Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

The U.S. government is closed. This site will not be updated; however, NOAA websites and social media channels necessary to protect lives and property will be maintained. To learn more, visit commerce.gov.

For the latest forecasts and critical weather information, visit weather.gov.
Published on

Since early 2020, the Southwest United States has suffered record low precipitation and near-record high temperatures, gripping the region with an unyielding, unprecedented, and costly drought. This exceptional drought—marked by massive water shortages, destructive wildfires, emergency declarations, and the first ever water delivery shortfall among the states sharing the Colorado River—punctuates a two-decade warm and dry period that has baked the Southwest. A newly released report from the NOAA Drought Task Force, which is a collaboration between the NOAA Climate Program Office, National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), and leading scientists, addressed four critical questions about the 2020–2021 Southwestern U.S. drought.

Event Date
September 14, 2021
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Location
Virtual

NOAA's National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), the Desert Research Institute (DRI), and the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder (CIRES), in cooperation with the Northeast Region Climate Center (NRCC), are pleased to announce two upcoming webinars in September. In this webinar, the team will share their Drought Monitoring Toolbox for the Northeast.

Published on

The National Integrated Drought Information System is pleased to announce two new interactive features on Drought.gov: new customization and sharing options for all maps as well as new interactive economic sector maps. These new communication tools will help decision makers and the public respond to the current drought, prepare for future drought conditions, and improve the nation’s long-term drought resilience. These tools were launched in collaboration with NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.

Event Date
August 24, 2021
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Location
Virtual

The most recent United States Drought Monitor indicates that nearly all of the Southwest is experiencing some level of drought, but recent monsoonal rain is improving drought conditions. This short drought briefing will focus on how the monsoon is impacting drought conditions and provide a general update of current drought conditions and forecasts for Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada.

Event Date
July 20, 2021
11:00 am - 1:30 pm
Location
Virtual

To provide the latest information on drought conditions across the West, NIDIS is joining with our federal, state, tribal, and local partners to host a drought webinar specifically for western communities. The webinar will include an update on the current drought situation and outlook, an overview of wildland fire conditions and outlook, and will feature perspectives from those on the ground who are responding to worsening drought conditions. Key discussions will include a summary of past and current conditions in terms of many climate variables like snowpack, temperatures, precipitation, soil moisture, etc.; as well as potential and ongoing impacts from drought across sectors (e.g., agriculture, water resources, recreation, etc.).

Event Date
June 21, 2021

The most recent United States Drought Monitor indicates that all of the Southwest is experiencing some level of drought, and forecasts indicate these conditions are expected to continue through summer. In this short drought briefing, Jon Meyer from the Utah Climate Center provides an update of current drought conditions and forecasts for Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Nevada.

Event Date
April 26, 2021

According to the April 20, 2021 U.S. Drought Monitor, 56.6% of the Pacific Northwest Drought Early Warning System (DEWS) is in Moderate Drought (D1). Additionally, a pocket of Exceptional Drought (D4) was added to Oregon, the first time that state has had D4 since 2015. Snow conditions this winter have been good in Washington and northern Oregon, and average to below average throughout the rest of the Pacific Northwest. What's the outlook for the rest of spring into summer?

Published on

When winter began, drought and dryness covered almost all of the Great Plains and West, and the snowfall in winter 2020-2021 didn’t do much to help conditions in the Western U.S. Explore drought conditions across the U.S. this winter in a series of 8 maps.

The NOAA National Weather Service River Forecast Centers each have an interactive website with a full set of real-time observations and forecasts, including snow and river conditions and water supply forecasts.

Event Date
February 19, 2021

Nearly 50% of the Southwestern United States is currently experiencing the most severe drought classification (D4) conditions. The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor indicated that all of the Southwest was experiencing drought, and drought is expected to continue throughout the winter and into spring. This webinar will provide an update of current drought conditions and forecasts for Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada, followed by a demonstration of the new Drought.gov website.

Subscribe to Precipitation