Recent precipitation from remnants of Hurricane Polo drove notable improvements across the Southern Plains and parts of the Southwest and Southeast in the U.S. Drought Monitor valid through October 6, 2026, while dryness persisted or intensified in the Lower Mississippi Valley and northern Wisconsin, where exceptional drought (D4) expanded. Nationally, D4 covered roughly 1% of the contiguous U.S., concentrated in states including Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, plus St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The USDM integrates precipitation, soil moisture, streamflow, and impact reports from NOAA, USDA, and USGS. The next map, scheduled for release October 15 with data valid through October 13, will incorporate any additional rainfall or drying during the target week and directly determine state-level D4 status.