.5%0%
D2 to D4 Severe or worse100%100%0%0%
D3 to D4 Extreme or worse27.7%27.9%0%0%
D4 Exceptional drought0%0%0%0%
None0%0%0%85%

The past year

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

Percent of Garvin County in drought categories from Sep 16, 2025 to Sep 15, 2026. On the latest map, 100% is in drought (D1 or worse) and 100% 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, 2026100%100%100%27.7%0%
Sep 8, 2026100%100%100%27.9%0%
Sep 1, 2026100%100%100%27.9%0%
Aug 25, 2026100%100%100%20.9%0%
Aug 18, 2026100%100%100%0%0%
Aug 11, 2026100%100%100%0%0%
Aug 4, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Jul 28, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Jul 21, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Jul 14, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Jul 7, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Jun 30, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Jun 23, 2026100%22.5%0%0%0%
Jun 16, 2026100%32.5%0%0%0%
Jun 9, 2026100%32.5%0%0%0%
Jun 2, 2026100%32.5%0%0%0%
May 26, 2026100%32.5%0%0%0%
May 19, 2026100%32.5%0%0%0%
May 12, 2026100%32.5%0%0%0%
May 5, 2026100%80.4%0%0%0%
Apr 28, 2026100%80.4%0%0%0%
Apr 21, 2026100%80.4%0%0%0%
Apr 14, 2026100%100%79.7%0%0%
Apr 7, 2026100%100%79.7%0%0%
Mar 31, 2026100%100%100%74.8%0%
Mar 24, 2026100%100%92.5%39%0%
Mar 17, 2026100%100%65.7%38.3%0%
Mar 10, 2026100%100%65.7%38.3%0%
Mar 3, 2026100%100%72.1%38.3%0%
Feb 24, 2026100%100%72.1%38.3%0%
Feb 17, 2026100%100%72.1%38.3%0%
Feb 10, 2026100%100%81%61.9%0%
Feb 3, 2026100%100%81%61.9%0%
Jan 27, 2026100%100%81%61.9%0%
Jan 20, 2026100%100%81%61.9%0%
Jan 13, 2026100%100%81%61.9%0%
Jan 6, 2026100%100%81%61.9%0%
Dec 30, 2025100%100%81%61.9%0%
Dec 23, 2025100%100%81%61.9%0%
Dec 16, 2025100%100%81%62.4%0%
Dec 9, 2025100%100%81%62.4%0%
Dec 2, 2025100%100%81%62.4%0%
Nov 25, 2025100%100%81%62.4%0%
Nov 18, 2025100%100%81%62.4%0%
Nov 11, 2025100%100%77%0%0%
Nov 4, 2025100%94.3%18.7%0%0%
Oct 28, 2025100%44.9%0%0%0%
Oct 21, 2025100%43.1%0%0%0%
Oct 14, 2025100%43.1%0%0%0%
Oct 7, 202576.3%0%0%0%0%
Sep 30, 202575.8%0%0%0%0%
Sep 23, 202515%0%0%0%0%
Sep 16, 202515%0%0%0%0%

Since 2000

Every weekly map of Garvin County since January 2000.

Percent of Garvin County in drought categories from Jan 4, 2000 to Sep 15, 2026. On the latest map, 100% is in drought (D1 or worse) and 100% 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 632 of 37
2025D3 Extreme drought100%Nov 1114 of 52
2024D3 Extreme drought100%Oct 2219 of 53
2023D3 Extreme drought100%Jan 331 of 52
2022D4 Exceptional drought100%Jan 447 of 52
2021D3 Extreme drought100%Sep 2820 of 52
2020D1 Moderate drought28.8%Nov 247 of 52
2019D2 Severe drought62.6%Aug 205 of 53
2018D3 Extreme drought100%Jan 215 of 52
2017D2 Severe drought99.3%Jan 322 of 52
2016D2 Severe drought64.3%Aug 3020 of 52
2015D2 Severe drought100%Jan 624 of 52
2014D3 Extreme drought100%Mar 1152 of 52
2013D3 Extreme drought100%Jan 141 of 53
2012D4 Exceptional drought100%Jan 336 of 52
2011D4 Exceptional drought100%Jan 1151 of 52
2010D1 Moderate drought100%Aug 246 of 52
2009D2 Severe drought100%Jan 1317 of 52
2008D1 Moderate drought96.3%Dec 94 of 53
2007D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2006D4 Exceptional drought100%Jan 351 of 52
2005D2 Severe drought100%Apr 1219 of 52
2004D1 Moderate drought98.1%Jun 811 of 52
2003D2 Severe drought100%Jul 2220 of 52
2002D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 53
2001D2 Severe drought100%Jul 3110 of 52
2000D2 Severe drought100%Sep 58 of 52

Drought history since 2000

Some part of Garvin County was in drought on 42% of the weekly maps since Jan 4, 2000, and exceptional drought (D4) last reached the county the week of Dec 6, 2022.

Weeks with some drought
582 of 1,394 (42%)
Worst category reached
D4 Exceptional drought, last the week of Dec 6, 2022
Most widespread
100% in drought, week of Sep 15, 2026
Longest spell
88 weeks, Sep 3, 2013 to May 5, 2015
Current spell
7 weeks, since Aug 4, 2026

Outlook

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

Monthly outlook, Sep 2026
Drought persists
Seasonal outlook, through December 31 (issued Sep 17)
Drought remains but improves

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 Oklahoma

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

D3 Extreme drought This week

  • Air quality is poor, with dust storms and smoke
  • Cattle have little water and feed
  • Fishing is down; boating is hazardous with low lake levels; game bird populations decline
  • Grasses are dormant and hay is nonexistent; planting is delayed; fields are spotty; emergency CRP grazing is authorized
  • Lakes are critically low; producers are hauling water for cattle; wells are drying
  • Wildfires are increasing in number and severity

D0 Abnormally dry

  • Crops are stressed (wheat, canola, alfalfa, pecans); winter wheat germination is delayed
  • Stock pond levels decline

D1 Moderate drought

  • Lake recreation activities are affected; deer reproduction is poor
  • Seasonal creek and rainfed pond levels are lowering
  • Summer crop and forage yields are reduced
  • Wildfire risk increases

D2 Severe drought

  • Burn bans begin
  • Cattle are stressed
  • Dryland crops are severely reduced; pasture growth is stunted
  • Springfed ponds are slow to refill
  • Trees show significant wilting

D4 Exceptional drought

  • Burn restrictions increase
  • Cost of hay and water is high and supplies are scarce; producers are liquidating herds
  • Fire season is long; rural fire departments are running out of finances
  • Ground is cracking; farmers are bailing failed crops or abandoning fields; pastures are bare; land is abandoned
  • Ranchers and farmers are desperate and experiencing huge economic loss
  • Water lines are breaking; reservoir levels are nearing intake; mandatory water restrictions are implemented; water quality is poor

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. Garvin 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 South

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

Extremely above normal temperatures continued in this region over the past week. Nearly all locations had drought deterioration, with the exceptions of northern Arkansas, northeastern Oklahoma, and coastal Mississippi. Much of Texas and into the Ark-La-Tex area experienced flash drought conditions. In addition to the heat, these areas received little rainfall in the week. Extreme to exceptional drought conditions are noted in far south Texas, most of northern Texas into western and southern Oklahoma, northwestern and northeastern Arkansas, and along the Arkansas-Mississippi border.

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 Garvin 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.