Climate.gov Data Snapshots: Drought Monitor
Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Version: View help for Version V2
| Name | File Type | Size | Last Modified |
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| data | 06/23/2025 08:19:PM | ||
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application/pdf | 17.4 MB | 06/17/2025 04:26:PM |
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application/pdf | 1.5 MB | 06/17/2025 04:26:PM |
Project Citation:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Climate.gov Data Snapshots: Drought Monitor. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2025-06-23. https://doi.org/10.3886/E233221V2
Project Description
Project Title:
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Climate.gov Data Snapshots: Drought Monitor
Summary:
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This upload includes two additional files:
* Drought Monitor _NOAA Climate.gov.pdf is a screenshot of the main Climate.gov site for these snapshots.
* Cimate_gov_ Data Snapshots.pdf is a screenshot of the data download page for the full-resolution file
Q: Does the environment have enough water to sustain ecosystems, agriculture, and local economies that depend on it?
A: Colors
show experts' assessments of conditions related to dryness and drought.
These maps focus on broad-scale conditions, so local conditions may
vary. Categories reflect how much water is available in streams, lakes,
and soils compared to usual for the same time of year. The darker the
shade on the map, the more intense the drought conditions.
For maps showing drought status in Alaska, Hawai'i, and other U.S.
territories, please access the source data for this snapshot, the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Q: What information do experts use to make these maps?
A: Each
week, drought experts consider how recent precipitation totals compare
to their long-term averages. They check temperatures, moisture levels in
soils, and water levels in streams and lakes. They also watch for
indicators of drought such as vegetation stress. Altogether, experts
check dozens of indicators to establish consensus for drought categories
across the map. Before the weekly map is published, up to 350 people
across the country review the draft to check it against reality. Each
final map represents experts' best judgments of regional-scale drought
conditions, validated by partners in the field.
Q: What do the colors mean?
A: Colors
on the map show where the land is drier than usual for this time of
year. Areas shown in yellow are Abnormally Dry. In general, this
category indicates land that is going into or coming out of drought. Tan
areas are experiencing Moderate Drought: water supplies may be low and
damage may occur to crops and pastures. Orange areas are in Severe
Drought: water shortages are common and crop and pasture losses are
likely. Red areas are experiencing Extreme Drought. Areas in this
category may experience widespread water shortages and major losses of
crops and pastures; forests in these areas become dry and susceptible to
fire. Dark red areas are in Exceptional Drought. Shortages of water in
streams, reservoirs, and wells in these areas can lead to water
emergencies. Failed crops, barren pastures, and tinder-dry forests may
be widespread across these areas.
Q: Why do these data matter?
A: Most
regions of the United States experience drought at least occasionally.
Depending on its severity and duration, drought can devastate crops and
forests, lead to shortages of food for livestock and wildlife, increase
the risk of wildfires, and have a negative effect on local and regional
economies. Weekly updates on drought status keep decision makers and
natural resource managers informed of current conditions.
Q: How did you produce these snapshots?
A: Data
Snapshots are derivatives of existing data products. To meet the needs
of a broad audience, we present the same data as current products in a
simplified visual style. This set of snapshots is based on the U.S.
Drought Monitor, which is jointly produced by the National Drought
Mitigation Center (NDMC) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the
United States Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration. To produce these Drought maps, we run a
script that accesses map layers from NMDC and assembles them on a
prepared base map.
To view the original data in an interactive format, please visit the U.S. Drought Monitor.
References
* Drought Monitor _NOAA Climate.gov.pdf is a screenshot of the main Climate.gov site for these snapshots.
* Cimate_gov_ Data Snapshots.pdf is a screenshot of the data download page for the full-resolution file
Original Distribution URL:
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https://www.climate.gov/data/Drought--Weekly--Drought-Monitor--US/
Scope of Project
Subject Terms:
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climate;
climate change;
droughts
Geographic Coverage:
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United States of America
Time Period(s):
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1/5/2010 – 6/17/2025 (Weekly images from 2010 to present)
Data Type(s):
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images: photographs, drawings, graphical representations
Collection Notes:
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Data is divided in to folders by image resolution -- full size (zip), kml (zip), small (png), and large (png). Occasionally there may be one image missing in a particular size but available in another size.
Data downloaded from climate.gov 6/15/2025-6/16/2025 (small, large, and full resolution) and 6/21/2025 (others).
Data downloaded from climate.gov 6/15/2025-6/16/2025 (small, large, and full resolution) and 6/21/2025 (others).
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