Exceptional Drought Continues in Southwest. Wet Monsoon Slightly Favored.
- The region is still mired in severe to exceptional drought due to record-high temperatures and record-low precipitation in the winter and spring
- Impacts include vegetation stress, extremely low streamflow, major wildfires, increased flood risks, and national forest closures
- Outlook favors wetter-than-normal monsoon precipitation setting in around 6-9 July
CURRENT CONDITIONS
The United States Northern Plains, comprising eastern Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota, experienced a severe and rapidly-evolving drought during the summer of 2017. Considering the importance of agriculture for the region, a better understanding of Northern Plains droughts and how they evolve is critical for drought early warning. In the document, a timeline provides a chronology of the meteorological and hydrological conditions associated with the record and near-record-low surface soil moisture ahead of and during the 2017 growing season.
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.
Drought Status
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.
Balancing the Water Budget: Advancements in Soil Moisture Monitoring
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.