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Education

Dried out plants in a field of dirt  

Drought Basics


What is the difference between dry weather and a drought? Who decides? How do the effects of drought differ from region to region? What are the initial steps to begin a drought planning process? Learn how to use the U.S. Drought Monitor to understand drought severity.

An example map of a global drought index  

Drought In-depth


What is drought and what causes it? What are the different types of drought? How can weather facts and environmental factors help to forecast drought? Step into the science of drought on these pages.

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Drought for Kids


Are weather and climate the same thing? Explore these pages if you're studying — or teaching about — drought!

An abandoned car covered in dirt during the Dust Bowl  

Dust Bowl


Imagine soil so dry that plants disappear and dirt blows past your door like sand. That’s what really happened during the Dust Bowl.

An example of a U.S. Drought Monitor map  

Tutorials


Our tools provide information about current drought conditions and historic effects of drought. Is there drought in your area? How bad is it? How do the tools work? Explore the tutorials.

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Drought Games


Find NDMC’s interactive games, developed for adults, to learn more about drought management and planning. Learn how to play the games, how they help build resilience to drought and download resources to play the games.