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Drought Early Warning Activities

Page Summary

Each regional drought early warning system (DEWS) focuses on improving early warning capacity for and resilience to drought in that region, including examining the role of extreme weather events and climate variability in drought.

Regional DEWS Coordination

NIDIS has developed regional drought early warning systems (DEWS) throughout the United States, where local networks of researchers, resource managers, policymakers, the private sector, academics, and other stakeholders share information and actions to help their communities cope with drought.

A DEWS coordinates this network of key regional partners so that decision makers and citizens can systematically approach drought monitoring and forecasting integration when planning and preparing for drought. Regional DEWS encourage innovation by integrating new, locally relevant drought information, and supporting the introduction and testing of technologies that detect and communicate drought risks and warnings.

Regional DEWS activities focus on five key areas for drought early warning (DEWS components): observation and monitoring, prediction and forecasting, planning and preparedness, communication and outreach, and interdisciplinary research and applications.

Circles representing each of the 5 key components of a drought early warning system

Drought Early Warning Activities

The table below shows ongoing activities related to drought early warning across the United States. Each activity falls into one or more of the five key areas of drought early warning systems (DEWS components): observation and monitoring, planning and preparedness, prediction and forecasting, communication and outreach, and interdisciplinary research and applications.

DEWS Components Legend
Observation & Monitoring
 
Planning & Preparedness
 
Prediction & Forecasting
 
Communication & Outreach
 
Research & Applications

Select filters to browse DEWS Activities below

Description

Southeast Alaska, home to the northernmost temperate rain forest in the world, experienced frequent and cumulatively significant below-normal precipitation starting in autumn 2016, impacting…

Scope
State
Key Partners
NOAA, Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy
Project Timeline
Oct
2020
Sep
2022
DEWS Components
Description

This project aimed to build a predictive understanding of drought and to quantify the risk of droughts with certain characteristics in the lower and upper Mississippi and Ohio River basins. This…

Scope
Region
Key Partners
NOAA Earth Systems Research Laboratory
Project Timeline
Oct
2019
Sep
2022
DEWS Components
Description

The Great Plains and California consist of the first and second largest economies in the U.S., but both regions are prone to extreme droughts. Yet, it is…

Scope
Region
Key Partners
NOAA, University of California, Los Angeles
Project Timeline
Sep
2020
Aug
2023
DEWS Components
Description

This project produced decision calendars to inform users of where and when science can inform decision-making, and improve communication and usability of climate information. The project…

Scope
Region
Key Partners
National Drought Mitigation Center, USDA Midwest Climate Hub, University of Wisconsin, NIDIS
Project Timeline
Jan
2018
Dec
2020
DEWS Components
Description

Drought is a complex environmental hazard that impacts both ecological and social systems. Accounting for the role of human attitudes, institutions, and societal values in drought planning is…

Scope
Region
Key Partners
U.S. Geological Survey
Project Timeline
Ongoing
DEWS Components