NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information
Global Drought Information System
This Global Drought Narrative is based on global drought indicators available at the Global Drought Information System, and media reports summarized by the National Drought Mitigation Center.
Global Drought Overview
Overview: GDIS global indicators revealed beneficial precipitation fell across parts of the world during September 2024, especially much of Europe and Africa, while other parts continued dry, especially western Russia, eastern Europe, parts of North America, and most of South America. September 2024 ranked as the driest September on record for South America, continent-wide, based on the 1940-2024 ECMWF ERA5 Reanalysis dataset. Much warmer-than-normal temperatures continued across most continents, with North America having its warmest September, Europe and South America second warmest, and Africa and Asia fourth warmest, based on 1910-2024 NOAA/NCEI data. The excessive heat increased evapotranspiration which exacerbated the drought conditions.
A significant portion of the world's agricultural lands was still suffering from low soil moisture and groundwater levels — especially in the Americas, Africa, eastern Europe, and parts of Asia — and satellite observations showed stressed vegetation on most continents. The GEOGLAM Crop Monitor indicated that agriculture was most threatened in parts of Central and South America, Africa, southeast Europe, southwest Russia, southeast Asia, and southern Australia. The Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWSNet) revealed significant food insecurity continuing in parts of Central and South America, Southwest Asia, and much of Africa.
According to media reports (Reuters), water levels in the rivers that run through the vast Amazon rainforest have been falling, after a record drought followed by less rain, presenting unprecedented challenges for local indigenous people. South America's Paraguay River, a key thoroughfare for grains, has hit a record low in Paraguay's capital Asuncion, with water levels depleted by the severe drought upriver in Brazil that has hindered navigation along waterways in the Amazon. And the Parana River, which carries almost 80% of Argentina's grains and oilseeds for export, is at the second lowest level for this time of year since 1970, behind only a major decline in 2021, due to the major drought upstream in Brazil; this is causing huge grain ships loading up with soy and corn at Argentina's major inland river ports around Rosario to take on less cargo. Reuters added that wildfires in Bolivia are now running on a track to set an all-time record, according to satellite data, with fire hot-spots to-date overtaking the rate in the same period during major blazes in 2010 as the wider South American region burns. Phys.org explained that, from Ecuador to Brazil, many Latin American nations are gripped by their worst drought in decades, fueling a blistering fire season that has set residents and governments on edge. The Associated Press reported that coffee production in Brazil, the world's largest coffee producer, is being impacted by the drought. At the same time, Vietnam, the world's second-biggest coffee producer, is experiencing heat and drought, affecting its crops. Potential supply shortages in both countries have started driving up global coffee prices. The drought in South America has affected power generation in Brazil and Ecuador. EuroNews reported that the summer of 2024 in the Balkans, in southeast Europe, was the hottest since measurements started more than 130 years ago. Long periods with temperatures above 30C (86F) that didn't fall below 20C (68F) overnight have pushed average temperatures to new highs. Reuters reported that Russia's winter crop sowing is in a very difficult situation due to severe drought, which is expected to seriously affect next year's harvest. Russia's Voronezh region, one of the country's key farming areas for grain and sugar beet, declared a state of emergency due to drought. According to BNE Intellinews, reservoirs around Iran's capital, Tehran, are 74% empty. The water crisis in Tehran, a city and region of around 10 million people, highlights the broader pattern of drought and water scarcity in West and Central Asia. Countries across the region such as Iran, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have been grappling with reduced rainfall, depleted groundwater resources and increased water demand due to population growth and agricultural needs. Earlier in August, the local Iranian government notified that water consumption and drought had broken all previous records in the latest in a string of worsening statistics. In Africa, CNN noted that half of Zimbabwe's population is facing the risk of acute hunger and Voice of America reported that the African drought could worsen Zambia's already fragile economy and lead to massive job losses.
Europe
Parts of eastern Europe were drier than normal during September, but most of central, western, and southern Europe was wetter than normal. Northern and eastern portions were warmer than normal while southwestern parts had near-normal September temperatures. Continent-wide, September 2024 ranked as the second warmest September in the 1910-2024 NOAA/NCEI temperature record and sixth wettest September in the 1940-2024 ECMWF ERA5 Reanalysis precipitation record. Dry conditions were evident on Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) maps in eastern and especially southeastern Europe at the 6-month time scale and across the Mediterranean coastal areas and Southeast at 12- to 72-month time scales. Anomalous warmth has plagued Europe over extended periods. All 10 time periods from July-September through October-September were the warmest such periods in the NCEI record. The hot temperatures increased evapotranspiration (as seen on the Evaporative Demand Drought Index [EDDI] maps) which exacerbated the drought conditions — especially in the south, east, and north. The Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) maps show much more intense and widespread drought than the SPI maps, especially in the Mediterranean and eastern Europe and out to longer time scales (1-4 years). Satellite observations (GRACE) indicated depleted soil moisture continued across the eastern half of Europe, as well as along the Mediterranean coast and in Scandinavia. GRACE data also indicated depleted groundwater in these areas, except a little more widespread. However, satellite observations of vegetative health (Vegetative Health Index, VHI) revealed generally healthy vegetation due likely to beneficial precipitation of recent months, except in the east.
Asia
In Asia, much of western Russia extending into Southwest Asia was dry in September, as were parts of southeast China and the eastern coast of Asia. Southern, central, and northern parts of Asia were anomalously wet. This was the third wettest September for Asia. Central parts of the continent were near to cooler than normal, while anomalously hot conditions dominated the western, southern, and eastern areas, giving Asia a rank of the fourth warmest September. At the 6-month time scale, excessive dryness was concentrated in Southwest Asia. The Southwest Asia dryness was more widespread at 24 to 60 months, with dryness also evident from western India to Myanmar. Unusual warmth extended back through time, with the four time periods from June-September through March-September ranking warmest on record, continent-wide. The excessive warmth increased evapotranspiration, as seen on the EDDI maps, which made drought conditions worse, as seen on the SPEI maps (especially in Russia to China and in Southwest Asia, and especially at the longer time scales). Satellite observations (GRACE) showed low soil moisture, as well as low groundwater, across much of Southwest and Southeast Asia, northern India, parts of China and Mongolia, and much of Russia. Satellite data (VHI) revealed poor vegetative health across Southwest Asia, Southeast Asia, western China to Mongolia, and northern Siberia. Drought conditions were confirmed over northern, eastern, and southwestern parts of India on the India Drought Monitor, covering about 18.4% of the nation at the end of September, which is slightly less than last month.
Africa
Wet conditions dominated much of Africa during September, except for some eastern, southern, and western areas. Continent-wide, September 2024 ranked as the 18th wettest September in the ECMWF ERA5 record. Eastern Africa, however, had the seventh driest September. Anomalously warm temperatures dominated most of the continent, with September ranking fourth warmest. On the 6- and 12-month SPI maps, excessively dry conditions were evident across southern Africa, parts of the west coast, and along the Mediterranean coast, especially the Maghreb region. Record heat characterized each of the 9 time periods from June-September through October-September, continent-wide. The persistent heat increased evapotranspiration and made drought conditions more intense and widespread, especially in the south, with some SPEI maps showing almost all of the continent having some degree of drought for most time scales longer than 3 months. Models and satellite (GRACE) observations revealed persistent low soil moisture and groundwater in the Maghreb and adjacent northern regions, and over much of central to southern Africa. Satellite observations of vegetative health (VHI) revealed stressed vegetation over southern, central, and northern parts of the continent, with the most severe conditions in the north and south. An analysis by the African Flood and Drought Monitor estimated 30% of the continent in drought at the end of September, which was about the same as last month, and included 8 countries in drought.
Australia
Eastern, southern, and western parts of Australia were drier than average during September, while the northwestern third of the continent was wetter and warmer than average. According to ECMWF ERA5 temperature and precipitation data, Australia had the fourth warmest and 28th wettest September, continent-wide, in the 1940-2024 record. The SPI maps show dryness along the south coast and parts of the north at 6 months, and in the south and west at 12 months. Australia experienced unusually warm temperatures for the last 12 months as well, with October 2023-September 2024 ranking as the fourth warmest such period in the ECMWF ERA5 record. Increased evapotranspiration associated with the excessive warmth made drought conditions more intense and widespread on the SPEI maps, especially at the 1-month time scale. Dry soils were evident in southern and northeastern parts of Australia, according to GRACE soil moisture data. The GRACE data showed low groundwater in parts of central and western Australia. Satellite observations (VHI) revealed stressed vegetation across western, central, southern, and northeastern parts of Australia. These moisture anomaly patterns were confirmed by Australian Bureau of Meteorology and Australian Combined Drought Indicator analyses, which also showed low streamflows in parts of southwestern and much of southeastern Australia as well as some areas along the eastern Australian coast, and low water storage levels in western and southeastern Australia. No drought or abnormal dryness was indicated in New Zealand on the mid-September New Zealand Drought Monitor map prepared by the New Zealand National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).
South America
Most of South America was drier and warmer than average in September, with only a few parts of Argentina having above-average precipitation. September 2024 ranked as the driest and second warmest September, continent-wide, according to ECMWF ERA5 and NOAA/NCEI data, respectively. SPI maps showed the dryness persisting in the north and spreading into the south at longer time scales (2-12 months). The continent had the warmest February-September through October-September (all 5 time periods) as well as the driest October-September (last 12 months). The EDDI maps showed the northern half of the continent experiencing unusually high evapotranspiration at 1- to 12-month time scales. When the effects of low precipitation and high temperatures are combined, the SPEI maps show much more intense and widespread drought, especially in the Amazon Basin. Satellite observations (GRACE) show dry soils and low groundwater across huge swaths of South America — especially along and east of the Andes Mountain chain. Satellite analysis (VHI) revealed poor vegetative health across virtually the entire continent. Drought was confirmed across most of Brazil on the Brazilian Drought Monitor (National Water Agency map, CEMADEN map), in Chile and Argentina on the Southern South America Drought Information System (SISSA) maps, and in western South America countries on the CIIFEN Western South America Regional Drought Monitor.
North America
In North America, the SPI showed September as drier than average across northwest Mexico to the southwestern United States (U.S.), from the central to northeast U.S., and from parts of northwest Canada to the Maritime Provinces, with wet conditions over the southeastern U.S., parts of eastern and southern Mexico, and parts of the western U.S. to western parts of Canada. September temperatures were warmer than average across virtually the entire continent. NOAA/NCEI data ranked September 2024 as the warmest September on record, continent-wide, and ECMWF ERA5 data gave a rank of 46th driest (40th wettest) September on record. Unusual warmth characterized most of the last 12 months, with the periods April-September through October-September (all 7 time periods) ranking warmest on record. Northwest Mexico, central and western parts of the U.S., and western and eastern parts of Canada were dry at the 6-month time scale. Southern and northwestern parts of Mexico, central and eastern parts of the U.S., and eastern, central, and especially western parts of Canada were dry at 12 months. The unusually warm temperatures increased evapotranspiration across parts of Mexico and the U.S. and most of Canada, as seen on the September EDDI map. The EDDI maps show enhanced evapotranspiration across most of the continent at 6 and 12 months. The unusual warmth/evapotranspiration is reflected on the SPEI maps by more intense and expansive drought, especially at the longer time scales. Satellite (GRACE) observations revealed extensive areas of low groundwater across much of western, central, and eastern Canada, the southwestern U.S. to northwestern Mexico, the central Appalachians, and parts of southern Mexico to Central America. GRACE observations of soil moisture indicated dry soils across those same areas, and extending into central parts of the U.S. Satellite analysis (VHI) indicated poor vegetative health across many parts of Canada, and the western half of the U.S. into northern Mexico. The North American Drought Monitor (NADM) product depicted drought or abnormal dryness across most of Canada, most of the U.S. from the West Coast to the Appalachian Mountains, and over northwest Mexico, with 25.3% of the area and 13.5% of the population of North America in drought at the end of September. The Caribbean Regional Climate Center SPI maps showed areas of short-term (1 to 6 months) and long-term (12 months) dryness across various parts of the Caribbean region, especially in the western and central parts of the region at the 1-month time scale. Temperatures have been especially warm in the Caribbean, with September ranking second warmest and all 11 time periods from August-September through October-September the warmest in the NOAA/NCEI record.