U.S. Drought Portal Offers Maps, Info on Dry Weather Impact

From the dry conditions that fueled California's wildfires to low rainfall and water shortages in the Southeast, drought has affected millions of people across the U.S. this year. To help both citizens and public officials better understand drought conditions in their areas, the federal government has just unveiled a new online tool: the U.S. Drought Portal.

The portal, also known as the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), was designed to provide early warnings for emerging drought conditions, let users know about the risks and impacts of droughts in their areas, help managers better prepare for and deal with the effects of drought and offer an online forum for people to discuss drought-related issues.

"The new portal site provides all the information that managers need in one location, and delivers unprecedented access to key operational drought resources to answer the most pressing questions facing policymakers, emergency planners, businesses and the public," said Conrad Lautenbacher, an administrator at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a retired Navy vice admiral and undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. "Everyone now has the ability to learn facts they need: What are the current drought conditions, its effects and when will it end?"

While NOAA took the lead in developing the drought portal, many other agencies are also participating in the system. They include the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, the Small Business Administration and many others.

"The drought-related emergencies in the Southeast and Southern California underscore the importance of having timely, accessible, and actionable information on drought from the national to the local level," said Chester Koblinsky, director of NOAA's Climate Program Office.