Current Global Soil Moisture Conditions

Fig. 1: Daily global soil moisture anomaly analysis across the U.S.

U.S. discussion: As meteorological winter 2023-24 closes, drought concern remains in the Midwest U.S. although certainly weaker since late last warm season. Recently, the drier pattern has returned in the Midwest States and extends to the Northeast. An El Nino winter has soaked California and the Gulf States to the Mid-South U.S. region.

Fig. 2: Daily global soil moisture anomaly analysis across Europe/Western Russia.

Europe/Western Russia discussion: A prohibitive wet winter season has soaked Europe soils from U.K. and Ireland eastward across Central Europe and farther east to Southwest and South Russia and Kazakhstan. The already wet signature continues to trend wetter during late winter. Drought conditions from Northwest Africa to coastal Southwest Europe have recently weakened slightly.

Fig. 3: Daily global soil moisture anomaly analysis across Asia.

Asia discussion: Much of Asia enjoys wetter than normal soil moisture conditions with a wetter trend cited in China and much of Northeast Asia. The palm oil regions of Western Indonesia are trending wetter although Eastern Indonesia is sharply drier. An area of drought is also developing in South-central India.

Fig. 4: Daily global soil moisture anomaly analysis across South America.

South America discussion: Late meteorological summer soil moisture conditions in South America favor a wetter trend in Argentina and Central/East Brazil while steady ongoing drought remains in Southwest to South-central Brazil, Northwest Brazil, and Chile.

Fig. 5: Daily global soil moisture anomaly analysis across Australia.

Australia discussion: Despite an El Nino summer, much of the eastern half of Australia has encountered wet climate therefore avoiding drought with widespread wet soils away from the East Coast. The summer 2023-24 drought is centered on Western Australia and spreading along the South Coast.