# Presentation: 205148

## The Local WFOResponse to Drought

- Paul Iñiguez
- Meteorologist
- NOAA/NWS Little Rock, AR
- U.S. Drought Monitor Forum
- October 20-21, 2005

## 2005 Arkansas Drought

## The Drought Process

**WFO?**

## The Drought Process

**Drought**
**Monitor**
**Issued**

**Local**
**Dissemination**

**Outreach**

**Drought**
**Assessment**

**Collaboration**

## Drought Monitor Issued

- Issued Thursday mornings (8:30 AM).
- Represents data through 7 AM Tuesday
- Opportunity for education
- Little to no local involvement

## The Drought Process

**Drought**
**Monitor**
**Issued**

**Local**
**Dissemination**

**Outreach**

**Drought**
**Assessment**

**Collaboration**

## Local Dissemination

- Weekly release of drought information statement
- Issue Thursday morning/afternoon
- Coincide with Drought Monitor release
- Provide most up-to-date information
- Cookie-cutter approach eventually adopted
- Local areas affected by drought
- Climate information
- Impacts
- Forecast/outlook
- Contact information

## Local Dissemination

**Local Dissemination**

**HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK**
**NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR**
**1200 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2005**
**...HEADLINE...**
**.SYNOPSIS...**
**.CLIMATE DATA AND ANALYSIS...**
**.IMPACTS...**
**.FORECAST...**
**&&**
**WWW.ADDRESS-HERE.GOV**
**CONTACT INFO**
**$$**

## Local Dissemination

- Weekly update to local drought webpage
- WFO level image of drought
- Graphics
- Rainfall/Deficits
- Impacts
- Other
- Forecast/Outlook
- Links to additional information
- Important to give recognition

## Slide 10

## Slide 11

## Slide 12

## Slide 13

## Slide 14

## Slide 15

## The Drought Process

**Drought**
**Monitor**
**Issued**

**Local**
**Dissemination**

**Outreach**

**Drought**
**Assessment**

**Collaboration**

## Outreach

- Government Agencies
- Answer questions, explain data, briefings
- Media/Public
- Provide interviews
- Press conference

***Governor's Water Resources Task Force on Drought***
***Arkansas State Capitol, July 8, 2005***
***(L to R) Randy Young, Executive Director, Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission; Win Rockefeller, Lt. Governor, State of Arkansas; Paul Iñiguez, Meteorologist, National Weather Service Little Rock, AR***

## The Drought Process

**Drought**
**Monitor**
**Issued**

**Local**
**Dissemination**

**Outreach**

**Drought**
**Assessment**

**Collaboration**

## Drought Assessment

- PDSI, SPI, CMI, Soil levels, River levels, etc.
- Forestry products
- Wildfire danger
- Burn bans
- In-house software,
-     xmACIS
- Local knowledge
- Drought survey

*Steve Bays, Service Hydrologist,*
*NWS Little Rock, near Texarkana, AR*

## The Drought Process

**Drought**
**Monitor**
**Issued**

**Local**
**Dissemination**

**Outreach**

**Drought**
**Assessment**

**Collaboration**

## Collaboration

- DM mailing list
- Regional Climate Center
- Regional Climate Services Program Manager
- State Climatologist
- WFOs
- DM Author(s)
- Excellent learning tool

## The Drought Process

**Drought**
**Monitor**
**Issued**

**Local**
**Dissemination**

**Outreach**

**Drought**
**Assessment**

**Collaboration**

## Conclusions

- WFOs can add focus and knowledge of local area to national products.
- Opportunities to increase interaction between local WFO and their customers.
- Drought process can lead to increased awareness/expertise at the WFO level.
- Collaboration can increase/strengthen professional relationships between involved parties.