California statewide precipitation during the last three winters (November-April 2011/2012 through 2013/2014) ranked the second lowest since official measurements began in 1895. Only the consecutive three-year period of 1974/1975 through 1976/1977 was drier. In this report, the authors analyze the causes and predictability of the California drought during these three consecutive rainy seasons observations and ensembles of simulations conducted with seven atmosphere models forced by observed sea surface temperatures.

In this EOS opinion article, NOAA Modeling, Analysis, Predictions, and Projections (MAPP) Program Drought Task Force leaders working with the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) describe the disastrous impacts of droughts, heat waves, and fires in the United States and the world. They also discuss new MAPP- and NIDIS-funded research that is tackling the challenges of a drier, hotter, more fire-prone future.

NIDIS is a multi-agency partnership that coordinates drought monitoring, forecasting, planning, and information at national, state, and local levels across the country. In 2006, Congress passed the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) Act of 2006, which directs NIDIS to develop and “provide a national drought early warning information system.”

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Western Region for December 2020 – February 2021.  Dated March 2021.

Winter temperatures were well above normal in southern California and slightly above normal in all of Nevada, Washington, and Oregon.  Near or slightly below normal temperatures were found in parts of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.  Much of the West saw below normal precipitation throughout the winter.