274
AXUS72 KGSP 162132
DGTGSP
GAC105-147-119-257-137-241-NCC075-173-113-099-087-175-
115-021-089-149-161-111-199-121-011-023-045-071-109-
035-003-097-119-097-179-025-159-059-SCC001-047-007-
073-077-045-059-083-087-023-021-091-150147-
DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
430 PM EST THU NOV 16 2023
...DROUGHT CONTINUES TO EXPAND AND WORSEN ACROSS THE WESTERN
CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA. EXTREME DROUGHT CONDITIONS HAVE
BEEN INTRODUCED IN SOUTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND EXPANDED IN
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...
=====================================================================
SYNOPSIS...
=====================================================================
DROUGHT CONDITIONS HAVE GRADUALLY DETERIORATED ACROSS THE WESTERN
CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA SINCE MID-SEPTEMBER 2023 AS A
PREVAILING HIGH-PRESSURE WEATHER PATTERN EFFECTIVELY BLOCKED
SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION SYSTEMS FROM ENTERING THE REGION. THIS
WEATHER PATTERN, COMBINED WITH A RELATIVELY QUIET HURRICANE SEASON
FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO, RESULTED IN WELL-BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION
OVER THE PAST TWO TO THREE MONTHS. THIS HAS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT SOIL
MOISTURE DEFICITS AND HAS RESULTED IN BELOW-NORMAL STREAMFLOWS AND
RESERVOIR LEVELS. WILDFIRE RISK, AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS, AND WATER
SUPPLY CONCERNS ARE INCREASING ABSENT APPRECIABLE RAINFALL. ABOVE-
NORMAL RAINFALL CHANCES ARE EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY INCREASE ACROSS THE
AREA HEADING INTO LATE NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER AS A MORE FAVORABLE
WEATHER PATTERN DEVELOPS.
=====================================================================
MODERNIZATION OF THE DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
=====================================================================
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) IS SOLICITING PUBLIC COMMENTS
THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2023 ON THE PROVISION OF EXPERIMENTAL MODERNIZED
DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENTS (DGTS) THROUGH WFO
“DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT” WEBPAGES AND IN PORTABLE DOCUMENT
FORMAT (PDF) AS A REPLACEMENT FOR THE EXISTING TEXT-BASED DGT FORMAT.
THE DGT PRODUCT IS ISSUED BY WFOS EXPERIENCING DROUGHT CONDITIONS,
CURRENTLY IN A TEXT-BASED FORMAT. THE DGT SYNTHESIZES LOCAL DROUGHT
CONDITIONS, IMPACTS AND OUTLOOK. THE DGT PRODUCT DRAWS ON NWS AND
PARTNER-PROVIDED DROUGHT INDICATORS AND TOOLS, INCLUDING THE U.S.
DROUGHT MONITOR AND THE NWS CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER’S U.S. MONTHLY
AND SEASONAL DROUGHT OUTLOOKS. DGTS DELIVER LOCALIZED MESSAGING TO
KEY PARTNERS, SUCH AS STATE CLIMATE OFFICES, AGRICULTURE AND WATER
RESOURCES MANAGERS, AND THE MEDIA.
THE NWS PROPOSES TO REPLACE THE TEXT-BASED VERSION OF THE DGT WITH A
PDF VERSION THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON WFO DROUGHT INFORMATION
STATEMENT WEBPAGES, AND WILL BE LINKED FROM THE DGT PAGE AT
HTTPS://WWW.DROUGHT.GOV/DROUGHT-INFORMATION-STATEMENTS.
IMPORTANT...THE CONTENT AND ISSUANCE CRITERIA FOR DGTS WILL NOT
CHANGE.
THE PRODUCT DESCRIPTION DOCUMENT FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL MODERNIZED DGT
CAN BE FOUND AT:
HTTPS://NSDESK.SERVICENOWSERVICES.COM/API/G_NOA/NWSPC/RES2/
3D35792D1BF8F11021DD20EAE54BCB47
USERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THIS PRODUCT VIA THE
FOLLOWING LINK:
HTTPS://WWW.SURVEYMONKEY.COM/R/EXPMODERNIZEDDGT
THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2023, NWS WFOS WILL ISSUED THE PDF VERSION OF
THE DGT. AT THE END OF THE EXPERIMENTAL TIME PERIOD AND CONSIDERING
FEEDBACK, A DECISION WILL BE MADE WHETHER OR NOT TO MAKE THE PDF
VERSION OF THE PRODUCT OPERATIONAL AS A REPLACEMENT FOR THE
TEXT-BASED DGT FORMAT.
=====================================================================
MODERNIZED PDF VERSION OF THE DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
=====================================================================
THE CURRENT MODERNIZED PDF VERSION OF THE DGT CAN BE FOUND AT:
HTTPS://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MEDIA/GSP/DGT/DGT_GSP_11162023.PDF
A TEXT-BASED VERSION OF THE PRESENTATION CAN BE FOUND AT:
HTTPS://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MEDIA/GSP/DGT/DGT_GSP_11162023.TXT
THIS IS THE FIRST MODERNIZED PDF VERSION AVAILABLE FOR THE CURRENT
DROUGHT. ALL MODERNIZED PDF DGTS WILL BE STORED AT THE FOLLOWING
LOCATION:
HTTPS://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP/DROUGHTINFORMATIONSTATEMENT
=====================================================================
U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR
=====================================================================
FOR THE LATEST U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR MAP FOR THE NWS GREENVILLE-
SPARTANBURG SERVICE AREA, VISIT:
HTTPS://DROUGHTMONITOR.UNL.EDU/DATA/PNG/CURRENT/
CURRENT_WFOGSP_TRD.PNG
ALL OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA ARE EXPERIENCING
MODERATE DROUGHT (D1) TO EXTREME DROUGHT (D3) CONDITIONS. THE WORST
CONDITIONS (D3) ARE CURRENTLY IMPACTING THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES*:
IN GEORGIA...
RABUN
IN NORTH CAROLINA...
CLEVELAND
GRAHAM
HENDERSON
MACON
POLK
RUTHERFORD
TRANSYLVANIA
IN SOUTH CAROLINA...
CHEROKEE
GREENVILLE
SPARTANBURG
UNION
YORK
*WHERE AT LEAST 20% OF THE COUNTY SURFACE AREA IS IN D3.
-------------------------------
.CLASSIFICATION DEFINITIONS
-------------------------------
D0 ABNORMALLY DRY: - 21ST-30TH PRECIPITATION PERCENTILE
- 21-30 PERCENT CHANCE OF OCCURRENCE
IN ANY GIVEN YEAR
- OVER A LONG-TERM AVERAGE,
OCCURS ONCE EVERY 3 YEARS
- GOING INTO DROUGHT: SHORT-TERM DRYNESS
SLOWING PLANTING, GROWTH OF CROPS OR
PASTURES;
- COMING OUT OF DROUGHT: SOME LINGERING WATER
DEFICITS; PASTURES OR CROPS NOT FULLY
RECOVERED;
- STREAMFLOWS BELOW 30TH PERCENTILE
D1 MODERATE DROUGHT: - 11TH-20TH PRECIPITATION PERCENTILE
- 11-20 PERCENT CHANCE OF OCCURRENCE
IN ANY GIVEN YEAR
- OVER A LONG-TERM AVERAGE,
OCCURS ONCE EVERY 5 YEARS
- SOME DAMAGE TO CROPS, PASTURES;
- STREAMS, RESERVOIRS, OR WELLS LOW, SOME
WATER SHORTAGES DEVELOPING OR IMMINENT;
- STREAMFLOWS BELOW 20TH PERCENTILE
D2 SEVERE DROUGHT: - 6TH-10TH PRECIPITATION PERCENTILE
- 6-10 PERCENT CHANCE OF OCCURRENCE
IN ANY GIVEN YEAR
- OVER A LONG-TERM AVERAGE,
OCCURS ONCE EVERY 10 YEARS
- CROP OR PASTURE LOSSES LIKELY;
- WATER SHORTAGES OR RESTRICTIONS COMMON;
- STREAMFLOWS BELOW 10TH PERCENTILE
D3 EXTREME DROUGHT: - 3RD-5TH PRECIPITATION PERCENTILE
- 3-5 PERCENT CHANCE OF OCCURRENCE
IN ANY GIVEN YEAR
- OVER A LONG-TERM AVERAGE,
OCCURS ONCE EVERY 20 YEARS
- MAJOR CROP/PASTURE LOSSES;
- WIDESPREAD WATER SHORTAGES OR RESTRICTIONS;
- STREAMFLOWS BELOW 5TH PERCENTILE
D4 EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT:- 0-2ND PRECIPITATION PERCENTILE
- LESS THAN 2 PERCENT CHANCE OF OCCURRENCE
IN ANY GIVEN YEAR
- OVER A LONG-TERM AVERAGE,
OCCURS ONCE EVERY 50 YEARS
- EXCEPTIONAL AND WIDESPREAD CROP/PASTURE
LOSSES;
- SHORTAGES OF WATER IN RESERVOIRS,
STREAMS, AND WELLS CREATING WATER
EMERGENCIES;
- STREAMFLOWS BELOW 2ND PERCENTILE
--------------------------------
.COMPARISON TO PAST DROUGHTS
--------------------------------
THE 2007-2009 DROUGHT WAS THE WORST DROUGHT FOR WESTERN NORTH
CAROLINA, UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA, AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA IN TERMS OF
SEVERITY AND EXTENT SINCE THE CATEGORIZATION OF DROUGHT BEGAN IN
2000. THE LAST EXTREME (D3) TO EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT (D4) OCCURRED
FROM LATE SUMMER 2016 THROUGH THE EARLY SPRING OF 2017. THIS CURRENT
DROUGHT IS NOT YET AS EXTREME AS THESE HISTORICAL DROUGHTS. THE LAST
TIME OUR AREA EXPERIENCED D3 CONDITIONS WAS ON AND AROUND OCTOBER 29,
2019, WHEN PORTIONS OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA WERE EXPERIENCING
EXTREME DROUGHT.
==================
CALLS TO ACTION...
==================
WATER RESTRICTIONS...
THE PUBLIC IN ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT THEIR LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES TO
CONFIRM THE LACK OF WATER RESTRICTIONS IN THEIR SPECIFIC AREA.
PLEASE BE MINDFUL OF DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN YOUR AREA EVEN IF YOUR
COMMUNITY IS NOT OFFICIALLY UNDER WATER RESTRICTIONS. LIMIT OUTDOOR
WATERING AND CONSERVE WATER USE INDOORS WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
WILDFIRE DANGER...
A BURN BAN IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. FOR MORE
INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT:
HTTPS://WWW.NCFORESTSERVICE.GOV
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE LAW REQUIRES RESIDENTS OUTSIDE OF TOWN OR CITY
LIMITS TO NOTIFY THE SC FORESTRY COMMISSION PRIOR TO BURNING
OUTDOORS! PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE TO CALL A TOLL-FREE
NUMBER IN YOUR COUNTY PRIOR TO BURNING YARD DEBRIS:
HTTPS://WWW.SCFC.GOV/PROTECTION/FIRE-BURNING
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NORTH CAROLINA OPEN BURNING RULE,
PLEASE VISIT: HTTPS://DEQ.NC.GOV/ABOUT/DIVISIONS/AIR-QUALITY/
AIR-QUALITY-COMPLIANCE/OPEN-BURNING
==================
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...
==================
THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR (USDM) IS A MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT INVOLVING
THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS:
- NATIONAL DROUGHT MITIGATION CENTER (NDMC)
- U.S. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS)
- U.S. NATIONAL CENTERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION (NCEI)
- U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA)
- U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY (USGS)
- U.S. FOREST SERVICE (USFS)
- U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS (USACE)
- STATE DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE
- STATE FOREST SERVICES
- STATE AND REGIONAL CLIMATOLOGISTS
- PRIVATE RESERVOIR OPERATORS
============
RESOURCES...
============
DUKE ENERGY - LAKE LEVELS AND STATUS
HTTPS://WWW.DUKE-ENERGY.COM/LAKES
NDMC'S USDM
HTTPS://DROUGHTMONITOR.UNL.EDU
NOAA CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER
8-14 DAY OUTLOOK
HTTPS://WWW.CPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/PRODUCTS/PREDICTIONS/814DAY/
INTERACTIVE/INDEX.PHP
15-30 DAY OUTLOOK
HTTPS://WWW.CPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/PRODUCTS/PREDICTIONS/WK34/
30-90 DAY OUTLOOK
HTTPS://WWW.CPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/PRODUCTS/PREDICTIONS/LONG_RANGE/
NORTH CAROLINA - DROUGHT MITIGATION ADVISORY COUNCIL
HTTPS://WWW.NCDROUGHT.ORG
NWS - RIVER CONDITIONS AND FORECASTS
HTTPS://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/AHPS/
SOUTH CAROLINA - DROUGHT RESPONSE COMMITTEE
HTTPS://WWW.SCDROUGHT.COM
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS - SAVANNAH RIVER LAKES
HTTPS://WATER.SAS.USACE.ARMY.MIL/GMAP
USDA - FARM SERVICE AGENCY - DIASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
HTTPS://WWW.FSA.USDA.GOV/PROGRAMS-AND-SERVICES/
DISASTER-ASSISTANCE-PROGRAM/INDEX
USGS - STREAMFLOW CONDITIONS
HTTPS://WATERWATCH.USGS.GOV
=====================================================================
NEXT ISSUANCE DATE...
=====================================================================
THE NEXT DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED ON OR AROUND
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2023.
========================
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS...
========================
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS DROUGHT INFORMATION
STATEMENT, PLEASE CONTACT:
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE - GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG
1549 GSP DRIVE
GREER SC 29651
PHONE 864-848-9970
JOSHUA.PALMER@NOAA.GOV
JMP
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