National Drought Mitigation Center
Drought eased in some areas but encroached into others in the four weeks ending March 4, resulting in a slight overall reduction, to 35.85 percent of the 48 contiguous states, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. “A blockbuster storm struck California as the calendar turned from February to March, averting a record-breaking season for dryness,” said Brad Rippey, a meteorologist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of the Chief Economist.
The NDMC's January 2014 Drought and Impact Summary is out, detailing impacts that occurred as drought in the West intensified and expanded.
Federal agencies are teaming up with the State of California under the National Drought Resilience Partnership to cope with drought. Departments of the Interior, Agriculture and Commerce are working with the State of California to accelerate water transfers and exchanges, provide operational flexibility to store and convey water, expedite environmental review and compliance actions, and pursue new or fast-track existing projects that might help stretch California’s water supplies.
The area of California in exceptional drought, the worst category, increased across most of San Luis Obispo County on the U.S. Drought Monitor map released today, and the nation as a whole saw all categories of drought edge upward. Drought in the 48 contiguous states has increased more than 4 percentage points in the last four weeks to 37.38 percent, said Brad Rippey, a meteorologist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of the Chief Economist. Drought coverage had fallen to 30.28 percent on December 10, 2013; that figure represented the smallest drought coverage since Dec. 27, 2011.