NCDC / Climate Mon. / Climate-2005 / Aug / U.S. Drought / Regional / Help
Climate of 2005 - August U.S. Regional Drought Watch National Climatic Data Center, 15 September 2005
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Regional Overview
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August 2005 was drier than normal across much of the Pacific Northwest into the northern Rockies and High Plains, much of the upper Midwest to Great Lakes, and parts of the mid-Atlantic to southern New England states, southern Texas, and central Florida.
The August precipitation pattern at the primary stations in Alaska was mixed but generally drier than average in the interior and south central coastal stations, and wetter than average in the southeast panhandle. Across Hawaii, most of the stations were drier than average on the northern islands, while a mixed pattern was evident on the southern islands. In Puerto Rico, the precipitation signal was mostly wetter than normal in the west with areas of subnormal rainfall in the east, based on National Weather Service radar estimates of precipitation. August streamflow averaged near normal for the Hawaiian Islands and wetter than normal for Puerto Rico.
Many of the August dry areas, plus parts of New Mexico, have been drier than normal for the last 3 to 6 to 9 months, including parts of Alaska and Hawaii.
Long-term moisture deficits (last 24 to 36 to 60 months) persisted across parts of the West into the northern High Plains and central Plains.
Some regional highlights:
- One state had the tenth driest, or drier, August in the 111-year record:
- Two states had the tenth driest, or drier, July-August:
- Illinois ranked tenth driest, or drier, for several seasons:
- May-Aug: 8th driest
- Apr-Aug: 8th driest
- Mar-Aug: 6th driest
- Feb-Aug: 7th driest
- Arkansas ranked tenth driest, or drier, for several seasons:
- Apr-Aug: 10th driest
- Mar-Aug: 7th driest
- Feb-Aug: 7th driest
- As noted in media reports (The New York Times, 8/15; WKYT27 Lexington, KY, 8/12), the Midwest drought has lowered water levels along parts of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, curtailing barge traffic which affected several economic activities. The drought has also dried up wells, caused insect infestations and wreaked havoc on corn and soybean fields.
- During the last two months, drought declarations or emergencies have been declared in four states: Wisconsin (Wisconsin Ag Connection, 7/18), Illinois (Brownfield Network, 7/27), Missouri (Kansas City Star, 8/25), and Arkansas (AP, 8/23).
- By the end of the month, 60% or more of the pasture and range land was in poor to very poor condition in Missouri (61%), Arkansas (68%), Pennsylvania (66%), Connecticut (72%), and Rhode Island (95%).
- End-of-month and month-averaged soil moisture conditions were drier than normal across a broad swath from the southern Plains to the western Great Lakes, and parts of the Pacific Northwest, northern and central Rockies, Ohio Valley, and Northeast, based on model computations (CPC-1, CPC-2, MRCC). The models also indicated dry soil moisture conditions in parts of Alaska and Hawaii, and near the surface and at depth from Iowa to the Great Lakes.
- According to end-of-August USDA observations, more than 50 percent of the topsoil moisture was rated short to very short (dry to very dry) across the Pacific Northwest and northern Rocky Mountain states, and in a swath from the southern Great Plains to the Great Lakes and Northeast states. This is drier than the 5-year and 10-year averages across much of the area.
- Streamflow levels were below seasonal norms across parts of the Pacific Northwest, northern and central Rockies, central Plains, Great Lakes, Mississippi valley, and Northeast to mid-Atlantic states, as computed by models and based on USGS observations.
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- These overall conditions are evident in the following indicators:
- Palmer Drought Indices,
- Standardized Precipitation Index,
- long-term (36 to 60 month) percent of normal precipitation maps,
- airport station percent of normal precipitation maps,
- statewide precipitation rank maps,
- Cooperative station percent of normal precipitation maps,
- percent of average maps for the SNOTEL stations in the western mountains provided by the Western Regional Climate Center
- satellite-based observations of vegetative health,
- National Weather Service model calculations of
- National Weather Service model calculations of soil moisture using the Leaky Bucket Model,
- Midwest Regional Climate Center model calculations of soil moisture,
- topsoil moisture conditions observed by the USDA and mapped by the Climate Prediction Center,
- pasture and range land conditions observed by the USDA and mapped by the Climate Prediction Center,
- streamflow maps maintained by the USGS.
- A detailed review of drought and moisture conditions is available for all contiguous U.S. states and the nine climatological regions:
REGIONS:
STATES:
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Additional Contacts:
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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
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NCDC / Climate Mon. / Climate-2005 / Aug / U.S. Drought / Regional / Help
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