A new journal article on forecasts of drought at extended time scales in the Western US has just been released by Water Resources Research. It discusses the use of machine learning to predict drought in the western half of the country at spatial scales as small as 4 km in size up to three months in advance. The scientists who wrote the study say this approach could provide important information for such priorities as the management of water resources, wildland fire and fuels, and agriculture. While they have not done this for the Eastern US and specifically the Southeast yet, I am hopeful that this technique could also be used successfully here to provide long-range guidance for farmers and foresters. You can read more about it at High-res Western drought forecasts could be on horizon | NCAR & UCAR News or go right to the journal article at High Resolution Forecasting of Summer Drought in the Western United States – Abolafia‐Rosenzweig – 2023 – Water Resources Research – Wiley Online Library.
