The National Weather Service developed 2021 Spring Hazard Outlooks in coordination with the National Centers for Environmental Information, National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), 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 Spring hazards that could occur and potential impacts across the Missouri River Basin.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Missouri River Basin September – November 2020. Dated December 2020.

Autumn 2020 was one of the driest on record for several states, including North Dakota (3rd), Colorado (9th), Nebraska (9th), Kansas (19th), and South Dakota (20th). Although temperatures were, overall, near normal, autumn had many extremes.

The Missouri River Basin (MRB) Drought Early Warning System (DEWS) Strategic Action Plan outlines priority tasks and activities to build drought early warning capacity and resilience. In early 2017, meetings were held to update the existing strategic plan, including a new focus on enhancing tribal capacity to use drought information and the use of new tools and drought indicators across the region. Before that plan could be finalized, drought quickly engulfed the Northern Plains region.

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. NIDIS and partners will be looking back at the 2017 drought through two lenses: how can we improve drought early warning and how can we improve preparedness and response to lessen the impact of drought.

In order to ensure the inclusion of indigenous perspectives in the implementation of our DEWS, NIDIS launched a Tribal Drought Engagement initiative in January 2019 in collaboration with the Masters of the Environment Program at University of Colorado-Boulder. The project aimed to strengthen relationships with tribal resource managers across the Missouri River Basin and Midwest DEWS regions in order to effectively deliver timely and relevant drought information.