Prolonged western heat wave continues as drought risk expands across the Great Plains and Corn Belt

A prolonged heat wave is continuing across the western United States, while dryness and below-normal precipitation are increasing the risk of rapid-onset drought in parts of the Great Plains and Corn Belt, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration outlook.

The NOAA Climate Prediction Center issued the outlook at 3 p.m. EDT on July 27, 2026. It covers Aug. 4 through Aug. 10 and associates the western heat with a strong mid-level high-pressure ridge over the western contiguous United States.

The forecast combination has practical implications beyond temperatures. Persistent heat can increase risks to public health and energy demand, while existing dryness and limited precipitation can add pressure to agriculture and water supplies and contribute to more difficult wildfire conditions. The drought language describes an elevated forecast risk, not an official disaster declaration or a confirmed accounting of crop losses.

The outlook did not identify a national snow hazard during the covered period. Its near-term forecast window ran through Monday, Aug. 10, when conditions in the West, Great Plains and Corn Belt remained the focus for weather and drought-risk monitoring.