Drought

One of the more common disasters faced in Wyoming

Wyoming is one of the driest states in the nation. Drought has caused water shortages in many areas impacting homes, businesses, and farms causing personal hardship and financial losses.

Drought Resources

 

close up of dry cracked

  • NOAA Drought Information
  • Seasonal Drought Outlook
  • Current Drought Status for Wyoming - US drought monitor
  • Wyoming-Montana Drought Viewer - US Geological Survey
  • WY Conditions and Outlooks webinars - These monthly webinars bring together Wyoming experts to give an overview of Wyoming’s temperature, drought, floods, and more for the past and upcoming months. Email csurber@uwyo.edu to be added to the monthly email list.
  • Intermountain West Climate Dashboard - This dashboard pulls together weather and drought resources for the Western US, from weather predictions to measurements of soil moisture, snowpack, drought, and streamflow. Scroll to the bottom to find seasonal outlooks, including 3-month temperature and precipitation predictions and a seasonal drought outlook.
  • Understanding Climate Outlooks Serving Agriculture - This factsheet from Oklahoma State Extension goes over various climate outlook products from the National Weather Service, including monthly and seasonal temperature, precipitation, and drought outlooks.
  • Regional Probability of Exceedance - The Regional Probability of Exceedance tool, which shows the chances that your area will receive at least a certain amount of rain, can help inform Grass-Cast predictions of above or below-average production.
  • Evaporative Demand Drought Index - The Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI) is an experimental tool that examines the atmospheric evaporative demand (E0; also known as "the thirst of the atmosphere") for a given location. EDDI can offer early warning of agricultural drought, hydrologic drought, and fire-weather risk.
  • Historical Climate Tracker - This tool shows past climate trends over the last 30 years for your county. You can use it to explore seasonal, monthly, or yearly data for 30 different variables, such as wind speed, freeze dates, growing degree days, and drought severity.

  • Climate Quick Reference Guides - These 1-page guides, available for each US county, give an overview of key past and predicted climate factors that impact agricultural production, like drought & hail, as well as the top causes of crop loss.
  • Agricultural Commodities in Drought - These weekly maps and statistics from the USDA show how much of a certain crop is currently impacted by drought in the U.S., and where those impacts are occurring.
  • Grass-Cast - This tool predicts forage biomass for the growing season in order to help rangeland managers proactively consider factors like trigger dates, stocking dates, and grazing rotations.
  • Rangelands Analysis Platform - The Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) combines satellite imagery with on-the ground vegetation measurements to measure current rangeland vegetation.

  • Disaster Assistance Programs - USDA FSA
  • USDA Disaster Assistance Programs at a Glance - Overview of all USDA Disaster assistance programs.
  • Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool - This 5-question survey helps producers find USDA disaster assistance programs they might qualify for and prepare for a visit to a USDA service center.
  • Livestock Forage Disaster Program - The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses for covered livestock and who are also producers of grazed forage crop acreage of native and improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or acreage planted specifically for grazing.
  • Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program - The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops to protect against natural disasters that result in lower yields or crop losses, or prevents crop planting.
  • Farmers' Guide to Farm Bill Programs - This guide describes assistance for farmers, ranchers, and forest managers available through the 2018 Farm Bill.
  • Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Assistance/County Committees - The county FSA committee provides the State FSA Committee with a request and the necessary documentation of the disaster. The state FSA Committee evaluates the request. If they approve, they forward the request and documentation to USDA. USDA determines approval or disapproval.
  • Emergency Disaster Declaration Process - County Commissioners, if the situation warrants and in accordance with Wyoming Emergency Management Agency guidelines, declare an agri-business disaster area. The county's Emergency Management Coordinator and Emergency handbook can provide correct wording. The local FSA Executive Director provides damage assessment. This assessment helps clear the way for verification required later by USDA. The local Disaster Assistance Committee and the Food and Agriculture Committee coordinate and assist the commissioners in the declaration process. The County Commissioners send the County Disaster Declaration, FSA forms, and other damage assessment information to the Governor, with information copies to the Wyoming Department of Agriculture (WDA) and Wyoming Emergency Management Agency Directors. WDA will coordinate with the Wyoming Emergency management Agency and the Governors office. If sufficient justification exists, the Governor requests the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture approve the disaster designation for the county. Copies of the Governor's request are forwarded to Wyoming's congressional delegation and state agencies for their information. USDA will request verification of the disaster from the state and local FSA. USDA determines approval of disapproval.

  • Condition Monitoring Observer Reports on Drought - The tool allows citizen scientists to submit observation reports relating to drought, which help drought managers understand how drought is affecting local conditions, and can help inform the U.S. Drought Monitor.
  • Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network - CoCoRaHS is an acronym for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network. CoCoRaHS is a unique, non-profit, community-based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation.