Drought prediction allows for planned resource use and the formulation of a strategy for coping with future drought conditions. The Monthly Drought Outlook for the United States is used to predict rather than monitor drought conditions. It is released by the NOAA Climate Prediction Center on the last day of each month, and is based on short-term forecasts and outlooks for precipitation, temperature, and soil moisture. These forecasts are then overlaid with the US Drought Monitor to reveal areas which are expected to experience a change in drought conditions. The climate prediction center also issues a Seasonal Drought Outlook on the last day of each month. The Seasonal Drought Outlook is compiled based on the Palmer Drought Severity Index, short-term forecasts, and long-term outlooks for precipitation, temperature, and soil moisture, which then go through comparison similar to that of the Monthly Drought Outlook.

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