Recent degradations in the Southern Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley, and Upper Midwest have expanded areas of extreme to exceptional drought (D3-D4) on the U.S. Drought Monitor, driven by persistent high pressure, above-normal temperatures, and below-average precipitation through late August 2026. As of the August 25 map, roughly 1.5% of the contiguous U.S. fell into D4, with notable intensification in Texas, Oklahoma, and parts of the northern Rockies amid critically low soil moisture and streamflows. Strong El Niño conditions, forecast to persist through winter, are suppressing rainfall in the Pacific Northwest and northern Plains while favoring monsoon relief in the Southwest. The next weekly USDM update, typically released Thursdays, and the September 17 seasonal drought outlook from the Climate Prediction Center will provide key data on whether short-term improvements or further expansion occur by early September.