Drought Information Statement for Tri-State Area 
Valid March 31, 2026
Issued By: NWS Goodland, Kansas
Contact Information: nws.goodland@noaa.gov
This product will be updated by the 5th of each month or sooner if drought conditions change significantly.  
Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements.
Please visit https://www.weather.gov/GLD/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. 
Please visit https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates for regional drought status updates.
Drought worsens another category across northern portions of the area as below normal precipitation continues.

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U.S. Drought Monitor
Link to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor for High Plains

Drought intensity and Extent by County

Extreme Drought: Dundy, Hitchcock, Red Willow.
Severe Drought: Yuma, Cheyenne Kansas. 
Moderate Drought: Rawlins, Decatur, Norton. 
Abnormally Dry: Kit Carson, Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan, Graham, Norton, Cheyenne Colorado, Gove, Greeley, Wichita. 


        Star is centered on Goodland in all following maps. 

Observed Precipitation: 120 Days (December-March)
Severe to Extreme Drought Area:
Observed precipitation since December north of I-70 generally ranges from 0.10” to 0.50”. Normal precipitation for the 4-month period is around 2” to 2.5”.

Observed Precipitation: 120 Days (December-March)

Observed precipitation amounts since December along and south of I-70 generally ranges from 0.50” to 1.25”. Lower end values are abnormally dry, but not in drought.

March Precipitation - Observed
Actual precipitation amounts in March (liquid equivalent for snow) were generally less than a tenth of an inch in all areas except northeast Colorado, where amounts of up to 0.25” to 0.50” were observed.

March Precipitation - Departure from Normal
March precipitation amounts compared to normal were much below normal in all areas except portions of northeast Colorado. 

Monthly Precipitation Outlook: April 2026
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Comments:
Equal chances for above, near or below normal for the entire the Tri State area. 




Seasonal Precipitation Outlook: April-June 2026
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Comments
Below normal favored for the entire area through June (33% to 50% chance). 




Seasonal Drought Outlook: Through June 2026
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Comments
Drought persists and possibly develops in the remainder of the Tri State area through June.



Summary of Impacts
Links: See/submit Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) and view the Drought Impacts Reporter
Hydrologic Impacts 
There are no known impacts at this time

Agricultural Impacts
USDA Nebraska Crop Progress and Condition Reports can be found here
USDA Kansas Crop Progress and Condition Reports can be found here

Fire Hazard Impacts
Fuels are dry across the entire area. Windy days with low humidity will have a risk for wildfires. 
Other Impacts : There are no known impacts at this time

Mitigation Actions
Please refer to your municipality and/or water provider for mitigation information.

Contact Information 
For feedback, comments, questions specific to the Drought Information Statement please reach out to:
nws.goodland@noaa.gov