NCDC: U.S. National Drought Overview

NCDC / Climate Mon. / Climate-2003 / Dec / U.S. Drought / Natl.Over. / Search / Help

Climate of 2003 - December
U.S. National Drought Overview

National Climatic Data Center, 15 January 2004

Global Analysis / Global Hazards / United States / U.S. Drought / Extremes
Use these links to access detailed analyses of Global and U.S. data.

National Overview

On the national scale,

severe to extreme drought affected about 17 percent of the contiguous United States as of the end of December 2003, a decrease of about 1 percent compared to last month
about 31 percent of the contiguous U.S. fell in the moderate to extreme drought categories (based on the Palmer Drought Index) at the end of December
on a broad scale, the last two decades were characterized by unusual wetness with short periods of extensive droughts, whereas the 1930s and 1950s were characterized by prolonged periods of extensive droughts with little wetness (see graph below right)
about 12 percent of the contiguous U.S. fell in the severely to extremely wet categories at the end of December
a file containing the national monthly percent area severely dry and wet from 1900 to present is available
historical temperature, precipitation, and Palmer drought data from 1895 to present for climate divisions, states, and regions in the contiguous U.S. are available at the Climate Division: Temperature-Precipitation-Drought Data page in files having names that start with "drd964x" and ending with "txt" (without the quotes).

Click here for graphic showing U.S. Drought and Wet Spell Percent Area, 1996-present

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Click here for graphic showing U.S. Drought and Wet Spell Percent Area, 1900-present

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Precipitation Ranks for the
National (Contiguous U.S.) , 2003
Period	Rank
Dec	52^nd driest
Nov-Dec	37^th wettest ( 73^rd driest)
Oct-Dec	54^th driest
Sep-Dec	43^rd wettest ( 67^th driest)
Aug-Dec	45^th wettest ( 65^th driest)
Jul-Dec	53^rd wettest ( 57^th driest)
Jun-Dec	38^th wettest ( 71^st driest)
May-Dec	31^st wettest ( 79^th driest)
Apr-Dec	28^th wettest ( 82^nd driest)
Mar-Dec	31^st wettest ( 79^th driest)
Feb-Dec	25^th wettest ( 85^th driest)
Jan-Dec	39^th wettest ( 71^st driest)

Click here for graphic showing precipitation departure and normal, January 1998 - present

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Click here for graphic showing precipitation, 1895-2003

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For all climate questions other than questions concerning this report, please contact the National Climatic Data Center's Climate Services Division:

Climate Services Division
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4876
phone: 828-271-4800
email: ncdc.info@noaa.gov

For further information on the historical climate perspective presented in this report, contact:

Richard Heim
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4328
email: Richard.Heim@noaa.gov

-or-

Jay Lawrimore
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4328
email: Jay.Lawrimore@noaa.gov

NCDC / Climate Mon. / Climate-2003 / Dec / U.S. Drought / Natl.Over. / Search / Help

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2003/dec/drought-national-overview.html
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Last Updated Friday, 18-Nov-2005 14:11:48 EST by Richard.Heim@noaa.gov
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