NCDC: Climate of 2002 - August

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Climate of 2002 - August
Utah Drought

National Climatic Data Center, 13 September 2002

August marked the eighth consecutive much drier than normal month, statewide, giving Utah the driest January-August on record along with several other record dry seasons (see table below). This persistent long-term dryness has produced a statewide Palmer Drought Index that is near record-low levels. According to end-of-August USDA reports,

drought in Utah has resulted in high mortality in perennial shrubs and even forests
most small reservoirs were empty, while many larger ones were at the lowest or near record lowest level
wells in some areas have run dry.

Statewide Precipitation Ranks
for Utah , 2001-2002
Period	Rank
Aug	4^th driest
Jul-Aug	6^th driest
Jun-Aug	2^nd driest
May-Aug	2^nd driest
Apr-Aug	1^st driest
Mar-Aug	1^st driest
Feb-Aug	1^st driest
Jan-Aug	1^st driest
Dec-Aug	1^st driest
Nov-Aug	3^rd driest
Oct-Aug	1^st driest
Sep-Aug	1^st driest

Click here for graphic showing Utah statewide precipitation departures, January 1998 - present

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Click here for graphic showing Utah statewide Palmer Z Index, January 1998 - present

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Click here for graphic showing Utah statewide precipitation, Sep-August 1895-2002

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Click here for graphic showing Utah statewide Palmer Hydrological Drought Index, January 1900 - August 2002

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NCDC / Clim. Monitoring / Climate-2002 / Aug / U.S. Regional Drought / Search / Help

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