June 19, 2020 Edited by Ernst Undesser, AgFax Web Editor, with Information from Brad Pugh, NOAA/CPC. Here’s NOAA’s outlook for US summer weather—and hurricane season The world saw the 2nd warmest April on record, but frost hit some US crops. We welcome the support of local environmental groups in working with us to assess the environmental conditions and promote water conservationWhile the immediate pressure on water resources has lessened to a degree, we must still be mindful of how we use water.
Report these to the Environment Agency on 0800 807060.The NDG reflected on the threat of future drought events under climate change projections and pledged to maintain momentum around drought planning across the sector by making this the focus of a multi-sector meeting later in the year. Last week (9 July) we launched our EA2025 plan, which sets out how we will create climate resilient places and infrastructure by ensuring the nation is prepared for flooding, coastal change and drought over the next five years.While water companies need to make changes, as set out in our National Framework for Water Resources, we all have a responsibility to protect our water resources for future generations.
The National Drought Group, chaired by Environment Agency (EA) Executive Director Harvey Bradshaw, met on Monday 13 July 2020 to assess water resources after the driest spring on record. Despite rains in parts of Texas and more in the immediate forecast, summer 2020 looks like it will be especially dry and hot for most of the state, according to a Texas A&M Forest Service expert.. Brad Smith, Texas A&M Forest Service Predictive Services department head, said much of the state looks vulnerable to drought and potentially severe late-summer fire season. The National Drought Group, chaired by Environment Agency (EA) Executive Director Harvey Bradshaw, met on Monday 13 July 2020 to assess water resources after the driest spring on record. June rainfall has offered some relief with river flows and reservoir levels improving in all areas compared to the end of May. According to the July 7, 2020, U.S. Drought Monitor, moderate to extreme drought covers 21.6% of the United States including Puerto Rico, a slight increase from last week’s 21.4%.The worst drought categories (extreme to exceptional drought) decreased from 2.1% last week to 2.0% this week. Some water companies may experience distribution issues if very hot weather returns and leads to very high demand but there is enough water to make Temporary Use (hosepipe) Bans very unlikely this summer. The 2019 to 2020 winter across Europe was the warmest on record, with the heat not letting throughout the year. "In late May and June, surface soil moisture and waterways in some areas rebounded a bit after heavy rain showers. We want to meet the objectives set out in the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan to ensure we pass on an improved environment for our children and grandchildren.Exceptionally dry weather this spring coupled with very high demand associated with “lockdown” led to a rapid fall in river flows and reservoir levels across northern and western England in particular. Earth Syst. Sudden rainfall events during an otherwise dry period can cause pollution events and kill fish. "As a result, the GEOGLAM Crop Monitor, a Group on Earth Observations initiative, has put much of central and eastern Europe and southwestern Russia under a watch for potential drought impacts on wheat production.Scientists warn this could have ramifications for the rest of the planet.Brian Barker, a leader of the GEOGLAM group and scientist at the University of Maryland, said: “From the global food security and agricultural commodities perspective, Europe is important because it is one of the largest wheat-producing regions in the world, and also a major maize-producing region.
While the need to meet regularly throughout the summer has lessened, the group reiterated the need to respond quickly to emerging situations in less resilient catchments. This section provides an overview of how this spring is progressing. Spring proved to be hotter and drier than normal, coupled with a May heatwave.
"Both wheat and maize are major food security crops.ho“The persistent rainfall deficits, combined with the above-average temperatures since winter, have negatively affected large areas across Europe, reducing forecasted crop yields compared to the five-year average in a number of countries.”Experts have blamed the drought conditions on climate change and the heating planet.Wolfgang Wagner, a remote sensing scientist at Technische Universität Wien, said: “In recent years, Central Europe has experienced a series of droughts caused by exceptionally stable weather patterns and high temperatures that can both be linked to climate change.“The fact that some regions have experienced drought conditions in several consecutive years has already caused significant damage to forests (due to bark beetle infestation) and declines in groundwater levels.” See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, Tweet .