Latest news with #NationalDroughtMitigationCenter
Morocco World
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Morocco World
Morocco Enters Global Drought Hotspot List, Report Warns
A new international report confirms Morocco's place among the countries most severely affected by drought, raising alarm over shrinking water reserves, declining agricultural yields, and growing social vulnerability. The study, released by the US-based National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) in partnership with the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), identifies Morocco, Spain, and Turkey as the hardest-hit countries in the Mediterranean basin. It draws on hundreds of scientific, governmental, and media sources to track drought pressure globally between 2023 and 2025. In Morocco, the report indicates that drought has long defined the country's climate. However, dry spells have become more and more persistent and intense since the early 1900s. This change now risks converting already strained ecosystems into intensely arid zones. The report states that Morocco 'should become more arid over the course of the 21st century,' with droughts expected to strike more often and with greater force. Water availability, already at a critical level of 645 cubic meters per person in 2015, could fall to 500 cubic meters by 2050. Projections toward the end of the century show rainfall dropping by as much as 65% in key mountain basins in the High Atlas, further weakening the country's already fragile water cycle. Agriculture and rural life under strain The fallout has already reached homes, farms, and businesses. Low dam levels and depleted groundwater have led to water restrictions in several regions, affecting both daily life and major economic sectors. Agriculture, in particular, faces growing difficulty. The report points to hefty losses in cereal and vegetable yields, which have undermined farmers' incomes. The downturn has set off a chain reaction, affecting rural employment and stoking fears of social instability in vulnerable areas. According to the report, Morocco's adaptive capacity remains low despite investments in modern infrastructure and sensitization. Urgency for policy shifts To slow down the crisis, the NDMC calls for stronger water demand management, quicker diversification of supply sources through desalination and wastewater recycling, and better preparedness for future drought episodes. The report calls for community involvement and local awareness in order to build long-term resilience. Morocco could otherwise face the prospect of recurrent crises, compounded by climate patterns that no longer follow old rhythms, it warns. Tags: droughtMoroccowater deficitwater reserves
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Recent droughts are 'slow-moving global catastrophe'
From Somalia to mainland Europe, the past two years have seen some of the most ravaging droughts in recorded history, made worse by climate change, according to a UN-backed drought as a "silent killer" which "creeps in, drains resources, and devastates lives in slow motion" the report said it had exacerbated issues like poverty and ecosystem report highlighted impacts in Africa, the Mediterranean, Latin America and Southeast Asia, including an estimated 4.4 million people in Somalia facing crisis-level food insecurity at the beginning of this recommends governments prepare for a "new normal" with measures including stronger early warning systems. "This is a slow-moving global catastrophe, the worst I've ever seen," said co-author Dr Mark Svoboda, founding director of the US National Drought Mitigation Center."This report underscores the need for systematic monitoring of how drought affects lives, livelihoods, and the health of the ecosystems that we all depend on."The Drought Hotspots Around the World report identifies the most severely impacted regions from 2023 to this time, the warming effects of climate change were made worse by an El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon that affects global weather El Niño happens when surface waters in the eastern and central tropical Pacific Ocean become unusually often leads to drier conditions in regions such as southern Africa, parts of south-east Asia, northern South America, and south-east from humans, for example the use of irrigation in agriculture, has also put a strain on water resources. Drought-linked hunger By January 2023, the worst drought in 70 years had hit the Horn of Africa, coming from years of failed rainy seasons in Kenya, Ethiopia, and followed the deaths of an estimated 43,000 people in Somalia in 2022 from drought-linked hunger. African wildlife was also affected, with hippos in Botswana stranded in dry riverbeds, and elephants culled in Zimbabwe and Namibia to feed hungry communities and prevent overgrazing. The report highlights how drought hits the world's most vulnerable people including women hardest, with often far-reaching impacts on child marriages more than doubled in four regions of Eastern Africa hit hardest by drought, as families scrambled to secure dowries to survive, it noted."The coping mechanisms we saw during this drought grew increasingly desperate," said lead author Paula Guastello. "Girls pulled from school and forced into marriage, hospitals going dark, and families digging holes in dry riverbeds just to find contaminated water - these are signs of severe crisis."While low- to middle-income countries bore the brunt of the devastation, none could afford to be complacent, the report says, noting how two years of drought and record heat cut Spain's olive crop in the Amazon basin, record low water levels killed fish and put endangered dolphins more at risk as well as hitting drinking water supplies for hundreds of thousands of drought even had an effect on world trade - between October 2023 and January 2024, water levels fell so much in the Panama Canal that daily ship transits dropped from 38 to 24. "Drought is not just a weather event – it can be a social, economic, and environmental emergency," said report co-author Dr Kelly Helm Smith. "The question is not whether this will happen again, but whether we will be better prepared next time." Sign up for our Future Earth newsletter to keep up with the latest climate and environment stories with the BBC's Justin Rowlatt. Outside the UK? Sign up to our international newsletter here.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Despite week of rain, Minnesota still in "moderate drought," officials say
This week's wet weather has been a welcome sight given the ongoing drought and recent fires in the Northland. The latest drought monitor map, released May 15, still shows almost a quarter of Minnesota in a moderate drought. "We look at hundreds of pieces of data each week," said Brian Fuchs, a climatologist at the National Drought Mitigation Center. Rainfall, soil moisture, and lake levels are just a few of the variables needed to figure out just how bad a drought is. "And this assessment is done manually. We don't plug all this data into a computer model that spits out a map," Fuchs said. He says that information is extremely valuable for just about everyone from farmers to firefighters, especially after a warm, dry winter. "And that's kind of what we've been seeing in the northern part of the state," said Fuchs. "There's quite a bit of fuel available and that dryness has kind of been lingering on into the spring." Fuchs has been drawing the drought maps with a number of colleages for 20 years. He said the 2 to 4 inches of rain across southern Minnesota this week will certainly help, but it's more than just the amount. "We know that 2 inches of rain over a half hour is very different than two inches of rain over 24 hours, especially in states that agriculture is a big part of the economy," said Fuchs. "And so, trying to figure out exactly what happened with that rainfall — when it happened, did it all run off? Did some go into the soil? Did none go into the soil?" He said that analysis wouldn't be possible without the help of nearly 500 contributors across the country — acting as the eyes and ears on the ground. "Having that kind of expertise, contributing week in and week out through their state climate office that you have up in Minnesota is a great attribute to not only the state of Minnesota, but also the importance of the Drought Monitor and making sure we get it right," said Fuchs. With less rain across northern Minnesota, Fuchs anticipates the drought will worsen there. You can find the newest map each Thursday morning here.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Parts of California severely dry while others are drought free for first time since 2019
Northern Californians can breathe easy knowing the region is completely out of drought, according to weather experts. The last patches of unusually dry areas — remnants of drought that plagued counties along the Oregon and Nevada borders in 2024, and almost all North State counties from 2020 to 2023 — were wiped out by this year's wet winter. That's according to data taken at the end of each March by the U.S. Drought Monitor. That happened in most counties even before places like Shasta County got the 19th wettest February on record, stretching back 131 years, according to the data service, a cooperative of federal agencies that includes the National Drought Mitigation Center. However, drought maps also reported parts Southern California are in extreme drought, boosting fire risk this spring. That's after Southern California was already devastated by wildfires in winter. 'California is no stranger to drought. Drought is a gradual phenomenon, occurring slowly over a period of time.' according to the California Department of Water Resources drought information page. Note to readers: If you appreciate the work we do here at the Redding Record Searchlight, please consider subscribing yourself or giving the gift of a subscription to someone you know. This year's wet season washed away the last of far Northern California's drought woes — at least for now. It's the first time since 2019 the area was out of drought in late March, toward the end of the rainy season, according to drought maps. Those same maps show unusually dry conditions still lurking to the east, just across the state line in Nevada. Drought monitor data recorded no signs of unusual dryness/drought since Nov. 19, 2024 in Shasta and Siskiyou counties, and none since Nov. 26 in Modoc County. Lassen County still had some unusually dry areas until Feb. 11, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. After a wet December and a dry January, February was a soaker. More than 17 inches of rain fell during the first two weeks of the month at the state's largest reservoir, Lake Shasta, north of Redding, according to the National Weather Service. According to data maps, conditions turn unusually dry starting in the northern San Joaquin Valley, east of the San Francisco Bay Area. They mostly worsen, getting drier moving toward the South. Coastal areas from Santa Barbara to San Diego counties are in severe drought, while some inland areas are suffering extreme drought, according to latest drought data posted on March 18. Driest areas include all of Imperial County, much of Riverside County, parts of San Bernardino and Inyo counties, and the eastern third of San Diego County. One reason the south is still in drought is some winter storms that drenched Northern California couldn't continue on to Southern California, their usual pattern. They just dropped all their water on the north. That coupled with unusually strong Santa Ana winds plunged the southern part of the state into a terrible winter fire season, according to the weather service. Rain finally arrived in parts of Southern California in late January and February, but most areas are still in drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you. This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Is California still in a drought in 2025? This map shows you
USA Today
20-02-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
Water crisis in West still looms as Lakes Mead and Powell only 35% full
Water crisis in West still looms as Lakes Mead and Powell only 35% full Show Caption Hide Caption Historic drought spurs Arizona to explore importing billions of gallons of water Arizona is exploring plans to import billions of gallons of water to address historic drought conditions in the Colorado River. Straight Arrow News Last week's rain and floods in California may soon give way to concerns about drought in the West as spring kicks off the region's dry season. This year's storms won't erase looming drought worries across the entire southwestern U.S., experts fear. Of particular concern are the giant reservoirs of the Colorado River basin, Lakes Mead and Powell, which remain far below capacity. Colorado State climatologist Russ Schumacher told USA TODAY Wednesday that "because of the warm, dry conditions over the last couple of decades, which have been made worse by a warming climate, and also because of high demand for water in the region, the two big reservoirs on the Colorado River (Lakes Mead and Powell) are still very low compared to their historical levels." How are Lakes Mead and Powell doing? Lakes Mead and Powell, which provide the water that 40 million Americans depend on, are now only about 35% full, climatologist Brian Fuchs of the National Drought Mitigation Center said. Additionally, he said that while "Powell and Mead are in slightly better shape than a few years ago when they were at record lows and it really was a crisis situation, they are still only holding about half of the water compared to the average over the last 40 years." Fuchs also said that there is a lot of storage capacity available in the reservoirs, and that "Mother Nature needs to help do her part, too." Recent storm helped The recent wet conditions over California allowed for some improvements and eased some of the state's drought conditions, Thursday's U.S. Drought Monitor said. Schumacher also said the mountain snowpack in the Upper Colorado River basin (the area upstream of Lake Powell) did see a nice boost from the recent storm: it had been at about 82% of average as of last week, but is now up to 94% of average, he said. Snowpack is key for water for the West: "Most of the water for the Colorado River originates from mountain snow," Schumacher said. Snow drought in the Southwest However, the Lower Colorado River basin snowpack is still extremely low, and a "snow drought" has been declared in many states: "Exceptional snow drought persists in the Southwest (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah) as a result of record dry conditions," according to Snowpack there had been record low before the recent storm, which gave it a slight boost, but only to 35% of average, Schumacher said. The U.S. Drought Monitor continues to show moderate to extreme drought over much of the Colorado River basin, with worse conditions the farther southwest you go. Overall, he said precipitation for this water year (which started October 1) is well below average over the Southwest. Many locations in the region have been near-record dry since October. Looking ahead The Colorado River Basin Forecast Center's recent forecast is for only 70% of the average flow into Lake Powell this spring and summer, according to Schumacher. He added that the medium-range forecast shows an extended period of warm and dry conditions into early March, "so unless the pattern changes to bring some huge snowstorms in the spring, it's likely to be another year with very low flows on the Colorado River."
