July 11, 2019
Final Snow Drought Update of the Summer and 2019 Water Year in Review
The summer season has brought continued warming leaving snowpack at only the highest elevation locations in the western U.S. and Alaska. The Pacific Northwest, specifically Washington, northern Idaho, and northwest Montana, as well as South Central Alaska, were the primary regions impacted by snow drought for the 2019 water year. In contrast, abundant moisture led to a deep snowpack further south in the Sierra Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. As we move further into summer, there are two primary snow drought-related impacts to keep an eye on in the affected regions: reduced summer runoff and water supply, and increased fire potential earlier in the fire season, which is already occurring in Alaska.
FEATURED
News & Updates
Report Examines Wildfire Impacts on the Southern Plains

During 2016 and 2018, devastating wildfires across the Southern Plains resulted in significant economic and environmental losses. In response, the USDA Southern Plains Climate Hub, in collaboration with the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program (a NOAA RISA team), NIDIS, and others, coordinated a project to assess the impact of the fires. K ey findings included identification of a trend towards fewer but more intense wildfires in the region; prescribed fire is an effective wildfire management strategy; communities are an effective form of local pro-active self-reliance; and years with plentiful rainfall in the spring and late summer often lead to large amounts of wildfire fuel during later droughts. Learn more >
Learn how the U.S. Drought Monitor is Created and Informs Policy

The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) helps the USDA distribute billions of dollars in drought relief to farmers and ranchers, water supply managers plan ahead, and states coordinate activities locally. The National Drought Mitigation Center has released a new tutorial that explains, in text and videos, the history of the USDM, the data- and observation-driven process that informs the map’s creation, the ways in which the USDM informs policy, and more.  Learn more >
UPCOMING
Events & Webinars
FEATURED MAP + DATA
WaterSMART Data Visualization Tool
WaterSMART is a Bureau of Reclamation program that works with states, tribes, water managers, and other entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply reliability. The WaterSMART Data Visualization Tool is an interactive, online map that visually displays the locations and benefits of WaterSMART activities. The interactive web map highlights program accomplishments and allows users to filter information about specific project types and identify recently funded projects. A section of the tool highlights drought plans and projects. Learn more >
Image from Bureau of Reclamation
Learn more at D rought.gov
About NIDIS
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) was authorized by Congress in 2006 (Public Law 109-430) with an interagency mandate to develop and provide a national drought early warning information system, by coordinating and integrating drought research, and building upon existing federal, tribal, state, and local partnerships.