United States

United States: Water Forecast Indicates Deficits in the Northwest, Surpluses in the Central Plains

  • Exceptional drought will persist in northern California through the Pacific Northwest;
  • Southern California is forecast to have characteristics of both water deficits and surpluses;
  • Exceptional water surpluses are forecast for portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, and Louisiana;
  • A wide belt of moderate to exceptional surpluses is expected from the Central Plains eastward; and,
  • Southeast states are forecast to have characteristics of both water deficits and surpluses.

United States: Regionally Significant Water Anomalies Forecast in Coming Months

The continental United States is forecast to experience regionally significant water anomalies through February 2016, both deficits and surpluses:

  • Exceptional drought is forecast to persist in northern California through the Pacific Northwest; 
  • Southern California is forecast to have characteristics of both water deficits and surpluses; 
  • Exceptional water surpluses are forecast for portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, and Louisiana; and,
  • Severe to extreme deficits are forecast for portions of the Northeast.

Western United States: Deficit impacts continue into Sept 2015

The prolonged drought in California has garnered significant political, public, and media attention. The WSIM Composite Surplus/Deficit Index for the next six months (April-Sept 2015), significant deficits will persist or intensify throughout much of the region, including Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, and Arizona.  The multi-year regional drought is already impacting agriculture, electricity generation, domestic supplies, and real-estate development.