Envirocast® On-Line Feature of the Week -- August 9, 2007

Update: Drought Conditions in the U.S.

The images in this Envirocast® Bulletin are from the U.S. Drought Mitigation Center.  These detailed drought conditions are produced in partnership with NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), USDA and the U.S. Drought Mitigation Center. Data is from August 7, 2007 and Released on August 9, 2007.

Credit: U.S. Drought Monitor

Drought Conditions in the US

A -- Agricultural Drought Impact (crops, pastures, grasslands);
H -- Hydrological Drought Impacts (water)

As of August 7, 2007, 66% of the United States is experiencing below normal rainfall. This is worse than 3 months ago when just under half of the country was below normal rainfall.

Drought Conditions in Alabama

In Alabama, 51% of the state was in exceptional drought, which is the highest of the 0 to 4 scale provided by the US Drought Mitigation Center. Approximately 90% of the state was in severe drought, which is a 2 on the 0-4 scale. All of Alabama is below normal rainfall.

Drought Conditions in Georgia

The whole state of Georgia is below average rainfall. Last week, only 1% of the state was in exceptional drought, but as of August 7, 23% of the state has exceptional drought. Approximately 47% of the state is currently in extreme drought, which is 3 of on the 0-4 scale. At this time last year, only less than 1% of the state was in extreme drought.

Drought Conditions in Tennessee

In Tennessee, 100% of the state was in moderate drought which is 1 on the 0-4 scale. Approximately 95% of the state is in severe drought. This time last year, only 2% of the state was in severe drought. The area of exceptional drought, which is 4 of 0-4, has doubled since last week.

 

Drought Conditions in Maryland


 

In Maryland, the whole state is experiencing below normal rainfall. This time last year, there were no areas in the state with below normal rainfall. Around 50% of the state is under severe drought which is 2 on the 0-4 scale.

Drought Conditions in California

Around 80% of the West is below normal rainfall, compared to 56% that was below normal at this time last year. Because of the dry conditions, water supplies are reaching record lows in Idaho and Montana.

In California, 92% of the state is in moderate drought, compared to last year when 92% of the state was at or above normal rainfall.

Drought Conditions in Georgia

All of Nevada is in severe drought, which is 2 on the 0-4 scale. At this time last year, only 3% of the state had below normal rainfall.

Environmental Impacts:

  • As of August 7, 2007, 66% of the United States is abnormally dry and 47% of the United States is affected by some kind of drought.

  • Currently 63% of the western United States is experiencing at least a moderate drought condition. At this time last year, 39% of the West had at least a moderate drought condition.

  • The states suffering from the most extreme drought are Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee (as of August 7, 2007).

Reference: USDA Drought Monitor

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