May Rains Ease Drought Conditions

By Jay Grymes

State Climatologist

Have May rains saved the (agricultural) day?  The winter/spring drought, largely a result of the latest La Niña (the 'cool' phase of sea-surface temperatures over the equatorial Pacific) is retreating across Louisiana.  After ‘peaking’ in spatial extent and overall intensity in mid/late April, most of Louisiana has seen considerable improvements with regard to drought conditions over recent weeks thanks to a “wet” May.

We will have to wait on the consensus from Louisiana producers, especially those in the northwestern quarter of the state, but the initial signs are that the "wet" May arrived just in the nick of time for many.

Preliminary estimated rainfall for the month of May 2026 indicates a near statewide turn-around in terms of rain amounts compared to previous weeks, with the vast majority of Louisiana recording above-normal rainfall for the month.

Portions of south Louisiana received in excess of 15” of rain during May, roughly three times the monthly norm.  However, several northwestern parishes are showing below-normal May estimates, with less than half of normal May rainfall in some places, resulting in continued critical drought conditions for those locations.