Flash droughts have been recognized within the last few decades as a unique phenomenon with significant impacts that require a different approach to monitoring, prediction, and planning. While there have been efforts to improve flash drought early warning over the last few years, a collaboration amongst researchers and practitioners was needed to ensure a holistic and user-driven approach to improve the country’s understanding and preparedness for flash drought.
An accurate depiction of soil moisture conditions can provide valuable insights for agricultural conditions monitoring, weather prediction, and drought and flood early warning. NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), working in collaboration with the U.S.
An Integrated Information System (IIS) is a proven, whole-of-government organizational approach for enabling and strengthening capabilities to understand, manage, and mitigate societal risks from complex environmental hazards (e.g., heat, drought, floods). These systems work across sectors, timescales, geographies, and disciplines. An IIS is designed to inform and improve the policy and decision-making landscape, connect and amplify existing programs and networks, and respond to emerging priorities in a rapidly changing climate.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) hosted a series of listening sessions in 2022 to seek input on priorities and needs related to predicting water availability changes under drought conditions at national and regional scales.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Southern Region for September–November 2023. Dated December 2023.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Gulf Coast Region for September–November 2023. Dated December 2023.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Missouri River Basin for September–November 2023. Dated December 2023.
Warmer temperatures dominated the region, with cooler temperatures arriving for short periods at the end of October and November. Minimum temperatures were well above normal throughout the entire region this fall. After above-normal precipitation in September and October in parts of the basin, conditions dried out significantly in November.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Southeast and Caribbean Region for September–November 2023. Dated December 2023. (Updated February 2024 to add Spanish translation of Caribbean information.)
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Midwest Region for September–November 2023. Dated December 2023.
Fall temperatures were near normal in the east, with temperatures 1–3°F above normal in the west. Month-to-month, temperatures were near or above normal, with no notable areas of cooler temperatures. Fall precipitation was 70% of normal for the Midwest. Deficits of 4–8 inches were widespread across the lower Midwest, while areas around the Minnesota-Wisconsin border were up to 4 inches above normal for fall.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Canadian and U.S. Prairies and High Plains for September–November 2023, with an outlook for January–March 2024. Dated December 2023.
The Prairies and High Plains generally experienced warmer fall conditions, except the area that borders Montana and the Dakotas. Precipitation was well below normal for much of the Prairies, with parts of central Alberta receiving less than 30% of its seasonal amount.