News | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Purple flowers growing amid bushes in front of a lake surrounded by yellow grassland on a sunny day with mountains in the distance.

August 9, 2024

U.S. Drought: Weekly Report for August 6, 2024

According to the August 6, 2024 U.S. Drought Monitor, moderate to exceptional drought covers 18.2% of the United States including Puerto Rico, an increase from last week’s 16.9%. The worst drought categories (extreme to exceptional drought) stayed about the same as last week’s 1.2%.

A tornado approaching an open field with a tinge of blue sky in the background.

August 8, 2024

Assessing the U.S. Climate in July 2024

During July, the average contiguous U.S. temperature was 75.7°F, 2.1°F above the 20th-century average.

Photo of a wooden bucket filled with water

May 9, 2017

Updated August 6, 2024

Planet Postcard: A Bucket Full of Data

Less than 100 years ago, scientists and sailors used ordinary wooden buckets to measure sea surface temperatures.

August 6, 2024

NCEI Welcomes Summer 2024 Interns

NCEI welcomes the 2024 summer interns. Interns studied projects ranging from magnetic mapping and navigation to ocean O2 variability and other subjects.

A brown cow standing in a dry pasture with a hazy blue sky overhead.

August 1, 2024

U.S. Drought: Weekly Report for July 30, 2024

According to the July 30, 2024 U.S. Drought Monitor, moderate to exceptional drought covers 16.9% of the United States including Puerto Rico, a slight decrease from last week’s 17.0%. The worst drought categories (extreme to exceptional drought) stayed about the same as last week’s 1.2%.