This year’s U.S. Drought Monitor Forum will be April 16-18 in West Palm Beach, Florida, hosted by the South Florida Water Management District, and organized by the National Drought Mitigation Center, based at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln, with sponsorship from the National Integrated Drought Information System.
The forum is a chance for U.S. Drought Monitor authors to learn from local and regional stakeholders. Holding the forum in Florida, which has had significant drought impacts in recent years, will help answer the question, “What is drought in a tropical environment?” said Mark Svoboda, one of the authors and leader of the National Drought Mitigation Center’s Monitoring Program Area. “This is us going into their backyard to learn what drought means to them, and how do we depict that on a national map.”
The first day of the forum will focus on the U.S. Drought Monitor process and how local input is incorporated from collaborators, particularly in Florida and the Southeast. The second day will focus on drought impacts and how they are monitored and collected. The third day of the forum will have an international emphasis, focusing on the transferability of the U.S. Drought Monitor, Drought Impact Reporter and other tools to the Caribbean and Central America.
Brian Fuchs, NDMC climatologist, is the lead organizer. Contact him with questions at bfuchs2@unl.edu or 402-472- 6775.
The forum is free but registration is required. To see the agenda or register, please visit
http://drought.unl.edu/Home/USDMForum.aspx