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HomeNewsNews 2012Drought likely to continue, according to WGA, NOAA 'Outlook'

Drought likely to continue, according to WGA, NOAA 'Outlook'

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2012  

Contacts:
Carlee Brown (WGA) 303-623-9378
Katy Human (NOAA) 303-497-4747

DENVER -- Drought is likely to persist through December across much of the West, according to the latest regional Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook from the Western Governors' Association (WGA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  

"Information contained in the Outlook is an excellent resource for our on-the-ground folks who have to be prepared for that all-too uncontrollable factor: weather," said Governor Gary Herbert (Utah), WGA Chairman.  "This document indicates that our state should prepare for continued drought impacts, especially for the farmers and ranchers who will continue to see a scarcity of rain through the end of the year."  

The Outlook combines maps, projections and other products that provide information to decision makers about current and likely future weather conditions. Among the features of this release is the latest version of the U.S. Drought Monitor, a map detailing the degree of severity of the drought across the West. Also included are maps that show the summer's major wildfires and the departure from the average temperature from June to August.  

The Outlook is a quarterly publication that was developed by the WGA and NOAA following a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations in June 2011. WGA and NOAA have also co-sponsored two regional meetings, one in the Pacific Northwest and one in the Upper Missouri basin.  

All of the maps and information presented in the Outlook are also available from NIDIS, or the National Integrated Drought Information System. NIDIS is hosted online at drought.gov, where a series of drought information tools are available. Western Governors were instrumental to the passage of NIDIS in 2006.  NIDIS is currently up for reauthorization by Congress.   

NOAA has also produced a series of regional Outlooks that focus more closely on regions, including publications for the Central Region, the Southern Great Plains, the Western Region, and the Pacific Islands.  All of the publications are available online at WGA's Drought, Fire and Extreme Events page.

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