# El Salvador enters third drought; heat impacts region > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/el-salvador-heat-wave-and-power-demand > Updated: 2026-08-12T00:00:00.000Z. Sources: 25. Developments: 8. While previous rains briefly ended the drought in El Salvador, the country has entered a third meteorological drought period. As of August 7, several monitoring stations have reported no rainfall, and the Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (MARN) notes that while localized storms may occur in northern and mountainous sectors, the general trend remains dry. El Salvador continues to face a heatwave, with temperatures reaching up to 42°C. In Honduras, the water crisis remains critical due to prolonged drought and El Niño effects, threatening the supply for 1.3 to 1.5 million people near Tegucigalpa. Regional weather remains volatile, with high temperatures and sporadic rainfall expected across much of Central America. Additionally, the Dominican Republic is experiencing extreme weather. The Instituto Dominicano de Meteorología (INDOMET) has warned of “suffocating heat” through August 18, with temperatures likely exceeding 33°C and potentially surpassing 37°C in northern regions due to Saharan dust and El Niño. Urban flood alerts are in place for Greater Santo Domingo as tropical waves bring potential thunderstorms. ## Claims - The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources forecasts temperatures reaching 42 degrees Celsius in eastern El Salvador. (single source) - Climate expert Moisés Urbina predicts dry scenarios through the end of the year due to El Niño and global warming. (single source) - A station in San Miguel, El Salvador, recorded a maximum temperature of 40.9 degrees Celsius with a heat index of 48.1 degrees Celsius. (single source) - Copeco forecasts mostly dry conditions across Honduras for Wednesday. (single source) - Choluteca is expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius, while Valle is expected to reach 38 degrees Celsius. (single source) - Remnants of a tropical wave may cause weak, isolated showers in western, central, and eastern Honduras. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-12: Dominican Republic and El Salvador face extreme heat and drought The Dominican Republic and El Salvador face extreme weather, including intense heatwaves, Saharan dust, and the onset of a third meteorological drought period in El Salvador. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/central-american-heatwaves-impact-el-salvador-and-honduras ### 2026-08-08: El Salvador drought ends as rains break severe dry spell, Honduras faces looming water crisis Rains have ended El Salvador's severe drought and heat wave, while Honduras faces a looming water crisis that could affect up to 1.5 million people. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/el-salvador-drought-ends-as-rains-break-severe-dry-spell-honduras-faces-looming-water-crisis ### 2026-08-05: El Salvador braces for rainstorms and Sahara dust in early August El Salvador's MARN forecasts rainstorms on 5 Aug from a tropical wave and high Sahara dust levels from 6 Aug, urging precautions against strong winds, heavy rain, and health risks from poor air quality. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/el-salvador-braces-for-rainstorms-and-sahara-dust-in-early-august ### 2026-07-23: El Salvador braces for rainstorms and moderate drought this weekend El Salvador's MARN forecasts Saturday rainstorms with strong winds and notes a moderate drought, especially in La Unión where 11 dry days have been recorded, as El Niño influences conditions. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/el-salvador-braces-for-rainstorms-and-moderate-drought-this-weekend ### 2026-07-13: El Salvador braces for tropical wave bringing heavy rain and storms El Salvador’s MARN forecasts heavy rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds up to 45 km/h on Tuesday as a fast‑moving tropical wave sweeps the country, with temperatures reaching 38 °C. 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mauritius-and-guatemala-brace-for-heavy-rain-and-storms ### 2026-07-11: El Salvador hit by intense storms and heat as tropical wave moves through El Salvador faces intense storms, heavy rain, lightning and temperatures up to 38 °C as a tropical wave moves across the country, prompting flood warnings and drain‑cleaning efforts. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/el-salvador-hit-by-intense-storms-and-heat-as-tropical-wave-moves-through ### 2026-07-07: El Salvador faces extreme heat wave with temperatures soaring to 39 °C El Salvador will see a hot day with 32‑39 °C temperatures, limited rain in northern mountains, and increasing showers later in the week. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/el-salvador-faces-extreme-heat-wave-with-temperatures-soaring-to-39-c ### 2026-07-06: El Salvador faces rising electricity demand as El Niño‑driven heat intensifies El Salvador’s July heat wave, linked to El Niño, boosted electricity use for cooling, prompting ETESAL to upgrade substations while the diversified energy mix averted outages. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/el-salvador-faces-rising-electricity-demand-as-el-niodriven-heat-intensifies --- Cite as: El Salvador enters third drought; heat impacts region. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/el-salvador-heat-wave-and-power-demand