Envirocast® On-Line Feature of the Week -- August 16, 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 14, 2007 and released on August 16, 2007.

Credit: U.S. Drought Monitor

Drought Conditions in US

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

As of August 14, 2007 65% of the United States is experiencing below normal rainfall and 48% of the United States is in moderate drought.

Drought Conditions in Alabama

The worst drought in the country is located in Alabama.

In Alabama, 73% of the state was in exceptional drought, which is the highest of the 0 to 4 scale provided by the US Drought Mitigation Center. This is worse than last week when 51% of the state was in exceptional drought. Approximately 92% 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 Tennessee

In Tennessee 100% of the state was in severe drought which is 2 of the 0-4 scale.

Approximately 91% of the state is in extreme drought. This time last year, only 2% of the state was in severe drought. Almost 39% of the state was in exceptional drought, which is 4 of 0-4, up from 13% last week.

 

Drought Conditions in Georgia

The whole state of Georgia is below average rainfall. As of August 14, 27% of the state has exceptional drought, compared to last week when 23% of the state had exceptional drought. Approximately 53% of the state is currently in severe drought, which is 2 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 Maryland

In Maryland, 78% of the state is experiencing moderate drought. Around 55% of the state is in severe drought which is 2 on the 0-4 scale. Conditions have improved in Garrett County since last week.
 

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. The drought conditions stay unchanged since last week.

Drought Conditions in Nevada

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.

 

Drought Conditions in Michigan

In Michigan, almost the whole state is experiencing below normal rainfall. Approximately 76% of the state is under moderate drought, which is 1 on the 0-4 scale. All of the northern Upper Peninsula of Michigan is under severe or extreme drought.
 

Environmental Impacts:

  • As of August 14, 2007, 65% of the United States is abnormally dry and 48% 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,  Tennessee and Georgia (as of August 14, 2007).

Reference: USDA Drought Monitor

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