Drought

Climate experts say El Niño will intensify between October and November, bringing little relief to Honduras's drought-stricken dry corridor, where farmers report near-total crop losses and warn the crisis will persist for decades without adaptation measures.

Facing prolonged drought that is shrinking reservoir levels, Tegucigalpa's mayor Juan Diego Zelaya announced that water-rationing cycles will widen from every 7 days to every 9 days starting next week, aiming to stretch supplies until September rains begin.

Honduras's government will provide emergency food aid to approximately 40,000 families affected by drought in the southern region, and also plans infrastructure repairs and water projects to address longer-term effects of the dry spell.

A trough on Friday and an incoming tropical wave on Saturday will bring scattered to moderate rain to most of Honduras through Sunday, with daytime temperatures reaching 38°C (100°F) in the south, though forecasters say the rainfall will not relieve the ongoing drought affecting 75 municipalities.

The National Autonomous University of Honduras warns that rainfall could drop 30–40% below average starting in October across the Dry Corridor, the south, and Tegucigalpa as El Niño strengthens, threatening water supplies and the autumn harvest.

Vendors at the Feria del Agricultor are absorbing a recent L2-per-pound cost rise to keep beef prices stable, though drought threatening cattle feed may force adjustments in coming weeks.

Drought linked to El Niño has pushed Honduras's disaster agency (COPECO) to place 75 municipalities in the dry corridor under indefinite yellow alert, while 49 remain on green alert and 113 are under monitoring for reduced rainfall across six departments.

An integrated food-security analysis projects that 157,000 people across Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala in the Rio Lempa border region will face acute hunger from July through October 2026, driven by seasonal grain depletion, inflation, and El Niño drought risk.

Congress unanimously approved a measure requiring the emergency agency Copeco, the Agriculture Ministry, and the municipal association Amhon to report within two weeks on drought conditions affecting 75 municipalities in the Dry Corridor, where El Niño has cut rainfall by half.

Honduras is spending 62 million lempiras (roughly $2.5 million) to aid 75 municipalities hit by El Niño-driven drought, with 38 facing the highest food-security risks and receiving priority support for water, food, health care, and irrigation.

Honduras's emergency agency raised drought alerts across 237 of the country's 298 municipalities due to reduced rainfall linked to El Niño, with 75 municipalities in the dry corridor placed under yellow alert indefinitely.

Over 30,000 sacks of food worth 4,000 lempiras (about $154) per household are being distributed across 12 municipalities in Honduras's dry corridor to 15,229 families who lost crops to drought.

Climate experts warn that El Niño strengthening could prolong the dry season (canícula) from its usual six weeks to 45–60 days, reducing rainfall by 40–60% and straining water supplies, agriculture, and hydroelectric power across Honduras, with Tegucigalpa's reservoirs at critical levels.

Authorities are considering upgrading drought alerts from green to yellow for 75 municipalities in the Dry Corridor and possibly adding 40 more, as recent rains have failed to reverse critical water deficits affecting drinking water, agriculture, and forest-fire risk.

Tegucigalpa is confronting its worst water shortage on record as prolonged rainfall deficits have drained the city's two main reservoirs to critical levels, forcing authorities to tighten rationing.

A UNAH researcher warns that 750,000 Hondurans face severe food insecurity in July–August, while 1.4 million more experience moderate insecurity, with drought and flooding threatening to worsen the crisis.

Tegucigalpa faces a severe drought, with its two main reservoirs at critical levels (Los Laureles at 39.88% capacity, La Concepción at 35.19%), prompting authorities to tighten rationing for 1.6 million people and warning reserves could be exhausted by late August without significant rainfall.

Tegucigalpa faces a water deficit of roughly 100 million cubic meters, and officials say the planned San José dam, though helpful, will not meet the capital's growing demand; authorities are contracting private wells and studying water transfers from other regions.

Tegucigalpa faces a critical water emergency with the Los Laureles Reservoir at 35% capacity and supplies guaranteed only until August 23 unless heavy rains arrive, forcing residents to rely on water trucks and rationing.

A prolonged dry spell is devastating agriculture across six municipalities in southern La Paz Department, prompting local leaders to call on the government for emergency aid to farmers.

Fenagh, the national farm federation, warns that irregular rainfall and the imminent onset of the mid-July dry season could slash agricultural output by up to 30 percent, with current losses already at 20 percent.

Honduras's emergency agency COPECO keeps a green alert in place across municipalities in the Dry Corridor due to insufficient rainfall, warning that 144 other municipalities could be added if drought conditions persist.

Honduras's basic food basket jumped 800 lempiras (about $32) in a year, a 6.16% increase driven by higher meat and fruit costs, while drought affecting 75 municipalities threatens to push 2.8 million Hondurans into food insecurity by year's end.

The government approved imports of corn, beans, and rice to manage domestic supply and control prices amid drought, while the agriculture ministry pursues higher-yield rice seeds to boost national production.

Erandique, Lempira, has received no rain for 18 days, causing severe damage to crops in low-lying areas, and officials are considering declaring an agricultural emergency.

Engineer Dulio Medina cautioned that Honduras faces a possible shortage of beans and other staple grains after drought and planting failures in Olancho and El Paraíso reduced crop supply for coming weeks.

A month-long drought has cut crop yields across key farming regions and pushed vegetable prices sharply higher at Tegucigalpa's main produce market, with merchants warning of further increases if rains do not return.

Honduras's emergency agency announced humanitarian assistance for about 75 municipalities hit by drought and delayed rains, with food distribution starting in late July, targeting the hardest-hit zones in the Dry Corridor.

Tegucigalpa is experiencing its driest summer in ten years, with critical water-supply levels prompting UMAPS to implement emergency measures including well drilling, water-truck distribution, rationing, and waste reduction.

Over 15,000 families in Choluteca and El Paraíso departments are receiving food rations of about 160 lb (about 72 kg) valued at L3,000–L4,000 (about $120–$160) each as emergency drought relief, with 900 sacks distributed daily from COPECO facilities.