If Spring 2012 Came Early in Your Area, You’re Not Alone

If you thought spring in Virginia came early in 2012, you’re right.  According to a study published in May 2013 by scientists working as part of the USA National Phenology Network (sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey, or USGS), many parts of the United States experienced above-normal temperatures in March 2012 that led to early leafing and flowering by plants.  (Phenology is the study of the timing of plant and animal life cycles, particularly in relation to weather and climate.)  According to a USGS news release on the study, this was “the earliest spring over the 48 U.S. states since 1900 when systematic weather data began to be available for the entire area.”  The study is “The False Spring of 2012, Earliest in North American Record,” by T. R. Ault et al., published in the May 14, 2013, issue of Eos Transactions of the American Geophysical Union (Vol. 94, Issue 20, pp. 181-182).  More information about phenology and the USA National Phenology Network is available online at https://www.usanpn.org/home.

Source: Spring 2012 Earliest on Record, U.S. Geological Survey News Release, 5/15/13

Drought Report for Virginia and Elsewhere as of mid-May 2013

The May 14, 2013, U.S. Drought Monitor (available at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/) rated about 0.7 percent of Virginia (in the cities of Chesapeake and Suffolk) as being abnormally dry.  This is the first indication of drought conditions in the Commonwealth since the March 15, 2013, Drought Monitor report.

The Drought Monitor notes that it “focuses on broad-scale conditions, and local conditions may vary.”  The Drought Monitor’s categories, from mildest to most severe, are as follows:
D0 = Abnormally Dry
D1 = Moderate Drought
D2 = Severe Drought
D3 = Extreme Drought
D4 = Exceptional Drought.

Here were the ratings in approximately mid-month Drought Monitor reports from the past six months and from one year ago:
4/16/13: drought-free;
3/12/13: drought-free;
2/19/13: 15 percent abnormally dry;
1/15/13: 54 percent abnormally dry or worse and 32 percent in moderate drought;
12/18/13: 64 percent abnormally dry or worse and 36 percent in moderate drought;
11/13/12: 38 percent abnormally dry or worse and 12 percent in moderate drought;
5/15/12: 54 percent abnormally dry.

The current Virginia drought map and a link to archived maps are available at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DM_state.htm?VA,SE.

The Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, a collaboration of state and federal agencies, issued its most recent Drought Status Report on May 13, 2013.  The report and other current drought-status information are available online at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterSupplyWaterQuantity/Drought.aspx.  The report typically includes some or all of the following agencies: University of Virginia Climatology Office, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the Virginia departments of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Health, and Environmental Quality.  The May 13 report noted that the USGS “repeated the caution from last month that limited winter recharge in the northern and central Piedmont and in parts of the Valley and Ridge regions may contribute to below-normal stream flows during the drier months of late summer and early autumn.”

The Drought Monitoring Task Force also produces a daily map rating groundwater levels (GW), precipitation deficits (Prcp), reservoir storage (Res), and stream flow (Flow) conditions across the Commonwealth.  In each area, a color code indicates “normal,” “watch,” “warning,” or “emergency conditions.”  The May 16, 2013, map is shown below.  The current map and more information on the ratings are available the Task Force Web site listed above.

Elsewhere in the United States, the May 14 Drought Monitor categorized over 55 percent of the country as at least abnormally dry (combined categories D0-D4), and about 27 percent in at least severe drought (combined categories D2-D4).  This compares to values about a month ago (4/16/13) of 58 percent of the country at least abnormally dry and about 27 percent in at least severe drought.  In the May 14 report, 10 states—listed below—had at least 50 percent of their area rated severe drought or worse (Categories D2-D4), up from nine such states in mid-April; and two states had at least 50 percent of their area in extreme or exceptional drought (categories D3-D4), down from three such states in mid-April.

Arizona = 70% in severe or worse;
Colorado = 72% in severe or worse;
Kansas = 70% in severe or worse;
Nebraska = 93% in severe or worse, and 70% in extreme/exceptional;
Nevada = 64% in severe or worse;
New Mexico = 98% in severe or worse; and 82% in extreme/exceptional;
Oklahoma = 53% in severe or worse;
South Dakota = 65% in severe or worse;
Texas = 69% in severe or worse;
Wyoming = 78% in severe or worse.

Below are the Drought Monitor maps for May 14, 2013, and for the previous three years at about the same time (5/15/12, 5/17/11, and 5/18/10), showing how the current widespread drought conditions in the central and western United States exceed those seen in each of the past three years.  Note also the persistence of drought in parts of Hawaii.

 

 

Looking ahead, the National Weather Service/Climate Prediction Center’s “U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook” for the next 90 days is available at http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/seasonal_drought.html.  The May 16, 2013, outlook predicted generally “improvement” in the eastern United States; “persistence” or “development” in the West; and “some improvement” in the center of the country from the Dakotas to central Texas.

For previous Virginia Water Central News Grouper mid-month drought reports during the past 12 months, please click the following links:
Mid-April 2013
Mid-March 2013
Mid-February 2013
Mid-January 2013
Mid-December 2012
Mid-November 2012
Mid-October 2012
Mid-September 2012
Mid-August 2012
Mid-July 2012
Mid-June 2012
Mid-May 2012

Satellite “Snapshot” of Rain Over Virginia May 8, 2013

Below is a color-enhanced satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency’s (NOAA) GOES Eastern U.S. Sector geostationary satellite, accessed at http://www.goes.noaa.gov/ECIR4.html at 11:30 a.m. EDT on May 8, 2013.  The photo shows the large the storm system that brought substantial rainfall to Virginia between May 5 and 8, moving toward New England at the time of this photo.  Note the area of high moisture (concentrated blue color) right over southwestern Virginia, as the tail end of the system dipped down over the western Virginia mountains.  Blacksburg, Va., was receiving “heavy rain” at the time of this photo, according to the Blacksburg National Weather Service Forecast Office’s Web site (http://www.erh.noaa.gov/rnk/).

Virginia Rainfall on May 5-7, 2013, Leading to High Stream Flows

From May 5 through the morning of May 7, 2013, many locations in southwestern Virginia 2-3 inches of rain, according to the Community  Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network, at http://cocorahs.org/ViewData/ListDailyPrecipReports.aspx.

The following map of 24-hour rainfall as of 8 a.m. on May 7, 2013, was provided by National Weather Service’s Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, at http://water.weather.gov/precip/ (accessed 5/7/13, 11 a.m. EDT).  Visit this Web site to get rainfall totals for other individual states and for given periods of time.  The Virginia Water Resources Research Center thanks that National Weather Service for making these maps available.

The rainfall in southwestern Virginia had led to high stream and river flows in some parts of the region, as of the morning of May 7.  The map below indicates the level of current stream flows as of 10:30 a.m.  The color coded dots indicate how the flows at a given flow-gaging station compare to historical records of flow at the station for this day of the year (see the code above the graph).  Note the widespread blue-colored dots, and some black dots, indicating flows above normal for the given locations.  The stream flow map was taken from the US. Geological Survey’s “WaterWatch” Web site, http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/index.php, accessed 5/7/13, 11 a.m.

Real-time stream flow as of 10:30 a.m., 5/7/13. Map from U.S. Geological Survey.

The National Weather Service’s real-time map of the flooding status of rivers and stream gages in Virginia is available online at http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=akq#.

The Virginia Water Resources Research Center thanks the National Weather Service and the U.S. Geological Survey for making these water-information products available.

Virginia Water Status Report as of the End of April 2013, Plus a Quick Look at Nationwide Drought

Here is the Virginia Water Central News Grouper’s monthly water-status report, as of the end of April 2013.

First, in precipitation: Here are National Weather Service (NWS) preliminary precipitation totals for April 2013 at 10 Virginia locations, with the amount above (+) or below (-) normal for this month of the year historically in parentheses.  All values are in inches, rounded to the nearest 1/10 inch from NWS values.
Blacksburg: 3.6 (+0.1)
Bristol: 4.1 (+0.8) (Tri-Cities Airport in Tenn., about 20 miles from Bristol)
Charlottesville: 3.0 (-0.3)
Danville: 3.0 (-0.4)
Dulles Airport: 2.3 (-1.2) (Loudoun County)
Lynchburg: 3.4 (+0.1)
Norfolk: 3.2 (-0.2)
Richmond: 2.9 (-0.4)
Roanoke: 2.9 (-0.4)
Wallops Island: 3.8 (+0.7) (Accomack County)

Precipitation sources:  Climate pages of the following National Weather Service Forecast Offices:
Blacksburg, Va. (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=rnk);
Morristown, Tenn. (http://www.weather.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=mrx;
Baltimore-Washington (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=lwx); and
Wakefield, Va. (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=akq).

The normal values used by the National Weather Service (NWS) in these provisional reports are based on the 1981-2010 period.  The National Climatic Data Center released these normal values in July 2011.  For information on the normals, see the National Climatic Data Center Web page at http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/normals/usnormals.html.

For graphs of precipitation, visit the Southeast Regional Climate Center (Chapel Hill, N.C) at http://www.sercc.com/climateinfo/precip_maps, where you can find maps of total precipitation and percent of normal precipitation for the past 7, 30, 60, or 90 days; or the NWS’ Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at http://water.weather.gov/precip/ for a daily map of precipitation nationwide or by state, with capability to show county boundaries, and archives available for specific days, months, or years.  Shown below is the Southeast Regional Climate Center’s 30-day percent-of-normal precipitation map for April 1—30, 2013.

Next, in stream flow: According to the U.S. Geological Survey WaterWatch for Virginia, average streamflows for April 2013 were in the normal range at about 77 percent of stream gages in Virginia and just beyond the state border; above normal at about 13 percent; and below normal at about 10 percent.  The color-coded, flow-percentile map for April 2013 is shown below.  The color codes/percentile classes used by USGS to compared flows to historical records for the month are as follows:

Red and maroon dots: Below 10^th percentile = much below normal to record low.
Yellow dots: 10^th to 24^th percentile = below normal
Green dots: 25^th to 75^th percentile = normal
Light blue dots: 76^th to 90^th percentile = above normal
Dark blue and black dots: Above 90^th percentile = much above normal to record high.

 

 

 

Finally, our drought watch: The weekly The National Drought Monitor map from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/) on April 30, 2013, showed Virginia being drought-free.  This has been the case since the March 12, 2013, Drought Monitor, when Virginia was rated as drought-free for the first time since the December 6, 2011, report.

The Drought Monitor notes that it “focuses on broad-scale conditions [and] local conditions may vary.”  The Drought Monitor categories are as follows:
D0 = abnormally dry
D1 = moderate drought
D2 = severe drought
D3 = extreme drought
D4 = exceptional drought

For comparison, here are Virginia ratings from previous Drought Monitors one month, two months, three months, and one year ago:
4/2/13: Drought-free.
2/26/13: 14 percent abnormally dry;
1/29/13: 25 percent abnormally dry;
5/1/12: 61 percent abnormally dry; 10 percent in moderate drought.

Meanwhile, looking beyond Virginia, the April 30 Drought Monitor rated 54.8 percent of the United States as being abnormally dry and 29.5 percent, in 20 states, as being in severe drought or worse (categories D2, D3, and D4).  This continues the run of 25 percent or more of the country rated in severe drought or worse since the report of June 26, 2012.  (On August 7, 2012, 38.5 percent of the country was in the three worst categories; that was the highest percentage in these categories reported by the Drought Monitor since it began in 2000.)  This nationwide severe-or-worse percentages in the previous three months and one year ago were as follows:
4/2/13: 29.5 percent;
2/26/13: 30.4 percent;
1/29/13: 34.0 percent;
5/1/12: 17.1 percent.

In the following states, severe-or-worse drought covered over 50 percent of the state in the April 30 report:
Arizona (66%)
Colorado (78%);
Kansas (80%)
Nebraska (97%);
Nevada (61%);
New Mexico (98%);
Oklahoma (53%)
South Dakota (66%);
Texas (74%);
Utah (51%);
Wyoming (82%).

Here are some key comments from the April 30 report:|
Mid-Atlantic and Northeast: “Much of the northern Mid-Atlantic and Northeast is dealing with increasingly dry conditions, and will need to be monitored over the upcoming weeks for potential impacts.”

Northern Plains and Upper Midwest: “Despite the general consensus that conditions continue to improve, long-term indicators…show underlying, long-term drought persists in the core D1 and D2 areas of the Upper Midwest.”

Western U.S.:  “The largely disappointing water year neared an end, with many areas of the west ending the season with bleak spring runoff prospects and increasing drought concerns….  In New Mexico, the past 36 months (Apr 2010 – Mar 2013) have been the 4th driest period on record for the state, the driest since the 1950s.”

Click these links for previous News Grouper monthly status reports during the past 12 months:
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012

Drought Report for Virginia and Elsewhere as of Mid-April 2013

The April 16, 2013, U.S. Drought Monitor (available at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/) rated Virginia drought-free.

The Drought Monitor notes that it “focuses on broad-scale conditions, and local conditions may vary.”  The Drought Monitor’s categories, from mildest to most severe, are as follows:
D0 = Abnormally Dry
D1 = Moderate Drought
D2 = Severe Drought
D3 = Extreme Drought
D4 = Exceptional Drought.

Here were the approximately mid-month ratings in selected Drought Monitor reports from the past six months and from one year ago:

3/12/13: Drought-free;
2/19/13: 15 percent abnormally dry;
1/15/13: 54 percent abnormally dry or worse and 32 percent in moderate drought;
12/18/13: 64 percent abnormally dry or worse and 36 percent in moderate drought;
11/13/12: 38 percent abnormally dry or worse and 12 percent in moderate drought;
10/16/12: 37 percent abnormally dry or worse and 8 percent in moderate drought;
4/17/12: 62 percent abnormally dry or worse, 11 percent in moderate drought or worse, 0.07% in severe drought.

The current Virginia drought map and a link to archived maps are available at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DM_state.htm?VA,SE.

The Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, a collaboration of state and federal agencies, issued its most recent Drought Status Report on April 12, 2013.  The report typically includes some or all of the following agencies: University of Virginia Climatology Office, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the Virginia departments of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Health, and Environmental Quality.  The report and other current drought-status information are available online at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterSupplyWaterQuantity/Drought.aspx.

The Drought Monitoring Task Force also produces a daily map rating groundwater levels (GW), precipitation deficits (Prcp), reservoir storage (Res), and stream flow (Flow) conditions across the Commonwealth.  In each area, a color code indicates “normal,” “watch,” “warning,” or “emergency conditions.”  The April 19, 2013, map is shown below.  The current map and more information on the ratings are available the Task Force Web site listed above.

 

Elsewhere in the United States, the April 16 Drought Monitor categorized over 58 percent of the country as at least abnormally dry (combined categories D0-D4), and about 27 percent in at least severe drought (combined categories D2-D4).  This compares to values about a month ago (3/12/13) of 62 percent of the country as at least abnormally dry and about 29 percent in at least severe drought.  In the April 16 report, 9 states—listed below—had at least 50 percent of their area rated severe drought or worse (Categories D2-D4), down from 10 such states in mid-March; and three states had at least 50 percent of their area in extreme or exceptional drought (categories D3-D4), down from six such states in mid-March.  Closest to Virginia, Georgia continued in the past month to see marked improvement from the widespread, serious drought that affected the state starting in summer 2010.  For example, the 4/16/13 Drought Monitor rated only 10 percent of the Peach State as abnormally dry, compared to 96 percent on 4/10/12 and 78 percent on 4/5/11.

Colorado = 85% in severe or worse;
Kansas = 89% in severe or worse, and 62% in extreme/exceptional;
Nebraska = 100% in severe or worse, and 91% in extreme/exceptional;
Nevada = 55% in severe or worse;
New Mexico = 93% in severe or worse; and 59% in extreme/exceptional;
Oklahoma = 58% in severe or worse;
South Dakota = 69% in severe or worse;
Texas = 72% in severe or worse;
Wyoming = 83% in severe or worse.

The National Weather Service/Climate Prediction Center’s “U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook” for the next 90 days is available at http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/seasonal_drought.html.

For previous Virginia Water Central News Grouper mid-month drought reports during the past 12 months, please click the following links:

Mid-March 2013
Mid-February 2013
Mid-January 2013
Mid-December 2012
Mid-November 2012
Mid-October 2012
Mid-September 2012
Mid-August 2012
Mid-July 2012
Mid-June 2012
Mid-May 2012
Mid-April 2012

Preliminary Severe Weather Reports on April 10-11, 2013, from NWS’ Storm Prediction Center

For the National Weather Service/Storm Prediction Center’s preliminary (not yet verified) reports of tornadoes, hail, and high winds on April 10 and 11, 2013, caused by the large storm system moving across the United States during this week, and reaching Virginia on April 11, go to these links:

April 10: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/130410_rpts.html;
April 11: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/130411_rpts.html.

The Center’s maps of April 10 and 11 reports are shown below.  At the Center’s site, one can access the archive of maps and report lists for previous days going back several years.

Virginia Snowfall Reports for April 4, 2013, Available from CoCoRaHS

Several locations in southwestern Virginia were surprised by 5-6 inches of snow on April 4, 2013.  Preliminary (not official) snowfall totals (and total precipitation amounts) from this storm are available online at the “Virginia Daily Precipitation Reports” link of the Web site of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS), at http://www.cocorahs.org/ViewData/StateDailyPrecipReports.aspx?state=VA.

Virginia Water Status Report as of the End of March 2013, Plus a Quick Look at Nationwide Drought

Here is the Virginia Water Central News Grouper’s monthly water-status report, as of the end of March 2013.

First, in precipitation: Here are National Weather Service preliminary precipitation totals for March 2013 at 10 Virginia locations (with the amount above or below normal for this month of the year historically in parentheses; rounded to the nearest 1/10 inch):

Blacksburg: 3.3 inches (0.3 inches below normal)
Bristol (at Tri-Cities Airport in Tenn., about 20 miles from Bristol): 4.6 inches (1.2 inches above normal)
Charlottesville: 2.8 inches (0.8 inches below normal)
Danville: 2.5 inches (1.6 inches below normal)
Dulles Airport (in Loudoun County): 3.2 inches (0.2 inches below normal)
Lynchburg: 3.3 inches (0.3 inches below normal)
Norfolk: 2.5 inches (1.2 inches below normal)
Richmond: 5.6 inches (1.5 inches above normal)
Roanoke: 3.4 inches (0.1 inches below normal)
Wallops Island (in Accomack County): 4.7 inches (0.7 inches above normal)

 Precipitation sources:  Climate pages of the following National Weather Service Forecast Offices:
Blacksburg, Va. (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=rnk);
Morristown, Tenn. (http://www.weather.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=mrx;
Baltimore-Washington (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=lwx); and
Wakefield, Va. (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=akq).

The normal values used by the National Weather Service (NWS) in these provisional reports are based on the 1981-2010 period.  The National Climatic Data Center released these normal values in July 2011.  For information on the normals, see the National Climatic Data Center Web page at http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/normals/usnormals.html.

For graphs of precipitation, visit the Southeast Regional Climate Center (Chapel Hill, N.C) at http://www.sercc.com/climateinfo/precip_maps for maps of total precipitation and percent of normal precipitation for the past 7, 30, 60, or 90 days; or the NWS’ Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at http://water.weather.gov/precip/ for a daily map of precipitation nationwide or by state, with capability to show county boundaries, and archives available for specific days, months, or years.  Shown below is the Southeast Regional Climate Center’s 30-day percent-of-normal precipitation map for March 5—April 3, 2013.

Next, in stream flow: According to the U.S. Geological Survey WaterWatch for Virginia, average streamflows for March 2013 were in the normal range at about 83 percent of stream gages in Virginia and just beyond the state border; above normal at about 8 percent; below normal at about 7 percent; and much below normal at about 3 percent.  The color-coded, flow-percentile map for March 2013 is shown below.  The color codes/percentile classes used by USGS to compared flows to historical records for the month are as follows:

 

 

 

 

Finally, our drought watch: The weekly The National Drought Monitor map from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/) on April 2, 2013, showed Virginia being drought-free.  This has been the case since the March 12, 2013, Drought Monitor, when Virginia was rated as drought-free for the first time since the December 6, 2011, report.

The Drought Monitor notes that it “focuses on broad-scale conditions [and] local conditions may vary.”  The Drought Monitor categories are as follows:
D0 = abnormally dry
D1 = moderate drought
D2 = severe drought
D3 = extreme drought
D4 = exceptional drought

For comparison, here are Virginia ratings from previous Drought Monitors one month, two months, three months, and one year ago:
2/26/13: 14 percent abnormally dry;
1/29/13: 25 percent abnormally dry;
12/25/12: 64 percent abnormally dry or worse; 36 percent moderate drought;
4/3/12: 37 percent abnormally dry; 0.1 percent in moderate drought.

Meanwhile, looking beyond Virginia at the continuing historic drought in much of the United States, the April 2 Drought Monitor rated 29.5 percent of the entire United States as being in severe drought or worse (categories D2, D3, and D4).  This compares to the previous three months and one year ago as follows:
2/26/13: 30.4 percent;
1/29/13: 34.0 percent;
12/25/12: 35.5 percent;
4/3/12: 16.5 percent.

On August 7, 2012, 38.5 percent of the country was in the three worst categories; that was the highest percentage in these categories reported by the Drought Monitor since it began in 2000.

Twenty-one states on April 2 had some part of the state categorized as severe-or-worse drought.  In the following states, severe-or-worse drought covered over 50 percent of the state:
Colorado (89%);
Kansas (95%)
Minnesota (67%);
Nebraska (100%);
Nevada (55%);
New Mexico (90%);
Oklahoma (81%);
South Dakota (86%);
Texas (65%);
Wyoming (84%).

As of the March 26 report (and continuing on April 2), the southeastern region of the country (Virginia to Florida, plus Alabama) had only 1.2 percent in severe drought or worse (categories D2, D3, and D4), the lowest level since zero percent in the July 20, 2010, report.

Click these links for previous News Grouper monthly status reports during the past 12 months:
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012

Virginia Precipitation and Streamflow Look-back at Winter 2012-13

As of March 20, 2013, the first day of spring, here’s a look at what happened with rainfall in the southeastern United States and stream flow in Virginia in winter 2012-13.

Precipitation
The following “Percent of Normal Precipitation” graph, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Southeast Regional Climate Center, located at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill (http://www.sercc.com/climateinfo/precip_maps, accessed 3/20/13), shows how the previous 90-day precipitation amounts in the southeastern United States compared to historical normal values for those periods.  These data are provisional.  Note throughout Virginia the normal or above-normal precipitation during this period (indicated by green, blue, and purple colors).  This precipitation has helped Virginia return to drought-free conditions according to the March 12, 2013, U.S. Drought Monitor from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, available at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/.  This was the first drought-free rating for Virginia since the December 6, 2011, Drought Monitor report.

Outside of Virginia, note that many areas received above-normal precipitation.  This has helped the southeast region improve from 73 percent abnormally dry (or worse) on the 12/11/12 Drought Monitor to 45 percent abnormally dry (or worse) on 3/12/13.  Drought conditions have worsened over this period in Florida, however, as would be expected given the below-normal precipitation for that state shown in the map above.

For another color-coded map of precipitation in Virginia or any other state of your choosing, see the National Weather Service’s Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service’s nationwide map of precipitation, with daily, monthly, and yearly archives; online at http://water.weather.gov/precip/.

Stream Flow
The following graph, from the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) “WaterWatch—Current Water Resources Conditions” Web site (http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/new/index.php?id=pa01d&sid=w__plot&r=va), accessed 3/20/13), compares average daily stream flow to historical records for the period February 1—March 18, 2013.  The data in the graphs come from 87 sites that have at least 30 years of records.  Each graph uses a “stream flow index,” which measures how a site’s average stream flow over 24 hours compares to the historical average stream flow for that same site and date.  The graph shows a further average: the stream flow index averaged statewide over the 87 sites.

The Virginia Water Resources Research Center is grateful to the agencies mentioned above for their work to providing these valuable assessment products.  For links to several other sources of streamflow, precipitation, groundwater, and other water-status information, please visit the Water Center’s “Water Status Information” Web page at http://vwrrc.vt.edu/waterstatus_new.html.

Click the following for the News Grouper’s previous seasonal look-backs on precipitation and streamflow:
[Fall 2012 – Missed.]
Summer 2012
Spring 2012
Winter 2012
Fall 2011
Summer 2011

Click the following for the Water Central News Grouper’s most recent monthly Virginia water status report (on precipitation, stream flow, and drought):
February 2013.