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August 11, 1999 — Commerce Secretary William Daley today unveiled two new initiatives aimed at issuing drought and heat advisories. Daley made the announcement at a White House briefing. Daley also said that by next summer forecasts will be available two weeks in advance on the probability of heat waves. Daley said the Commerce Department is following through on the President's call for federal action by providing new tools to help the country manage droughts and heat waves.

Click here for Secretary Daley's prepared remarks to the White House Press Corps. Click here for larger view of Daley photo.

WEB-BASED HEAT ADVISORY

Starting immediately, Commerce Secretary William Daley has instructed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to make available to managers, planners and the public a weekly assessment of potential heat threats. These assessments are now posted and updated weekly at www.drought.noaa.gov. Previously, these assessments had been available only on a local basis. This action will now make it possible for any official or citizen anywhere to access this vital information. It also integrates the heat assessments with assessments of other weather-related threats. With this action, there is a one-stop shop for all of NOAA's weather threat data.

Called the Threats Assessment, it consists of maps that show where extreme conditions such as temperature, precipitation, wind, and drought are forecast over the coming three to ten days. It is updated weekly or more frequently as events require. The Threats Assessment targets emergency managers, local officials, and forecasters. It provides information that communities and individuals can use to take precautionary steps to mitigate the impacts of extreme events. This product has been in development for nearly two years. NOAA worked with a wide range of stakeholders to create a tool that is useful at the state and local levels.

DROUGHT MAPPING AND FORECAST SERVICE

Also starting immediately, Commerce, working in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture and the National Drought Mitigation Center, has launched a drought monitoring and forecast service. This service, which had been available only in experimental form, summarizes the extent and intensity of drought nationwide and forecasts whether droughts will strengthen or weaken. Like the Threats Assessment, the Drought Monitor is on the Internet at www.drought.noaa.gov.

The three-way partnership is responding to the need for accurate, centralized drought information by developing a map that summarizes information from numerous drought indices and indicators on a single, easy-to-read color map.

The map displays general areas where drought is occurring as well as dry areas where drought threatens. To create the map, the partnership blends information from numerous sources, including the departments of Commerce, Agriculture and Interior.

The map uses a new classification system to show drought intensity and type, similar to the schemes currently in use for hurricanes and tornadoes. The map combines key indices of rainfall and drought to produce the final drought intensity rating. Since drought often affects various activities differently, the map indicates if drought is affecting agriculture, fire danger, or water supplies. State-of-the-art forecast tools are being used to indicate whether drought will strengthen or weaken significantly over the next two weeks.

TWO WEEK WARNINGS FOR EXTREME HEAT EVENTS

Finally, for next summer, NOAA will extend extreme heat forecasts for up to two weeks in advance. The predictions will be in the form of probabilities of the number of consecutive days heat indices will exceed critical values. The forecasts will be included in the newly operational weekly Threats Assessment. For the first time, these forecasts will provide officials and leaders from organizations like the American Red Cross with a "heads-up" for potentially life threatening conditions well in advance. Local NOAA weather service offices will then work with health officials and communities to highlight the impacts to the area. This information should help the public to take informed, life-saving actions.