NCDC: Climate of 2002 - June

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

Climate of 2002 - June
Wyoming Drought

National Climatic Data Center, 15 July 2002

June marked the third consecutive month with much below normal precipitation, statewide, for Wyoming. The persistent dryness for most of the last 12 months has resulted in the driest September-June and August-June on record. The last three years (July-Junes) have been drier than average. This has resulted in a cumulative moisture deficit, as measured by the Palmer Hydrological Drought Index, that is more extreme (in magnitude, but not in duration) than the worst drought episodes of the last 100 years. According to the USDA, 72% of Wyoming's pasture and range land was rated in the poor to very poor category by early July. Based on July 2 USGS observations as summarized by the National Weather Service, 7% of 55 streamflow sites in the state set new all-time record lows for streamflow.

Period	Rank
Statewide Precipitation Ranks for Wyoming , 2001-2002
Jun	7^th driest
May-Jun	3^rd driest
Apr-Jun	3^rd driest
Mar-Jun	5^th driest
Feb-Jun	2^nd driest
Jan-Jun	2^nd driest
Dec-Jun	2^nd driest
Nov-Jun	4^th driest
Oct-Jun	4^th driest
Sep-Jun	1^st driest
Aug-Jun	1^st driest
Jul-Jun	2^nd driest

Wyoming statewide precipitation departures, January 1998 - present

larger image

Wyoming statewide Palmer Z Index, January 1998 - present

larger image

Wyoming statewide precipitation, August-June 1895-2002

larger image

Wyoming statewide Palmer Hydrological Drought Index, January 1900 - June 2002

larger image

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

http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2002/jun/st048dv00pcp200206.html
Downloaded Tuesday, 24-Nov-2009 08:55:12 EST
Last Updated Wednesday, 20-Aug-2008 12:22:26 EDT by Richard.Heim@noaa.gov
Please see the NCDC Contact Page if you have questions or comments.