Drought classification
Also called: D0-D4, US Drought Monitor category
The weekly US Drought Monitor severity scale running from D0 (abnormally dry) to D4 (exceptional drought).
The Drought Monitor synthesizes precipitation, soil moisture, streamflow, snowpack and expert judgment into a single weekly category by area. It is the standard reference for federal relief programs and a common trigger in state curtailment decisions.
Because it is a composite, it lags the individual indicators feeding it. Snowpack and reservoir data will show a season turning before the classification does, which is why they are worth watching alongside it rather than instead of it.
Where this shows up in the data
See also
More in Hydrology & supply
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