An Update on the Global Drought Information System

This talk will present progress on several fronts linked to the development of an experimental global drought information system (GDIS). These consist of an update on our current understanding of drought mechanisms spanning the globe, as synthesized from the contributions to the Journal of Climate Special Collection on drought, and a summary of the outcomes of a GDIS workshop focused on the implementation of an experimental GDIS. The emphasis will be on research gaps and the drought information needs of regional users and the capabilities of current global drought information providers for both monitoring and prediction. The discussion will include a recommended path forward for addressing the research gaps and implementing an experimental GDIS.