The U.S. was no exception to record-high global temperature trends in 2023, with above-average or higher temperatures in many states. A flash drought hit parts of the south-central and Southeast in the fall, and the Mississippi River fell to historic lows in October. As 2023 wrapped up, many areas experienced drought improvements, while the Rockies and areas around Tennessee saw degradations. The South continued to contend with lingering effects of flash drought, especially in agricultural sectors.

Throughout this record-breaking year, NDMC worked to share insights on drought and related impacts. A policy brief released at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference highlights global effects of drought. NDMC researchers contributed their expertise to the Fifth National Climate Assessment. NDMC climatologist Deb Bathke will be leading a report on climate change impacts in Nebraska as the interim state climatologist. Research from other members of NDMC cover flash drought, cover crops, drought monitoring tools and oceanic teleconnections. The quarterly podcast Inside Drought will provide analysis on drought-related news.

Brief Mentions

• Flash drought definitions and impacts are the subject of a recently published paper. 
• New research provides insight on how climate change can impact the performance of cereal rye cover crop in corn production.  
• A study analyzes user engagement and published literature to provide better understanding of drought-monitoring tools.
• A new paper examines the relationship between oceanic teleconnections and drought in Texas, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and Kansas.