Combined Drought Indicator

Welcome to the DPI Combined Drought Indicator (CDI). This interactive tool provides a snapshot of current seasonal conditions for NSW, factoring in rainfall, soil moisture and modelled pasture/crop growth indices. By accounting for the effectiveness of rainfall, the CDI provides a more comprehensive indicator of drought conditions. The CDI defines an area of NSW to be in a drought category if any of these indices fall below 30% when compared to historical records.

The Combined Drought Indicator is one source of information that informs policy and Government responses to changing seasonal conditions, including drought. The map provides a snapshot of conditions at a point in time and is not used to determine eligibility for drought assistance measures offered by the NSW Government.

A more comprehensive assessment of current seasonal conditions for the whole of NSW as well as for LLS regions is made available each month in the State Seasonal Update.

The Seasonal Conditions Information Portal provides historical information on how seasonal conditions have changed over time.

Help improve state-wide drought data and keep records of seasonal conditions on your property using Farm Tracker.

For additional resources on drought management and support please visit NSW DroughtHub.