Pacific RISA presents the latest on Pacific Islands drought at National Forum

The 2013 United States Drought Monitor Forum will be held April 16 – 18 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Pacific RISA Research Fellow, Dr. Kati Corlew, and LT Charlene Felkley, Outreach Officer at the Pacific ENSO Applications (PEAC) Center will attend the forum and share information and updates on the status of drought issues in the Pacific Islands.

In addition to providing an opportunity for state and regional drought monitoring groups to come together and examine locally-relevant issues, the forum serves as an international meeting place to compare drought impacts and monitoring efforts. Participants review the latest data on how drought is impacting important sectors, such as agriculture, energy, fisheries, and tourism, and they trade tools and techniques that help improve their outreach to vulnerable communities.

One focal point for the forum is the U.S. Drought Monitor, an interactive map that contains weekly information on the status of drought across all regions of the United States. Data for the map is sourced from a group of 250 climatologists, extension agents, and others across the nation. Each week, the previous map is updated with observers’ reports of changing conditions (rain, snow, etc.) and how drought is affecting crops, wildlife and other indicators. The new map is released every Thursday morning.

This year’s forum is hosted by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Drought Mitigation Center, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), and the South Florida Water Management District.

Registration for the United States Drought Monitor Forum is now available online at http://drought.unl.edu/Home/USDMForum/Register2013.aspx.