Droughts

Palmer Index May through September, 1999: Long Term Palmer Drought Severity Index for the summer of 1999. Dry areas are red, moist areas are green. Drought gripped most of the eastern United States with extreme drought persisting through the Ohio Valley into early fall. Note that the western U.S. also develops drought conditions by late summer. Courtesy NOAA/Climate Prediction Center
The West Coast ridge prevails, then yields, during the 1991 drought: Conditions during the 1991 drought are depicted by 500mb map during February and March. Data courtesy of NCEP
A satellite captures the drying of Lake Mead: Landsat satellite images (from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Visualization Laboratory and the U.S. Geological Survey) show the shrinkage of Lake Mead between May 2000 and May 2003. Data courtesy of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Visualization Laboratory and the U.S. Geological Survey

Related Web Sites
Drought Monitor	Multiple indices, outlooks and news accounts of the latest drought information.
Hydrologic Information Center	Access recently issued drought statements by the National Weather Service
Drought Monitoring	Examine data on long- and short-term drought from the Climate Prediction Center
Water Watch	Monitor the status of current water resources across the United States
Drought Termination and Amelioration	View maps of precipitation required to end or ameliorate drought across the U.S.
Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin	Examine maps and discussions of drought status and crop moisture across the United States