ISciences Worldwide Water Watch List October 2017

13 October 2017

This map presents a selection of regions likely to encounter significant water anomalies during the one year period beginning in July 2017 and running through June 2018 using 3 months of observed temperature and precipitation data and 9 months of forecast data.

The synopsis that follows provides highlights of regional water forecasts. Regional details are available in ISciences Global Water Monitor & Forecast Watch List October 13, 2017 (pdf).

United States: Widespread water deficits are forecast in much of the eastern half of the US through December and may be exceptional in the Virginias and Pennsylvania. Moderate to exceptional surpluses are predicted in central Minnesota. Surpluses will continue to emerge in northwestern Wisconsin, the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Florida, and Idaho and its neighbors. After December deficits in the East are expected to diminish, but intense deficits will persist in the Carolinas and southern Louisiana. Intense surpluses will continue to emerge in much of Minnesota.

Canada: The near-term forecast through December indicates intense water deficits along the northern Ontario-Quebec border into southern Nord-du-Québec, and in Sherbrooke (Quebec), New Brunswick, southern Nova Scotia, southeastern Newfoundland, northeastern Manitoba into Quebec, and from Glacier National Park in British Columbia into Alberta. Deficits will retreat in the Prairie Provinces. Exceptional surpluses are forecast west of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba into Saskatchewan; from Churchill Lake in SK past Ft. McMurray, Alberta; and, near Kelowna, BC.

Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean: Exceptional water deficits in Cuba are forecast to retreat through December, and moderate to severe deficits are forecast for Tamaulipas, Mexico, and other pockets across the north. The extent of exceptional surpluses in Central America is expected to shrink, but surpluses remain in the forecast and may be especially intense in Honduras. After December moderate deficits will continue to emerge in northern Mexico with more severe deficits in Tamaulipas. Surpluses will persist in Central America but will begin to transition to deficits in El Salvador.

South America: A significant retreat of water deficits is forecast October through June, but through December exceptional deficits are expected in northernmost Brazil and into neighboring countries. Deficits are also forecast north of Lake Titicaca in Peru through La Paz and Cochabamba, Bolivia and into Argentina. Widespread, primarily moderate deficits are predicted in much of eastern Brazil, which may be more severe along the coast of the State of São Paulo. Surpluses are forecast in central Colombia, northern Peru, northern Bolivia, eastern Argentina, Uruguay, and O’Higgins Lake in Patagonia. After December widespread moderate surpluses are forecast in the northern Amazon Basin

Europe: Exceptional water deficits are expected to nearly disappear from October on, but pockets will remain through December in central Finland and the Norwegian Sea coast. Moderate to severe deficits are forecast for the remainder of Finland and moderate deficits for much of Southern Europe. A vast expanse of surpluses is forecast in European Russia, and surpluses are also predicted in Poland, Slovenia, Croatia, UK, and southern Norway. From January through March surpluses are forecast to increase across Northern Europe, particularly in European Russia, while deficits persist across Southern Europe.

Africa: Exceptional water deficits are expected to diminish considerably, leaving severe conditions across the north but relatively moderate conditions in the south. Some intense deficits are forecast for western Mauritania, southwestern Burkina Faso, the Chinko Nature Reserve in Central African Republic, southwestern Namibia, and Cape Town, South Africa. Surpluses are forecast for southeastern Sudan, northeastern South Sudan, the Niger Delta, Gabon, north-central Uganda, eastern Tanzania, Okavango Delta in Botswana, and the central border between Botswana and South Africa.

Middle East: Exceptional water deficits are forecast to nearly disappear after September leaving primarily moderate or severe deficits across the region. However, more intense deficits are expected in Georgia; along Turkey’s northern coast; surrounding the city of Basrah, Iraq; western Yazd Province, Iran; and eastern Yemen. Severe deficits are forecast for the Euphrates River. Overall, water deficits will continue to diminish through March, with mild deficits throughout much of the region. Severe deficits will continue to emerge in western Georgia and western Turkey.

Central Asia and Russia: Water surpluses reaching exceptional intensity are forecast in western European Russia, the Upper Ob River and Tom River Basins, and the Transvolga Region, where conditions of both deficit and surplus may emerge. Surpluses are also forecast for many parts of Kazakhstan, and in Kyrgyzstan. Severe to extreme deficits are forecast for the Yamal Peninsula and across the Gulf of Ob. Intense deficits in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are expected to diminish considerably leaving only mild deficits through December.

South Asia: Intense water deficits are forecast through June 2018 in India’s central state of Madhya Pradesh. In the near-term, through December, severe to exceptional deficits are forecast for central states, and moderate deficits will extend north. Gujarat will transition to conditions of both deficit and surplus. Exceptional surpluses are forecast for Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur, but surpluses are expected to recede in other northeastern states and in West Bengal. Surpluses of varying severity are forecast for Nepal and western Bhutan. Primarily moderate deficits are forecast for Pakistan and western Afghanistan.

Southeast Asia and the Pacific: The forecast indicates a gradual transition from predominantly surplus conditions to deficit. Western Cambodia and eastern Papua New Guinea, however, show deficit conditions throughout the 12-month forecast. Surpluses will begin to downgrade in the near-term but exceptional surpluses remain in the forecast through December for western Myanmar, northern and southern Laos, and along the west side of the Mekong River in Cambodia down to Phnom Penh. After December severe deficits will begin to emerge in Malaysia and Indonesia.

East Asia: Widespread intense deficits will emerge in Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, and Taiwan. Widespread intense surpluses are forecast for a vast stretch of the Upper and Middle Yangtze River, with exceptional surpluses in the Han River watershed. Aforementioned deficits may persist through March and surpluses may persist longer. Severe surpluses will continue to emerge along the Middle and Lower Yellow River through December. Surpluses in the western Pearl River watershed and around the Gulf of Tonkin are forecast to diminish slowly through March. Intense surpluses will continue to emerge in eastern Qinghai while intense deficits are forecast in the west.

Australia: Exceptional deficits observed in recent months over much of Australia are forecast to diminish considerably in the near-term and through June 2018. Through December, however, exceptional deficits are forecast for Tasmania and the southwest tip of Western Australia. Moderate to extreme deficits are forecast from Adelaide through Victoria and into the eastern Murray-Darling Basin in New South Wales. Moderate deficits are expected in New Caledonia and South Island, New Zealand. Surpluses are forecast for the Ord River Basin, northeastern Queensland, and Christchurch, New Zealand.

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