**Flash drought intensification across the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi River Basin, driven by prolonged extreme heat and minimal rainfall, is the main factor shaping trader views on states reaching D4 (exceptional drought) for the week of September 22, 2026.** The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM), produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center with NOAA, USDA, and NASA input, showed 1.7% of the U.S. in D4 as of data valid September 15, with degradation of 2–3 categories in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and adjacent areas over the prior four weeks. Authoritative reports highlight 67-day dry spells in north Texas and record-low precipitation in Oklahoma, pushing conditions into the highest USDM category on the five-tier scale. The next USDM update, valid through September 22 and released September 24, along with any new NOAA short-term forecasts, will directly inform resolution. Widespread D1–D4 drought now covers nearly 50% of the contiguous U.S., but D4 remains concentrated and sensitive to late-September rainfall shifts.
Experimental AI-generated summary referencing Polymarket data. This is not trading advice and plays no role in how this market resolves. · UpdatedExceptional drought (D4) by state — week of September 22, 2026

Alabama
5%

Arizona
4%

Arkansas
95%

California
5%

Colorado
97%

Delaware
5%

Florida
51%

Georgia
5%

Idaho
78%

Illinois
5%

Indiana
4%

Iowa
5%

Kansas
5%

Kentucky
5%

Louisiana
5%

Maryland
5%

Minnesota
5%

Mississippi
75%

Missouri
26%

Montana
5%

Nebraska
95%

Nevada
50%

New Jersey
5%

New Mexico
98%

North Carolina
50%

North Dakota
5%

Ohio
5%

Oklahoma
75%

Oregon
95%

Pennsylvania
5%

South Carolina
5%

South Dakota
5%

Tennessee
5%

Texas
97%

Utah
75%

Virginia
5%

Washington
5%

West Virginia
5%

Wisconsin
18%

Wyoming
7%
$2,536 Vol.

Alabama
5%

Arizona
4%

Arkansas
95%

California
5%

Colorado
97%

Delaware
5%

Florida
51%

Georgia
5%

Idaho
78%

Illinois
5%

Indiana
4%

Iowa
5%

Kansas
5%

Kentucky
5%

Louisiana
5%

Maryland
5%

Minnesota
5%

Mississippi
75%

Missouri
26%

Montana
5%

Nebraska
95%

Nevada
50%

New Jersey
5%

New Mexico
98%

North Carolina
50%

North Dakota
5%

Ohio
5%

Oklahoma
75%

Oregon
95%

Pennsylvania
5%

South Carolina
5%

South Dakota
5%

Tennessee
5%

Texas
97%

Utah
75%

Virginia
5%

Washington
5%

West Virginia
5%

Wisconsin
18%

Wyoming
7%
D4 area below 0.05% is treated as cartographic noise at state borders and resolves "No".
Alabama carries a market in May through November, so this market exists for the week valid September 22, 2026. Weeks outside that window have no Alabama market and make no claim about Alabama's drought.
Each USDM release covers the seven-day period ending Tuesday at 8:00 AM ET and is published the following Thursday.
Resolution is based on the first published US Drought Monitor release for the listed week. Subsequent revisions will not be considered; the first published release is final.
If the US Drought Monitor has not been published by 11:59 PM ET on the day following the scheduled publication date, this market will resolve to "No".
The resolution source for this market is the US Drought Monitor at droughtmonitor.unl.edu.
Market Opened: Sep 17, 2026, 9:00 AM ET
Resolution Source
https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DmData/DataTables.aspxResolver
0x65070BE91...D4 area below 0.05% is treated as cartographic noise at state borders and resolves "No".
Alabama carries a market in May through November, so this market exists for the week valid September 22, 2026. Weeks outside that window have no Alabama market and make no claim about Alabama's drought.
Each USDM release covers the seven-day period ending Tuesday at 8:00 AM ET and is published the following Thursday.
Resolution is based on the first published US Drought Monitor release for the listed week. Subsequent revisions will not be considered; the first published release is final.
If the US Drought Monitor has not been published by 11:59 PM ET on the day following the scheduled publication date, this market will resolve to "No".
The resolution source for this market is the US Drought Monitor at droughtmonitor.unl.edu.
Resolution Source
https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DmData/DataTables.aspxResolver
0x65070BE91...**Flash drought intensification across the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi River Basin, driven by prolonged extreme heat and minimal rainfall, is the main factor shaping trader views on states reaching D4 (exceptional drought) for the week of September 22, 2026.** The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM), produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center with NOAA, USDA, and NASA input, showed 1.7% of the U.S. in D4 as of data valid September 15, with degradation of 2–3 categories in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and adjacent areas over the prior four weeks. Authoritative reports highlight 67-day dry spells in north Texas and record-low precipitation in Oklahoma, pushing conditions into the highest USDM category on the five-tier scale. The next USDM update, valid through September 22 and released September 24, along with any new NOAA short-term forecasts, will directly inform resolution. Widespread D1–D4 drought now covers nearly 50% of the contiguous U.S., but D4 remains concentrated and sensitive to late-September rainfall shifts.
Experimental AI-generated summary referencing Polymarket data. This is not trading advice and plays no role in how this market resolves. · Updated

Beware of external links.
Beware of external links.
Frequently Asked Questions