Yearly Drought Intensity and Precipitation Overages in the US, 2023

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The map depicts the yearly drought intensity and precipitation overages for the continental United States in 2023. It shows areas with varying degrees of drought conditions, ranging from exceptional drought to abnormally dry. Regions experiencing the most severe drought conditions, marked in dark red, include parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and the lower Mississippi Valley. At the other end of the scale, yellow areas indicate regions that are abnormally dry but not in full drought, scattered throughout the continental US.

The map also highlights areas with significant precipitation overages. Light blue regions, indicating extreme precipitation overages, are seen in parts of California and south Florida. The extremes in Califronia are due to atmospheric rivers which were particularly notable for their intensity and frequency, contributing to substantial rainfall and snowfall across the state. This influx of moisture was crucial in alleviating some of the drought conditions that had been persistent in previous years. However, the heavy precipitation also led to challenges such as flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage in several areas. 

The data for this map is sourced from the U.S. Drought Monitor and the National Drought Mitigation Center for drought information, while precipitation data comes from the NOAA Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service. The map author, Benjamin Coate, accessed this data on December 26, 2023, indicating it includes data up to the end of the year. This comprehensive visualization highlights the blend of GIS data to emphasize areas of drought and excessive rainfall across the continental United States in 2023, indicating regions of concern and abnormal weather patterns.

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