News

November 20, 2023

NU researchers, alumni contribute to national climate assessment

University of Nebraska researchers and alumni contributed expertise to the Fifth National Climate Assessment. Released by the Biden administration on Nov. 14, the report includes more than 500 authors and 250 contributors.

October 30, 2023

ForDRI monitors and predicts drought in U.S. forests

Tracking drought in forests can be a challenge due to the diverse array of plant life they contain. A new tool developed by the National Drought Mitigation Center, the Forest Drought Response Index (ForDRI), provides a way to monitor forest drought in the continental U.S.

October 30, 2023

Brief mentions October 2023

Spanish CMOR graphics now available, NDMC collaborates on rural climate resilience project, article examines flash drought definitions and more.

October 17, 2023

NDMC analysis finds changing snow, precipitation trends in the Northeast

The NDMC investigated changing characteristics of winter precipitation in the Northeast U.S. to help address gaps in current research. This work was done in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Northeast Climate Hub.

October 2, 2023

Objective blends now include machine learning technology, new inputs

On Oct. 2, the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) published a new experimental CDI. This new iteration of the “objective blend” composite drought indicators uses machine learning techniques and new metadata inputs to help authors make decisions about the U.S. Drought Monitor.

September 26, 2023

OWWLS expands to cover the entire U.S., Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands

An expanded map of weather station locations broadens efforts to bring more transparency to the U.S. Drought Monitor decision-making process, including highlighting coverage gaps in station-based data. The OWWLS website helps answer the frequently asked question of which stations are used in the USDM process.

August 2, 2023

Collaborative plan heightens Iowa’s response to drought

A collaborative plan published in January is helping Iowa, now in its third year of significant drought, more effectively identify and respond to drought. The interagency group included the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Midwest Climate Hub and National Drought Mitigation Center provided support.

July 17, 2023

Master’s project takes Drought Center student from Nebraska to Alaska

Alaska’s climate is changing faster than any other state in the U.S. To address the vast region’s unique climate needs and help Alaskans better prepare for drought events, University of Nebraska master’s student Grace Campbell developed a state-specific drought index. She was also part of a multi-disciplinary Drought Center team that met with Alaskan farmers, scientists and Native community leaders.

June 19, 2023

Ag In Drought combines drought, crop areas, crop progress and management resources

Ag In Drought provides current data on how drought is affecting agricultural production areas across the nation, as well as resources for managing drought. The National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln added several new features this year to U.S. Agricultural Commodities in Drought website, better known as Ag in Drought, and also made it easier to find by adding a link from the U.S. Drought Monitor site.

April 18, 2023

NDMC partnership works to enhance drought and climate resilience of Indigenous farmers in the Middle Rio Grande basin

In March, the Drought Center facilitated a workshop in New Mexico, hosted by the Santa Ana Pueblo. The workshop was the first of several outreach programs planned as part of the Climate Smart Indigenous Agriculture project through which the NDMC and its partners are working to enhance drought and climate resilience with Indigenous farmers in the Middle Rio Grande region.

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