About 95 percent of Louisiana was in moderate or worse drought in the assessment released November 12, following the state’s warmest August through October on record, according to NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System.
The agency’s regional report also ranks that three month stretch as Louisiana’s fourth driest. Persistent heat and rainfall shortages drove a rapid deterioration beginning in August across Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi.
Louisiana’s Drought.gov dashboard puts the share of the state in drought at 94.8 percent using U.S. Drought Monitor data valid November 10. About 18.9 percent was classified as exceptional drought, the most severe category. Those percentages measure area, not population.
The regional assessment describes mounting pressure on crops, livestock and water supplies. Ranchers across the three states have faced added hay feeding and water hauling as local water sources declined.
The Drought Monitor combines measurements with reports from local observers. Its maps are released Thursdays using information valid through the preceding Tuesday, so the map date and release date differ.
Accurate Parish Reporting is not a meteorologist. We share information from sources such as the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center.