Flash Drought Webinar: Current Understanding and Future Priorities

Droughts are often categorized as "flash" droughts when they develop or intensify in a matter of weeks (though defining flash droughts continues to be an area of active debate). The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and the National Weather Service hosted three flash drought webinars in 2021 to help climate professionals and operational service providers better understand this phenomenon, its defining characteristics and how it varies by region and season, its impacts on agricultural and other stakeholders, and the potential for improved monitoring, prediction, and planning/response tools (datasets, maps, etc.).

This webinar showcased presentations and discussion by NIDIS staff on key takeaways from the December 2020 Flash Drought Virtual Workshop, with an emphasis on priority activities to advance flash drought monitoring, prediction, and planning/response. Read the workshop report to learn more.

Presentations:

• "NIDIS Flash Drought Workshop: Key Takeaways and Priorities," Joel Lisonbee and Molly Woloszyn, NOAA/NIDIS, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES)
• Additional reflections on the workshop and on priority actions to advance flash drought research:
  • Mike Hobbins, Research Hydrologist, NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory, CIRES
  • Amanda Cravens, Research Social Scientist, USGS Fort Collins Science Center