This image of global precipitation from NOAA’s January 2026 Global Drought Narrative highlights a mix of precipitation and heat, which reduced drought conditions in some areas and worsened conditions in other areas.
The narrative is based on NOAA’s Global Drought Information System (GDIS) indicators for January 2026, which rely on modeling and analysis of ground, sea, and satellite data.
The indicators show that precipitation reduced drought conditions across much of Europe, Australia, and parts of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Meanwhile, persistent heat continued in other places. Specifically:
Precipitation
- Europe recorded its 11th-wettest January on record
- Australia and Africa ranked 14th and 15th wettest, respectively
- Drier conditions prevailed across North America, South America, and Asia, which observed their 8th-, 11th-, and 12th-driest January on record, respectively
Heat
- Relentless heat also continued, pushing January 2026 to the fifth-warmest January on record for the globe
- Africa recorded its warmest January on record
- Australia (5th), North America (6th), and South America (9th) all saw top-10 warmth.
- Temperatures were near normal across Europe, which ranked as the 80th-coldest January on record.
Get more information: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/global-drought/202501
