Tennessee drought

Is Obion County in a drought?

D0 Abnormally dry

No. Obion County is not in drought on the Drought Monitor map of Sep 15, 2026, but 1.9% of it is abnormally dry (D0), the category before drought.

Map valid Sep 15, 2026, released Thursday, Sep 17, 2026. The next map is due Thursday, Sep 24, 2026. Statewide, 17.4% of Tennessee is in drought.

Obion County forecastWeather alertsLive radar here

Radar

Reflectivity now over Obion County, Tennessee. Open it to see the Drought Monitor on the map.

Open the live radar with the Drought Monitor

Radar mosaic and map layers from NOAA MRMS. Boundaries from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet.

This week's map, by category

Percent of Obion County in each category or worse, the Drought Monitor's own way of counting. In exactly one category this week: D0 1.9%, D1 0%, D2 0%, D3 0%, D4 0%; none 98.1%.

CategoryThis weekSep 15Last weekSep 83 months agoJun 16A year agoSep 16
D0 to D4 Abnormally dry or worse1.9%1.9%100%100%
D1 to D4 Moderate or worse0%0%100%100%
D2 to D4 Severe or worse0%0%54.2%100%
D3 to D4 Extreme or worse0%0%0%100%
D4 Exceptional drought0%0%0%0%
None98.1%98.1%0%0%

The past year

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

Percent of Obion County in drought categories from Sep 16, 2025 to Sep 15, 2026. On the latest map, 0% is in drought (D1 or worse) and 1.9% 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, 20261.9%0%0%0%0%
Sep 8, 20261.9%0%0%0%0%
Sep 1, 20261.9%0%0%0%0%
Aug 25, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Aug 18, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Aug 11, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Aug 4, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Jul 28, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Jul 21, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Jul 14, 20260.3%0%0%0%0%
Jul 7, 2026100%0.3%0%0%0%
Jun 30, 2026100%0.3%0%0%0%
Jun 23, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Jun 16, 2026100%100%54.2%0%0%
Jun 9, 2026100%100%54.9%0%0%
Jun 2, 2026100%100%54.9%0%0%
May 26, 2026100%100%100%13.2%0%
May 19, 2026100%100%100%100%0%
May 12, 2026100%100%100%100%0%
May 5, 2026100%100%100%100%0%
Apr 28, 2026100%100%100%100%0%
Apr 21, 2026100%100%100%100%0%
Apr 14, 2026100%100%100%100%0%
Apr 7, 2026100%100%100%0%0%
Mar 31, 2026100%100%100%0%0%
Mar 24, 2026100%100%83.7%0%0%
Mar 17, 2026100%100%55.6%0%0%
Mar 10, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Mar 3, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Feb 24, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Feb 17, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Feb 10, 2026100%100%88.4%0%0%
Feb 3, 2026100%100%88.4%0%0%
Jan 27, 2026100%100%88.4%0%0%
Jan 20, 2026100%100%88.4%0%0%
Jan 13, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Jan 6, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Dec 30, 2025100%70.8%0%0%0%
Dec 23, 2025100%0%0%0%0%
Dec 16, 2025100%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, 202599.2%0%0%0%0%
Oct 21, 2025100%97.3%0%0%0%
Oct 14, 2025100%100%0%0%0%
Oct 7, 2025100%100%55.7%0%0%
Sep 30, 2025100%100%100%0%0%
Sep 23, 2025100%100%100%100%0%
Sep 16, 2025100%100%100%100%0%

Since 2000

Every weekly map of Obion County since January 2000.

Percent of Obion County in drought categories from Jan 4, 2000 to Sep 15, 2026. On the latest map, 0% is in drought (D1 or worse) and 1.9% 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 627 of 37
2025D3 Extreme drought100%Aug 2611 of 52
2024D2 Severe drought100%Jan 99 of 53
2023D2 Severe drought100%Jun 1319 of 52
2022D3 Extreme drought100%Jul 1219 of 52
2021D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2020D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2019D1 Moderate drought57.2%Oct 11 of 53
2018D1 Moderate drought31.5%Aug 73 of 52
2017D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2016D2 Severe drought100%Nov 18 of 52
2015D2 Severe drought100%Jan 139 of 52
2014D1 Moderate drought12%Aug 262 of 52
2013D1 Moderate drought19.8%Jan 12 of 53
2012D4 Exceptional drought100%May 1534 of 52
2011D3 Extreme drought100%Jan 421 of 52
2010D3 Extreme drought100%Aug 323 of 52
2009None0%0 of 52
2008D1 Moderate drought55.9%Sep 236 of 53
2007D3 Extreme drought100%Jun 523 of 52
2006D1 Moderate drought38.1%Jan 37 of 52
2005D1 Moderate drought89.7%May 317 of 52
2004D1 Moderate drought8.8%Oct 52 of 52
2003D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2002D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 53
2001D2 Severe drought100%Jan 2324 of 52
2000D2 Severe drought100%Jan 1128 of 52

Drought history since 2000

Some part of Obion County was in drought on 20% of the weekly maps since Jan 4, 2000, and exceptional drought (D4) last reached the county the week of Sep 4, 2012.

Weeks with some drought
285 of 1,394 (20%)
Worst category reached
D4 Exceptional drought, last the week of Sep 4, 2012
Most widespread
100% in drought, week of Jun 23, 2026
Longest spell
36 weeks, May 8, 2012 to Jan 8, 2013
Last in drought
Week of Jul 7, 2026

Outlook

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

Monthly outlook, Sep 2026
Drought development likely
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 Tennessee

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

D0 Abnormally dry This week

  • Honey production is down; fewer plants are available to pollinate
  • Lake and pond levels begin to lower

D1 Moderate drought

  • Agriculture ponds dry up; farmers are hauling water; hay yield is low
  • Conditions are very dusty
  • Fire danger increases; burn bans are implemented
  • Leaves fall early
  • More insects and voles are observed, although mosquito numbers are down; disease spreads in trout, fish hatchery closes
  • Water demand is high

D2 Severe drought

  • Air quality is poor; burn bans are implemented; active wildfires are reported
  • Aquatic species die off
  • Corn is severely stressed; producers are importing hay and selling livestock
  • Streams and creeks are extremely low or dry; well levels are lowering
  • Voluntary water conservation is requested; water quality is poor

D3 Extreme drought

  • Water supply is inadequate for wildlife

D4 Exceptional drought

  • Large wildfires are reported

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. Obion 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 Obion 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.