Climate of 2005 - August
U.S. National Drought Overview

National Overview

On the national scale,

• severe to extreme drought affected about 8 percent of the contiguous United States as of the end of August 2005, an increase of about 2 percent compared to last month
• about 16 percent of the contiguous U.S. fell in the moderate to extreme drought categories (based on the Palmer Drought Index) at the end of August
• on a broad scale, the previous two decades (1980s and 1990s) were characterized by unusual wetness with short periods of extensive droughts, whereas the 1930s and 1950s were characterized by prolonged periods of extensive droughts with little wetness (see graph below right)
• about 26 percent of the contiguous U.S. fell in the severely to extremely wet categories at the end of August
• a file containing the national monthly percent area severely dry and wet from 1900 to present is available
• historical temperature, precipitation, and Palmer drought data from 1895 to present for climate divisions, states, and regions in the contiguous U.S. are available at the Climate Division: Temperature-Precipitation-Drought Data page in files having names that start with "drd964x" and ending with "txt" (without the quotes).

• For all climate questions other than questions concerning this report, please contact the National Climatic Data Center's Climate Services Division:
  Climate Services Division
  NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
  151 Patton Avenue
  Asheville, NC 28801-5001
  fax: 828-271-4876
  phone: 828-271-4800
  email: ncdc.info@noaa.gov

• For further information on the historical climate perspective presented in this report, contact:
  Richard Heim
  NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
  151 Patton Avenue
  Asheville, NC 28801-5001
  fax: 828-271-4328
  email: Richard.Heim@noaa.gov

  -or-

  Jay Lawrimore
  NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
  151 Patton Avenue
  Asheville, NC 28801-5001
  fax: 828-271-4328
  email: Jay.Lawrimore@noaa.gov