Drought affects the planet in many ways, but some of the most severe impacts are to agricultural areas, especially those in developing countries. Prolonged drought may cause crops to fail, resulting in widespread food shortages and famine. While these developing countries may not have sophisticated ground-based sensor networks to monitor drought conditions, we can use satellites to estimate droughts anywhere on Earth. Satellite drought index information from NOAA is summarized within areas identified as agricultural based on an analysis by the USGS and Esri. The map below displays the latest monthly CHIRPS Standardized Precipitation Index product produced by USGS and UC Santa Barbara.
