The Natural State has been in a drought for over 6 months. Since November 2025, the drought conditions have only gotten worse in Arkansas, week after week. That’s why it doesn’t come as a surprise that the drought has only worsened, once again, this week.
A new drought monitor is released weekly by the Drought Mitigation Center. Data for these monitors is collected through Tuesday morning of each week. The new drought monitor is released on Thursday morning of each week.
Last Thursday, April 9, extreme and exceptional drought (the two highest categories possible on the drought monitor) grew. This Thursday, April 16, those areas grew even more.
Last week, 8.36% of Arkansas was in exceptional drought (in dark red). This week, 12.69% of Arkansas is in an exceptional drought. That’s an increase of 4.33% of the state in the worst drought category possible in a week…