Scientists Monitor Ongoing Drought in the United States with New Technology

Drought continues to plague the United States and now, scientists are using some new technology to monitor it. Researchers have used weather satellites to monitor rainfall and have now created a reliable context for relating space-based rainfall observations to current, ground-based rainfall data.

The researchers created a dataset that couples rainfall data observed from space with more than three decades of rainfall data collected at ground stations worldwide. Called the Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS), this new dataset could be hugely useful in the future when it comes to monitoring possible areas for food insecurity.

"This dataset seeks to blend the best qualities of rainfall station observations, satellite temperature data and rainfall's unique spatial characteristics to create the best available rainfall information for climate and agricultural monitoring," said Gregroy J. Husak, one of the researchers, in a news release.

In fact, CHIRPS has already spotted possible hot spots for food insecurity. For example, much of East Africa is still recovering from a series of poor rainy seasons, and food prices remain high. In addition, CHIRPS has identified a very poor start to the growing season in Kenya; April's rainfall total was the lowest in 34 years. Identifying these potential problems early on can allow officials to take steps to curtail rises in food prices and strengthen food security.

That's not all, though: CHIRPS can be used to monitor trends. Researchers have noted that long-term rainfall has been declining across the southwestern United States and easternmost part of Africa.

"Our most recent research suggests that these declines are likely linked to warming in the western pacific and eastern Indian oceans," said Chris Funk, a research scientist with USGS' EROS, in a news release.

CHIRPS data is likely to be an extremely useful tool far into the future--especially as our climate continues to change.