Drought conditions in Puerto Rico show significant improvement, although more than half of the territory remains affected. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor update, with data valid as of September 29, places 54.5% of the island under some drought category. The sharpest change was in extreme drought, which now covers 9.3% of Puerto Rico, far below the 39.5% recorded on September 8.
Over the same period, total drought extent fell from 69.1% to 54.5%. The report places another 19.7% of the territory under severe drought and 25.6% under moderate drought. In addition, 11% shows abnormally dry conditions, a classification that indicates lack of moisture but is not formally a drought category.
The most intense conditions are concentrated mainly along the southern and southwestern coast. Other areas in the central, northern and eastern parts remain under moderate or severe drought, while parts of the west and northwest now fall outside the drought classifications. Puerto Rico currently has no areas under exceptional drought, the highest intensity level used by the Drought Monitor.
The Monitor is updated weekly using meteorological data and local observations, in a joint effort by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Drought Mitigation Center.