National Climatic Data Center, 11 October 2002

U.S. Drought Highlights:

• On the national scale, severe to extreme drought affected about 32 percent of the contiguous United States as of the end of September 2002
  • moderate to extreme drought affected about 45 percent of the contiguous U.S.
• Much of the western U.S. continued to suffer from drought, both short-term and long-term
• Conditions were dry over parts of the adjoining Great Plains
• Short-term conditions improved across parts of the eastern U.S., but severe long-term moisture deficits continued along much of the eastern seaboard

Contents Of This Report:

• National Overview
• Regional Drought Watch
  • Western U.S.
  • Central U.S.
  • Eastern U.S.
• Pre-Instrumental Paleoclimate Report
  • Northern California Drought
  • Western Great Plains Drought
• Palmer Drought Indices*
• Standardized Precipitation Index*
• Regional Precipitation Ranks*
• Statewide Precipitation Ranks*
• Weekly Drought Monitoring Tools*
• State/Regional Moisture Status*

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