This drought update is issued in partnership between the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the University of the Virgin Islands. The purpose of the update is to communicate a potential area of concern for drought expansion and/or development within Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands based on recent conditions and the upcoming three month forecast.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Southern Region for March - May 2021. Dated June 2021.
On the whole, temperatures during Spring 2021 averaged quite close to normal in the Southern Region. Spring 2021 featured more than double the normal rainfall amounts in many parts of the Gulf Coast from South Texas to Mississippi. Most of the region received above-normal precipitation.
As of June 22, 2021, 90% of the Southwest and California is in drought, with 40% of this region in Exceptional Drought (D4), the highest level. Twelve months prior, most of the West was drought-free, but drought conditions began developing around May 2020. High temperatures and very low rainfall totals through spring and summer of 2020 set new records across the Southwest, and the combination of extremely low soil moisture leading into winter and snow drought through winter means that run-off in the spring of 2021 has been very low.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Midwest Region for March - May 2021. Dated June 2021.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Western Region for March - May 2021. Dated June 2021.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Missouri River Basin March - May 2021. Dated June 2021.
There were stark differences in both temperature and precipitation across the region this spring. Temperatures were, for the most part, near to below normal across much of the west and south, and near to above normal across the east. Meanwhile, heavy precipitation fell across southern areas and little to none fell across the north.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Mid-Atlantic Region for March - May 2021. Dated June 2021.
The National Weather Service Central Region developed 2021 Summer Hazard Outlooks in coordination with the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), and National Water Center; U.S. Department of Agriculture; National Weather Service River Forecast Centers; and National Interagency Fire Centers' Geographic Area Coordination Centers. This outlook highlights the various Summer hazards that could occur and potential impacts across the Northern Plains and Great Lakes region.
The National Weather Service Central Region developed 2021 Summer Hazard Outlooks in coordination with the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), and National Water Center; U.S. Department of Agriculture; National Weather Service River Forecast Centers; and National Interagency Fire Centers' Geographic Area Coordination Centers. This outlook highlights the various Summer hazards that could occur and potential impacts across the Western U.S.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for Alaska and Northwestern Canada for March - May 2021; outlook for July -September 2021. Dated June 2021.
NOAA’s Regional Climate Services Program and partners created these Climate Outlooks to inform the public about recent climate impacts within their respective regions. Each regional report contains easy-to-understand language, and anyone can access them through the Drought Portal.