Document Archive

A two-page status update on drought conditions, including current conditions, impacts, and outlook, in the Midwest and Northern Plains regions for June 21, 2018.

May 2018 drought outlook for the states of California and Nevada. This two page document includes current drought conditions, a regional climate update, drought and climate outlook.

Below is a summary of the 21 May webinar, led by New Mexico State Climatologist Dave DuBois, on drought conditions, outlook, and impacts in the Southern Plains.

The 15 May U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) introduced D4 “Exceptional Drought” in all Southern Plains states, indicating that the current drought is comparable to the worst 1-2 droughts in the past 100 years.  

Soil moisture is a vital part of the water budget, yet an accurate depiction of this variable has been a serious challenge over the past several decades.

Below is a summary of the 23 May webinar led by Brian Fuchs, Climatologist with the National Drought Mitigation Center, and Ed Delgado, National Program Manager, Predictive Services, National Interagency Fire Center. The webinar explained drought conditions and outlook, as well as drought and wildfire in the region.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific Islands Region for February – April 2018.  Dated May 2018.

Includes significant events, regional climate overview, and sectoral impacts for Q1 2018; regional outlook for May through July 2018.

Two-page summary of the April 23, 2018 webinar on current Southern Plains drought conditions, impacts, and outlook and wildfires. The information was provided by Brian Fuchs, Climatologist with the National Drought Mitigation Center, and Todd Lindley, National Weather Service Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma.

The Northern Plains drought started in the spring and summer of 2017 and sparked widespread wildfires and compromised water resources, leading to the destruction of property, livestock losses, and reduced agricultural production. These impacts were felt in South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, by the tribes of the Northern Plains, and in the Canadian Prairies.

Drought research has historically focused on the analysis of how precipitation deficits cause drought. In contrast, temperature as a drought driver has only recently drawn attention. Recent interest in temperature as a driver likely stems from observational evidence of increased land surface temperatures, more frequent heat waves, and the increasing duration of hot spells, all of which are giving a heightened perception of the land surface being “parched."

California is no stranger to a lack of rain and dry ground. Since 1895, the state has suffered through several extended periods of dry weather, some more severe than others. Its driest three-year period was from 1974-1977, including California’s driest winter on record from 1975-1976. However, California has also been soaked with extended periods of wet weather, such as during the mid-1990s.