Flash Drought Characteristics Based on U.S. Drought Monitor
Understanding the characteristics of flash drought events and further predicting the onset of such events on subseasonal timescales is of critical importance for impact assessment, disaster mitigation, and loss prevention. In this study, we employ a rate-of-change approach and define a flash drought...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2019-08-01
|
| Series: | Atmosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/9/498 |
| _version_ | 1818018779467087872 |
|---|---|
| author | L. Gwen Chen Jon Gottschalck Adam Hartman David Miskus Rich Tinker Anthony Artusa |
| author_facet | L. Gwen Chen Jon Gottschalck Adam Hartman David Miskus Rich Tinker Anthony Artusa |
| author_sort | L. Gwen Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding the characteristics of flash drought events and further predicting the onset of such events on subseasonal timescales is of critical importance for impact assessment, disaster mitigation, and loss prevention. In this study, we employ a rate-of-change approach and define a flash drought event as a drought event with greater than or equal to two categories degradation in a four-week period based on the U.S. Drought Monitor. Unlike conventional drought, which can occur year-round and everywhere in the United States, flash drought has preferred seasons and locations to occur, mostly in the warm season and over the central United States. Widespread flash drought over the United States is largely correlated with La Niña episodes. In contrast with conventional drought, which is mainly driven by precipitation deficits, anomalously high evapotranspiration rates, caused by anomalously high temperatures, winds, and/or incoming radiation, are usually present before the onset of flash drought. Comparing to precipitation and soil moisture, evapotranspiration typically has the largest decline rate during the fast-development phase. Three-month Standardized Precipitation Indexes are mostly dry right before flash drought onset, but large deficits are not required. As a result, monitoring rapid changes in evapotranspiration, along with precipitation and soil moisture conditions, can provide early warnings of flash drought development. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:44:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-86ca2196feb942249fd3aada6f423300 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:44:21Z |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-86ca2196feb942249fd3aada6f4233002022-12-22T02:05:24ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332019-08-0110949810.3390/atmos10090498atmos10090498Flash Drought Characteristics Based on U.S. Drought MonitorL. Gwen Chen0Jon Gottschalck1Adam Hartman2David Miskus3Rich Tinker4Anthony Artusa5Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center/Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USAClimate Prediction Center, NCEP/NWS/NOAA, College Park, MD 20740, USAClimate Prediction Center, NCEP/NWS/NOAA, College Park, MD 20740, USAClimate Prediction Center, NCEP/NWS/NOAA, College Park, MD 20740, USAClimate Prediction Center, NCEP/NWS/NOAA, College Park, MD 20740, USAClimate Prediction Center, NCEP/NWS/NOAA, College Park, MD 20740, USAUnderstanding the characteristics of flash drought events and further predicting the onset of such events on subseasonal timescales is of critical importance for impact assessment, disaster mitigation, and loss prevention. In this study, we employ a rate-of-change approach and define a flash drought event as a drought event with greater than or equal to two categories degradation in a four-week period based on the U.S. Drought Monitor. Unlike conventional drought, which can occur year-round and everywhere in the United States, flash drought has preferred seasons and locations to occur, mostly in the warm season and over the central United States. Widespread flash drought over the United States is largely correlated with La Niña episodes. In contrast with conventional drought, which is mainly driven by precipitation deficits, anomalously high evapotranspiration rates, caused by anomalously high temperatures, winds, and/or incoming radiation, are usually present before the onset of flash drought. Comparing to precipitation and soil moisture, evapotranspiration typically has the largest decline rate during the fast-development phase. Three-month Standardized Precipitation Indexes are mostly dry right before flash drought onset, but large deficits are not required. As a result, monitoring rapid changes in evapotranspiration, along with precipitation and soil moisture conditions, can provide early warnings of flash drought development.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/9/498flash droughtfrequency of occurrenceENSOevapotranspirationantecedent conditiondrought onsetdrought evolutioncomposite analysis |
| spellingShingle | L. Gwen Chen Jon Gottschalck Adam Hartman David Miskus Rich Tinker Anthony Artusa Flash Drought Characteristics Based on U.S. Drought Monitor Atmosphere flash drought frequency of occurrence ENSO evapotranspiration antecedent condition drought onset drought evolution composite analysis |
| title | Flash Drought Characteristics Based on U.S. Drought Monitor |
| title_full | Flash Drought Characteristics Based on U.S. Drought Monitor |
| title_fullStr | Flash Drought Characteristics Based on U.S. Drought Monitor |
| title_full_unstemmed | Flash Drought Characteristics Based on U.S. Drought Monitor |
| title_short | Flash Drought Characteristics Based on U.S. Drought Monitor |
| title_sort | flash drought characteristics based on u s drought monitor |
| topic | flash drought frequency of occurrence ENSO evapotranspiration antecedent condition drought onset drought evolution composite analysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/9/498 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lgwenchen flashdroughtcharacteristicsbasedonusdroughtmonitor AT jongottschalck flashdroughtcharacteristicsbasedonusdroughtmonitor AT adamhartman flashdroughtcharacteristicsbasedonusdroughtmonitor AT davidmiskus flashdroughtcharacteristicsbasedonusdroughtmonitor AT richtinker flashdroughtcharacteristicsbasedonusdroughtmonitor AT anthonyartusa flashdroughtcharacteristicsbasedonusdroughtmonitor |