Document

Facing Future Droughts: Lessons from the Southeast’s 2023 Fall Flash Drought

Document Author

Brianne Minton, Lee Ellenburg, Rob Junod, Elliot Wickham, and Meredith Muth

Document File

Facing Future Droughts: Lessons from the Southeast’s 2023 Fall Flash Drought (7.21 MB)

Document Date

December 11, 2025

Document Type

Assessments

Reports

Document Description

This report, Facing Future Droughts: Lessons from the Southeast’s 2023 Fall Flash Drought, was developed to improve the monitoring, communication, and response to drought in the Southeastern United States, with a specific focus on flash drought. The 2019 flash drought exposed critical gaps in early warning and monitoring systems, sparking conversations that continued during the 2022 Southeast Drought Early Warning System (DEWS) Regional Meeting. The report provides a retrospective analysis of the 2023 fall drought, including its development, sectoral impacts, and lessons learned for future resilience.

This assessment was developed by the Alabama Office of the State Climatologist and the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH), a partnership between NOAA and The University of Alabama, with funding from NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS).

A second, forthcoming document will offer a deeper look at the science behind flash droughts, including historical patterns, the region’s unique hydrologic systems, and key tools to monitor and forecast rapid drought development.