Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Public Health

Looking for More Data?

The Drought.gov team reformats data from multiple partners into web- and GIS-ready formats, which we use throughout Drought.gov. These data, hosted on Google Cloud Storage, are free for all to download or reference directly from their web applications.

View Drought.gov Data Downloads

Maps
Map
Dataset Name

AirNow Air Quality Index

Update Schedule
Data Valid
Last Update
12/20/24

AirNow is a one-stop source for air quality data. AirNow reports air quality using the official U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI), a color-coded index designed to communicate whether air quality is healthy or unhealthy.

The AQI is calculated for four major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. For each of these pollutants, EPA has established national air quality standards to protect public health. Of these, ground-level ozone and airborne particles are the two pollutants that pose the greatest threat to human health.

AirNow is a partnership of the EPA, NOAA, National Park Service, NASA, Centers for Disease Control, and tribal, state, and local air quality agencies.

Source(s)
Update Schedule

On Drought.gov, Air Quality Index maps are updated daily at 10 a.m. Eastern. View hourly air quality information from AirNow.

Delayed
Off (No Flag/Up To Date)
Dataset Name

Social Vulnerability Index

Update Schedule
USDM Updates Weekly
Last Update
12/17/24

2018 Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) data were available in a GIS format at the county level from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) data from the National Drought Mitigation Center were available in a GIS format. The USDM is updated weekly on Thursdays. Access USDM GIS data.

Source(s)
Update Schedule

CDC's Social Vulnerability Index data are from 2018. The U.S. Drought Monitor map is updated weekly on Thursday mornings, with data valid through that Tuesday at 7 am Eastern.

Delayed
Off (No Flag/Up To Date)
Dataset Name

National Weather Service Heat Warnings

Update Schedule
Updates Weekly
Last Update
08/05/24

National Weather Service (NWS) warnings were available in a GIS format. Data includes all NWS warnings. Heat-related warnings (Heat Advisories, Excessive Heat Watches, and Excessive Heat Warnings) are extracted for the site. 

U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) data from the National Drought Mitigation Center were available in a GIS format. Access USDM GIS data.

Source(s)
Update Schedule

NWS heat advisories are updated weekly on Drought.gov. To view the latest information, visit weather.gov.

Delayed
Off (No Flag/Up To Date)
Stats
Dataset Name

Social Vulnerability Index Counties in Drought

Update Schedule
Updates Weekly
Last Update
12/19/24

GIS was used to identify and aggregate the number of counties with a Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) value of 0.75 or greater that were in drought, using data released weekly by the U.S. Drought Monitor

Source(s)
Delayed
Off (No Flag/Up To Date)
Dataset Name

Population Near Active Large Wildfires

Update Schedule
Updates Daily
Last Update
12/05/24

Active large wildfire data were ingested from the National Interagency Fire Center (NFIC) FTP server.

Source(s)
Delayed
Off (No Flag/Up To Date)
Dataset Name

Heat-Based Injuries

Update Schedule
Updates Monthly
Last Update
04/15/22

Statistics on heat-based injuries were ingested from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information's (NCEI's) Storm Events database.

Source(s)
Delayed
Off (No Flag/Up To Date)
Dataset Name

National Weather Service Heat Warnings

Update Schedule
Updates Weekly
Last Update
12/21/24

GIS was used to identify counties that have been designated with a National Weather Service heat advisory warning.

Source(s)
Delayed
Off (No Flag/Up To Date)