ISciences Worldwide Water Watch List July 2016

Watching: United States and Canada; Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean; South America; Europe; Africa; Middle East; Central Asia and Russia; South Asia; East Asia; Southeast Asia and the Pacific; Australia.

This map presents a selection of regions likely to encounter significant water anomalies during the one year period beginning in April 2016 and running through March 2017 using 3 months of observed temperature and precipitation data and 9 months of forecast data.

Regional details are available in ISciences' Global Water Monitor & Forecast July 15, 2016 (pdf).

United States and Canada: The outlook for the United States indicates widespread exceptional water deficits throughout the Northeast from July through September. Deficits of varying severity are also forecast for parts of the Midwest and Upper Midwest, the Pacific Northwest, and California. Widespread water surpluses are expected in eastern Texas and surpluses are also forecast in West Virginia and Nebraska. After September deficits will diminish with the exception of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers. Surpluses in Texas will diminish. Widespread surpluses are forecast to emerge in Wisconsin and across the Mississippi River into Minnesota.

The outlook for Canada indicates large pockets of exceptional water deficits through September in northern Manitoba, eastern Ontario, and central Quebec, along with deficits of generally lesser severity in British Columbia and the Prairie Provinces. Surpluses are forecast northwest of Quebec City, on the southern shore of Hudson Bay, and in northern Saskatchewan. From October on, deficits across the country are forecast to diminish and surpluses will emerge in southern Ontario and northern Quebec.

Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean: Water deficits are forecast to persist on the Baja Peninsula through September with greatest extent and severity in July. Deficits are forecast in southern Mexico during this period and are expected to be of exceptional severity along the southern Gulf of Mexico in Veracruz, Tabasco, and Oaxaca. Deficits are also forecast in Guatemala and El Salvador, Jamaica and Haiti, and after September may emerge in Belize, Honduras, western Nicaragua and eastern Panama.

South America: Exceptional water deficits are forecast for much of northern and central Brazil from July into October. From October to December deficits will diminish in central Brazilian states but persist across the north, and widespread deficits will emerge in other countries in northern South America. Deficits will also persist in Peru, Chile, and southern Argentina.

Europe: Water deficits are forecast through September in parts of Central Europe, Eastern Europe, the Baltics, southern Norway and Sweden, and Finland. Surpluses are expected in northern France and across the border into Germany, Belgium, and in southern Netherlands. From October on, surpluses are expected to emerge, first in Scotland, Germany, Norway and Sweden; and later in other parts of Central Europe, the Baltics, and Finland. Deficits are forecast for the Iberian Peninsula.

Africa: Exceptional water deficits are forecast to persist across North Africa, gradually diminishing in extent and severity. Deficits of varying severity will also persist in much of Africa’s southern half, with extreme deficits forecast in northern Zambia though November. Exceptional deficits are expected to emerge in central Botswana and in South Africa near Botswana in July. Water surpluses are forecast to persist through October in Tanzania and northeastern Mozambique.

Middle East: Water deficits are forecast to persist in many parts of the Middle East – particularly the Arabian Peninsula – though the extent of exceptional deficits will diminish. Through September deficits in Qatar and United Arab Emirates are forecast to become more severe, exceptional deficits in central Iran will increase in extent, and deficits will continue to emerge in Iran’s southwestern provinces.

Central Asia and Russia: Water surpluses are forecast to persist along rivers in Kazakhstan through March, though a transition to both deficits and surpluses is forecast January through March as abnormal to moderate deficits begin to emerge across the country. Moderate to severe deficits in Turkmenistan and parts of Uzbekistan are expected to persist through September, diminish in October, after which moderate deficits will re-emerge throughout both countries in November. A vast expanse of moderate to exceptional water deficits are forecast through September across northern Russia from the White Sea through much of the Central Siberian Plateau. Surpluses are forecast in the Ob River Basin during this period which are expected to be especially widespread and severe in October.

South Asia: Water deficits are forecast for much of India, Pakistan, and western Afghanistan while surpluses are expected throughout Bangladesh, in central Nepal, Jammu and Kashmir, eastern Afghanistan, and western Sri Lanka. Deficits may be especially severe in July throughout India’s southern half. Moderate to extreme surpluses are expected in the Ganges Basin in July, and exceptional surpluses are forecast along the northern Indus through Punjab, Pakistan in July and August. Deficits are forecast to begin emerging in Bhutan, northeastern Indian states, and Myanmar in August and continue to emerge through March.

Southeast Asia and the Pacific: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and the Malay Peninsula are forecast to continue in conditions of water deficit through March 2017, which will be especially severe in Cambodia. Exceptional deficits will emerge in the Mekong Delta in July, and are forecast for Timor through October. Surpluses in western Borneo will gradually diminish through September as will surpluses on Java and Flores Island, though they may persist longer. Sumatra will transition from surplus to deficit beginning in September.

East Asia: Water surpluses are expected to persist in many provinces of China along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River through September though surpluses will not be as severe or widespread as in previous months. In November southeast China will begin to transition from surplus to moderate deficit which will gradually encompass much of the country. Deficits will emerge on the Korean Peninsula in October. By November deficits in Japan will spread in Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.

Australia: Water deficits are forecast to persist across parts of northern Australia – particularly northernmost regions of the Northern Territory and the southern shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria – and also in the southwest tip of Western Australia, Tasmania, and New Caledonia. From July through September surpluses are forecast to persist near the Barcoo and Fitzroy Rivers in Queensland, and emerge west of Brisbane. Surpluses will continue to emerge north of Adelaide east of Spencer Gulf in South Australia, and will emerge in the center of New South Wales.

Search blog categories

Search blog tags