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Drought Watch: 61 Municipios in Drought, Extreme in 39 Municipios

Published Sep 11, 2026 · 787 Daily · Original analysis

The US Drought Monitor map dated September 8 puts 61 of 78 municipios in at least moderate drought (D1). The worst tier, D3 extreme drought, covers 39 of them, led by Aibonito, Canóvanas and Carolina.

66 of the 78 municipios are at least abnormally dry, 84.6% of the island. Since the last map this desk published, 0 municipios worsened and 11 improved, while 67 stayed in the same category.

The biggest moves: Orocovis (extreme drought to severe drought). In the week to September 11, the biggest reservoir fall was Lucchetti, down 0.54 m (Seguridad band), and the biggest rise Río Blanco, up 0.45 m.

The tables below carry every category, the municipios in the worst tier and each reservoir’s week.

By category

previous map 9 of 78 municipios · no drought9 4 of 78 municipios · abnormally dry (D0)4 9 of 78 municipios · moderate (D1)9 16 of 78 municipios · severe (D2)16 40 of 78 municipios · extreme (D3)40 this map 12 of 78 municipios · no drought12 5 of 78 municipios · abnormally dry (D0)5 8 of 78 municipios · moderate (D1)8 14 of 78 municipios · severe (D2)14 39 of 78 municipios · extreme (D3)39 no drought abnormally dry (D0) moderate (D1) severe (D2) extreme (D3)
Puerto Rico's 78 municipios by drought category, the previous map above this one. Colours are the US Drought Monitor's own, matching the map on the water page. Source: US Drought Monitor.
Source: US Drought Monitor, map dated 2026-09-08.
CategoryMunicipiosShare of 78
No drought1215.4%
D0 abnormally dry56.4%
D1 moderate drought810.3%
D2 severe drought1417.9%
D3 extreme drought3950%
D4 exceptional drought00%

Where the map is worst

Source: US Drought Monitor, map dated 2026-09-08.
MunicipioCategoryShare of area
AibonitoD3 extreme drought100%
CanóvanasD3 extreme drought100%
CarolinaD3 extreme drought100%
CulebraD3 extreme drought100%
GuánicaD3 extreme drought100%
GuraboD3 extreme drought100%
JuncosD3 extreme drought100%
LajasD3 extreme drought100%

The 8 municipios with the largest share of their area at D3, of 39 in that tier.

Week over week

Source: US Drought Monitor, map dated 2026-09-08 against the previous map.
MunicipioLast mapThis map
OrocovisD3 extreme droughtD2 severe drought
CialesD2 severe droughtD1 moderate drought
MorovisD2 severe droughtD1 moderate drought
Vega BajaD2 severe droughtD1 moderate drought
AreciboD1 moderate droughtD0 abnormally dry
BarcelonetaD1 moderate droughtD0 abnormally dry
FloridaD1 moderate droughtD0 abnormally dry
ManatíD1 moderate droughtD0 abnormally dry
CamuyD0 abnormally dryNone no drought
HatilloD0 abnormally dryNone no drought
QuebradillasD0 abnormally dryNone no drought

The reservoirs

Source: AAA reservoir chart, daily readings kept by 787 Daily.
ReservoirLevel (m)7-day changeAAA band
Lucchetti171.10down 0.54 mSeguridad
La Plata44.14down 0.43 mAjustes
Cerrillos167.36down 0.19 mSeguridad
Guayabal102.81down 0.17 mSeguridad
Dos Bocas89.80down 0.16 mSeguridad
Garzas736.06down 0.04 mSeguridad
Toa Vaca147.21down 0.01 mSeguridad
Loco69.51up 0.05 mSeguridad
Cidra400.27up 0.1 mObservación
Carraízo39.20up 0.11 mObservación
Patillas66.01up 0.14 mDesborde
Guineo902.43up 0.18 mDesborde
Carite542.25up 0.24 mSeguridad
Guajataca196.25up 0.32 mSeguridad
Matrullas734.64up 0.36 mSeguridad
Caonillas251.59up 0.37 mSeguridad
Guayo442.64up 0.37 mSeguridad
Fajardo47.13up 0.39 mObservación
Río Blanco25.34up 0.45 mObservación

Levels are AAA’s chart readings for September 11; the change is against September 4.

The full map, coloured by category, is on the water page, next to the reservoir board and the rationing schedule. This is the 2nd Drought Watch (the previous one is here).

Source: US Drought Monitor (NDMC, USDA, NOAA) county statistics for Puerto Rico, map dated 2026-09-08; reservoir levels from AAA’s published chart. USDM categories are a weekly expert synthesis of indicators, not a rainfall total; municipio shares are area-weighted.