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Drought.gov Data Download (GIS and Web-Ready)

Standardized Drought Indices generated from Climate Engine

Drought.gov operates an operational version of the Climate Engine API, which is a cloud-based climate focused data processing tool based on Google Earth Engine and the NOAA Open Data Dissemination (NODD) program.  Drought.gov is using Climate Engine to produce hundreds of drought indices each day, based on multiple leading foundational datasets from NOAA, NASA, and other partners. These indices are standardized to use the same climate reference period (1991-2020), distribution fittings and potential evapotranspiration methodologies. The data is updated daily and available in both GeoTIFF and web-map-ready XYZ tile formats.

Drought.gov provides overview pages to compare these products, and explore the differences between each foundational dataset:  Precipitation / Percent of Normal Precipitation / SPI / SPEI / EDDI

GeoTIFF Download:

Dataset Precipitation Percent of Normal Precip. Max Temperature Departure from Normal SPI SPEI EDDI Coverage and Resolution Latency
nClimGrid-Daily 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Week, 2W1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Week, 2W1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M ConUS 4km 4-6 days
ACIS "Grid 1" 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Week, 2W1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Week, 2W1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M ConUS 4km 3-5 days
CPC Daily ConUS Precip. 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M Precip. Only 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M Precip. Only Precip. Only ConUS 25km 3-5 days
PRISM 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Week, 2W1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Week, 2W1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M ConUS 4km 3-5 days
GridMET 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Week, 2W1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Week, 2W1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M ConUS 4km 3-5 days
CPC Daily Unified 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Week, 2W1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Week, 2W1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M Global 0.5 deg 4-6 days
ERA5 (Global) 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Week, 2W1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Week, 2W1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M Global 30km 5-7 days
CMORPH 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M Precip. Only 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M Precip. Only Precip. Only Global  8km 2-4 days
GPM IMERG 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M Precip. Only 1-Month, 2M, 3M, 6M, 9M, 12M Precip. Only Precip. Only Global 10km 2-4 days

 

Map Tiles available for direct integration:

GIS mapping tiles are available following the 'XYZ' tile specifications, which may be directly integrated into GIS web applications, apps and desktop tools.  The following URLs are templates which use the ..../${z}/${x}/${y}.png convention for representing the pyramid of tiles.  To obtain the 'XYZ' tile URL template, use the GeoTIFF download links listed above and replace the GeoTIFF filename with '{z}/{x}/{y}.png' (Example). Tiles are currently created for zoom levels of 1-5.

 

 

 

Partner Data

Drought.gov processes data from multiple partners. These data are summarized into the web-ready formats, map layers and statistics shown throughout Drought.gov. The data are available from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) and the NOAA Open Data Dissemination program, which promotes reuse of the data and provides public access to these data from Google Cloud Storage.

The URLs provided below are for the NOAA/NCEI directory and download locations.

Jump to: JSON Files | Sector-Specific Data | Map Tiles | Foundational Temperature and Precipitation Datasets

 

JSON / GeoJSON / TopoJSON Files

General statistics are available in the JSON format. Point/line/polygon GIS data are available in the GeoJSON and TopoJSON formats. The file info.json contains the valid date in the JSON format.

Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) River Observations and Forecasts - File Directory

  • Timescales: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6-day forecasts; maximum flood category forecasts; current observations
  • Processing Frequency: Daily
  • Geographic Coverage: U.S., Puerto Rico
  • Source: NOAA National Weather Service

AirNow Air Quality Index (AQI) - File Directory

Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) and Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) River Basin Data - File Directory

  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lake Levels and Forecasts: ACF and ACT River Basins 
    • Timescales: Current levels, 1-week forecast
    • Processing Frequency: Daily (current levels), weekly (forecasts)
    • Geographic Coverage: ACF and ACT River Basins
    • Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
  • ACF River Basin Statistics (precipitation rankings, U.S. Drought Monitor conditions, USDA disaster designations) - File Directory

Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters - File Directory

  • Period of record: 1980–present
  • Processing Frequency: Quarterly
  • Geographic Coverage: U.S.
  • Source: NOAA/NCEI

Coastal Salinity Index - File Directory

  • Timescales: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24-month
  • Processing Frequency: Daily
  • Geographic Coverage: Southeast U.S.
  • Source: U.S. Geological Survey

Climate Prediction Center (CPC) Outlooks – File Directory

  • Temperature & Precipitation Outlooks
    • Timescales: 6–10 day, 8–14 day, 1 month, 3 month
    • Processing Frequency: Daily (6–10 day, 8–14 day), monthly (1 month, 3 month)
    • Geographic Coverage: Contiguous U.S., Alaska
    • Source: NOAA Climate Prediction Center
  • U.S. Drought Outlooks
    • Timescales: 1 month, seasonal (3 month)
    • Processing Frequency: Monthly
    • Geographic Coverage: U.S., Puerto Rico
    • Source: NOAA Climate Prediction Center
  • CPC Outlooks by State – File Directory
    • Timescales: 1 month, 3 month
    • Processing Frequency: Daily
    • Geographic Coverage: U.S., Puerto Rico (temperature/precipitation outlooks not available for HI and PR)
    • Source: NOAA Climate Prediction Center
  • CPC Outlooks by HUC2 Watershed – File Directory

Climate Prediction Center Soil Moisture Percentile Rankings & Anomalies– File Directories: National, By State 

Crop Moisture Index (CMI) - File Directory

Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI)  - File Directories: CONUS Data, State Data

  • Timescales: 1–12 week, 1–12 month
  • Processing Frequency: Weekly (1–12 week EDDI), Monthly (1–12 month EDDI)
  • Geographic Coverage: Contiguous U.S.
  • Source: NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory

Global Drought Index (DI) - File Directory

GPCC Global Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) - File Directory

  • Timescales: 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, 60, 72-month
  • Processing Frequency: Monthly
  • Geographic Coverage: Global
  • Source: NOAA/NCEI

Lawn and Garden Moisture Index - File Directory

NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Gridded Dataset (NClimGrid Monthly) 

  • Temperature and Precipitation – File Directory
  • Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation and Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) – File Directory
    • Period of Record: 1895–present
    • Timescales: 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, 60, 72-month
    • Processing Frequency: Monthly
    • Geographic Coverage: Contiguous U.S.
    • Source: NOAA/NCEI

NOAA/NCEI Climate at a Glance (CAG) Temperature AnomaliesFile Directory

  • Period of Record: 1880–present
  • Processing Frequency: Monthly (Day 21)
  • Geographic Coverage: Global
  • Source: NOAA/NCEI

North American Drought Monitor (NADM) – JSON / TIFF

  • Processing Frequency: Monthly
  • Geographic Coverage: North America
  • Sources: NOAA/NCEI, National Drought Mitigation Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Environment Canada, Agriculture and Agrifood Canada, National Meteorological Service of Mexico, Mexican National Commission of Water

National Weather Service Drought Information Statements – File Directory

  • Processing Frequency: Daily
  • Geographic Coverage: United States, Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S.–Affiliated Pacific Islands
  • SourceNOAA National Weather Service, Weather Forecast Offices

Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF) – File Directory

  • Timescales: 1–3 days, 1–7 days
  • Processing Frequency: Weekly
  • Geographic Coverage: CONUS
  • Source: National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center

USDA Drought Disaster Designations – File Directory

U.S. Geological Survey Streamflow Conditions

  • Streamflow data and statistics by state – File Directory
    • Timescales: Real-time
    • Processing Frequency: Daily
    • Geographic Coverage: U.S. 
    • Source: U.S. Geological Survey
  • Streamflow data and statistics by HUC2 watershed regions – File Directory
    • Timescales: Real-time
    • Processing Frequency: Daily
    • Geographic Coverage: U.S. 
    • Source: U.S. Geological Survey
  • Streamflow data for the ACF and ACT River Basins – File Directory
    • Timescales: Real-time, 7-day, 14-day, 28-day
    • Processing Frequency: Daily
    • Geographic Coverage: Southeast U.S. 
    • Source: U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) 

U.S. Drought Monitor Change MapFile Directory

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Sector-Specific Data Downloads

Economic Sector Data – Main File Directory

Agriculture Data

Ecosystems Data

Energy Data

Manufacturing Data

Navigation & Transportation Data – File Directory

Public Health Data – File Directory

Recreation & Tourism Data – File Directory

Water Utilities Data – File Directory

  • U.S. Geological Survey Streamflow Conditions & Statistics
    • Timescales: Real-time, 7-day, 14-day, 28-day
    • Processing Frequency: Daily
    • Geographic Coverage: U.S.
    • Source: U.S. Geological Survey
  • NOHRSC Snowfall Data
    • Timescales: 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours
    • Processing Frequency: Daily
    • Geographic Coverage: U.S.
    • Source: NOAA/NOHRSC

Wildfire Management Data – File Directory

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Map Tiles

Gridded products have been converted into map tiles, which are available in the 'XYZ' tile organization scheme. Additionally, the Drought.gov team has added two files to show the valid date for the data. These files are in the root directory for each tile set. The file date.png is an image of the valid date text, and info.json contains the valid date in the JSON format. The file legend.png is an image of the map legend.

Crop Condition and Soil Moisture Analytics Tool (Crop-CASMA)

  • Top 9km– XYZ tiles
  • Sub 9km – XYZ tiles
  • Processing Frequency: Daily
  • Geographic Coverage: CONUS
  • Source: CSISS

Eurpoean Combined Drought Index – XYZ tiles

  • Processing Frequency: 3 times per month (day 1, 11, 21)
  • Geographic Coverage: 3 times per month
  • SourceEDO

Evaporative Drought Demand Index (EDDI): CONUS

Evaporative Drought Demand Index (EDDI): Global [NOAA]

Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI) Subseasonal Forecasts []

Evaporative Stress Index (ESI)

  • Global Data
    • Timescales:
    • Processing Frequency: Weekly
    • Geographic Coverage: Global
    • Source: NASA
  • CONUS Data
    • Timescales:
    • Processing Frequency: Weekly
    • Geographic Coverage: CONUS
    • Source: NASA

Global Drought Index (DI)

Global Risk of Drought Impact for Agriculture – XYZ tiles

  • Processing Frequency: 3 times per month (day 1, 11, 21)
  • Geographic Coverage: Global
  • Source: EDO

Global Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI)

GRACE-Based Groundwater and Soil Moisture

  • Shallow Groundwater – XYZ tiles
  • Root Zone Soil Moisture – XYZ tiles
  • Surface Soil Moisture – XYZ tiles
  • Processing Frequency: Weekly
  • Geographic Coverage: Global
  • Source: NASA

Multi-Indicator Drought Index (MIDI)

GridMET Temperature and Precipitation Data

Keetch-Byram Drought Index – XYZ tiles

NationalSoilMoisture.com Soil Moisture Products

nClimGrid Monthly U.S. Gridded Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI)

Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) from GridMET – XYZ tiles

  • Processing Frequency: Every 5 days (with a 4–5 day delay)
  • Geographic Coverage: CONUS
  • Source: Climate Engine

Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF)

Quick Drought Response Index (QuickDRI) – XYZ tiles

SNODAS Snow Water Equivalent – XYZ tiles

NASA SPoRT-LiS 100cm Soil Moisture Percentiles – XYZ tiles

  • Processing Frequency: Daily
  • Geographic Coverage: Global, CONUS
  • Source: NASA

Vegetation Drought Response Index (VegDRI) – XYZ tiles

Vegetation Health Index (VHI)

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Foundational temperature and precipitation datasets:

The NIDIS/Drought.gov team process several foundational gridded temperature and precipitation datasets from NOAA and reformat into the COG format for efficient cloud based access and integration into the Climate Engine and Earth Engine platforms.  These datasets are used as the basis for building drought indices and include the full period of record, with daily updates. The Google Cloud Storage bucket locations are listed below.  While the data are free to download anonymously from https using a URL prefix of 'https://storage.googleapis.com/<bucket-name>', a login to Google is required to browse the contents of each bucket.

nClimGrid-Daily (gs://noaa-ncei-nclimgrid-daily) (browse)

  • Processing Frequency: Daily
  • Geographic Coverage: CONUS
  • Source: NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
  • Period-of-Record: 1951-present, latency of 3 days

nClimGrid-Monthly (gs://noaa-ncei-nclimgrid-monthly) (browse)

  • Processing Frequency: Monthly
  • Geographic Coverage: CONUS
  • Source: NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
  • Period-of-Record: 1895-present, latency of 5 days

ACIS Interpolated Grid 1 Natural Neighbor (NN) (gs://noaa-nrcc-acis-nn-daily) (browse)

  • Processing Frequency: Daily
  • Geographic Coverage: CONUS
  • Source: NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
  • Period-of-Record: 1951-present, latency of 3 days

Unified CONUS: (gs://noaa-cpc-daily-conus) (browse)

  • Processing Frequency: Daily
  • Geographic Coverage: CONUS
  • Source: NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC)
  • Period-of-Record: 1948-present, latency of 3 days

Unified Global: (gs://noaa-cpc-daily-global) (browse)

  • Processing Frequency: Daily
  • Geographic Coverage: Global
  • Source: NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC)
  • Period-of-Record: 1979-present, latency of 3 days

CMORPH Satellite (precipitation-only) (gs://noaa-cpc-cmorph) (browse)

  • Processing Frequency: Daily
  • Geographic Coverage: CONUS
  • Source: NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) and Climate Prediction Center (CPC)
  • Period-of-Record: 1998-present, latency of 3 days

 

Questions? Contact the U.S. Drought Portal team at drought.portal@noaa.gov.

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