Long-Term Drought Continues in Many Areas

As spring begins to turn into summer, at least 28 states are suffering from some degree of drought. Many of these areas have already withered under multiple years of bone-dry conditions.

Related stories over the next few months can focus on both short-term effects, such as forest fires and crop damage, and long-term impacts and efforts, such as shifts in vegetation and wildlife, and planning for drinking water supplies.

Sources for a range of current perspectives include:

• US Drought Monitor: Shows degree and type of drought. Greatest problems are in the West, Southeast, Great Lakes, and HI, AK, and Puerto Rico.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Water and Climate Center: Details on topics such as snowpack, soil moisture, streamflow, fire danger, and short-term weather predictions.
• Bureau of Reclamation: Summary of water supply and snowpack conditions in the West, including the Great Plains and Texas, as of April 24, 2007.
• National Interagency Fire Center: Seasonal wildfire outlook, as well as updated operational info on working fires.

For many more story ideas, search previous TipSheets for "drought," and check out the 30+ citations.