Advancing drought understanding, monitoring, and prediction

Over 40 participants, including Drought Task Force scientists from multiple academic and federal institutions and invitees from drought service and operational organizations, met to discuss the latest drought research advances, prospects for improving current capabilities, and outstanding research gaps. The meeting helped assess progress since its inception and reinforce collaborations among Drought Task Force participants and make new connections within and outside of the task force. It provided a major push toward formulating a plan forward for the group that takes into account diverse input, including that of the drought research stakeholders and individual scientists involved in the research, hence building upon the foundation of user requirements, impacts assessments, applications, and on-going research projects. To achieve the goals, the task force activities will be organized around specific themes consisting of drought relevant science issues, drought narratives, and research to operational capabilities.