Mississippi drought

Is Harrison County in a drought?

D1 Moderate drought

Yes. 1% of Harrison County is in drought on the Drought Monitor map of Sep 22, 2026, the worst of it moderate drought (D1). That is unchanged from a week earlier. It has been in drought since the week of Aug 25, 2026.

Map valid Sep 22, 2026, released Thursday, Sep 24, 2026. The next map is due Thursday, Oct 1, 2026. Statewide, 76% of Mississippi is in drought.

Harrison County forecastWeather alertsLive radar here

This week’s map

The Drought Monitor for Mississippi, valid Sep 22, 2026. County lines are drawn in; the categories are the same as the national map.

US Drought Monitor map of Mississippi for Sep 22, 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 Harrison County in each category or worse, the Drought Monitor's own way of counting. In exactly one category this week: D0 99%, D1 1%, D2 0%, D3 0%, D4 0%; none 0%.

CategoryThis weekSep 22Last weekSep 153 months agoJun 23A year agoSep 23
D0 to D4 Abnormally dry or worse100%100%0%100%
D1 to D4 Moderate or worse1%1%0%31.3%
D2 to D4 Severe or worse0%0%0%0%
D3 to D4 Extreme or worse0%0%0%0%
D4 Exceptional drought0%0%0%0%
None0%0%100%0%

The past year

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

Percent of Harrison County in drought categories from Sep 23, 2025 to Sep 22, 2026. On the latest map, 1% 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 22, 2026100%1%0%0%0%
Sep 15, 2026100%1%0%0%0%
Sep 8, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Sep 1, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Aug 25, 2026100%48.6%0%0%0%
Aug 18, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Aug 11, 2026100%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%0%0%0%0%
Jul 7, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Jun 30, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Jun 23, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Jun 16, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Jun 9, 20260%0%0%0%0%
Jun 2, 202610.3%0%0%0%0%
May 26, 2026100%11.3%0.1%0%0%
May 19, 2026100%99.7%0.4%0%0%
May 12, 2026100%100%20.4%0%0%
May 5, 2026100%100%80.3%0%0%
Apr 28, 2026100%100%100%0%0%
Apr 21, 2026100%100%100%0%0%
Apr 14, 2026100%100%65.6%0%0%
Apr 7, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Mar 31, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Mar 24, 2026100%100%0%0%0%
Mar 17, 2026100%36.4%0%0%0%
Mar 10, 2026100%36.4%0%0%0%
Mar 3, 2026100%36.4%0%0%0%
Feb 24, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Feb 17, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Feb 10, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Feb 3, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Jan 27, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Jan 20, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Jan 13, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Jan 6, 2026100%0%0%0%0%
Dec 30, 2025100%0%0%0%0%
Dec 23, 2025100%0%0%0%0%
Dec 16, 2025100%0%0%0%0%
Dec 9, 2025100%0%0%0%0%
Dec 2, 2025100%100%0%0%0%
Nov 25, 2025100%100%0%0%0%
Nov 18, 2025100%100%0%0%0%
Nov 11, 2025100%88.6%0%0%0%
Nov 4, 2025100%88.6%0%0%0%
Oct 28, 2025100%88.6%0%0%0%
Oct 21, 2025100%88.6%13.6%0%0%
Oct 14, 2025100%89.5%13.6%0%0%
Oct 7, 2025100%89.6%13.6%0%0%
Sep 30, 2025100%89.6%13.6%0%0%
Sep 23, 2025100%31.3%0%0%0%

Since 2000

Every weekly map of Harrison County since January 2000.

Percent of Harrison County in drought categories from Jan 4, 2000 to Sep 22, 2026. On the latest map, 1% 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
2026D2 Severe drought100%Mar 2418 of 38
2025D2 Severe drought100%Nov 1812 of 52
2024D1 Moderate drought99%Nov 513 of 53
2023D4 Exceptional drought100%Aug 1530 of 52
2022D1 Moderate drought100%Mar 822 of 52
2021D1 Moderate drought1.1%Feb 92 of 52
2020D2 Severe drought100%May 510 of 52
2019D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 53
2018D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2017D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2016D3 Extreme drought100%Oct 2510 of 52
2015D1 Moderate drought100%Feb 2417 of 52
2014D2 Severe drought100%Dec 99 of 52
2013D1 Moderate drought54.7%Feb 53 of 53
2012D2 Severe drought100%Jan 318 of 52
2011D4 Exceptional drought100%Jan 444 of 52
2010D1 Moderate drought100%Oct 2611 of 52
2009D1 Moderate drought100%Feb 1012 of 52
2008D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 53
2007D1 Moderate drought100%Mar 2713 of 52
2006D3 Extreme drought100%Jan 1728 of 52
2005D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2004D1 Moderate drought4.9%Apr 201 of 52
2003D0 Abnormally dry0%0 of 52
2002D2 Severe drought100%May 1411 of 53
2001D1 Moderate drought100%Jan 28 of 52
2000D4 Exceptional drought100%Mar 743 of 52

Drought history since 2000

Some part of Harrison County was in drought on 24% of the weekly maps since Jan 4, 2000, and exceptional drought (D4) last reached the county the week of Nov 28, 2023.

Weeks with some drought
335 of 1,395 (24%)
Worst category reached
D4 Exceptional drought, last the week of Nov 28, 2023
Most widespread
100% in drought, week of Sep 8, 2026
Longest spell
46 weeks, Mar 7, 2000 to Jan 16, 2001
Current spell
5 weeks, since Aug 25, 2026

Outlook

The Climate Prediction Center's drought outlooks at the center of Harrison 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 Mississippi

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

D1 Moderate drought This week

  • More wildfires occur than normal
  • Wildlife search for water

D0 Abnormally dry

  • Creek flow is low

D2 Severe drought

  • Burn bans expand
  • Cotton is stressed; supplemental hay for cattle begins
  • Ground is cracking, causing road damage
  • Hydroelectric power output decreases; energy cost is high

D3 Extreme drought

  • Burn bans are implemented
  • Home foundations and walls crack
  • Soybean yields are low
  • Surface water levels are low; boat ramps close

D4 Exceptional drought

  • Fire danger increases

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. Harrison 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 22, 2026, released Sep 24, 2026.

The continued heat and dry conditions resulted in large areas of degradations the past week. Extreme drought can be found in every state in this region, with exceptional drought over much of northern Texas, western to southern Oklahoma, and parts of Arkansas. Both short-term and long-term drought are contributing to the conditions in this region. Over the last year, west-central Oklahoma is the driest on record, while in southwest Oklahoma it has been the second driest.

Looking ahead

The next five days are forecast to be wet along the northeastern coast from a nor’easter. The northwest is also predicted to receive needed precipitation. Remnants of a tropical system will provide significant moisture into the Four Corners states and the western Great Plains with heavy rainfall in the forecast. Parts of the northern Great Plains are also forecast to receive welcome precipitation. Areas with little rain in the forecast over the next five days are much of Texas and Louisiana, around the Great Lakes, and California and Nevada. The south and southwest should continue to have above normal temperatures, with cooler temperatures in the northeast and the northwest.

The 6- to 10-day outlook (September 29 to October 3) favors above normal temperatures over the southern half of the continental U.S. as well as the northeast. Hawaii is also likely to have above normal temperatures. The Great Basin area could have below normal rainfall, while above normal is possible over much of the central U.S. Both Hawaii and eastern Alaska are also favored to have above normal precipitation 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 Harrison 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.