Resumen

LOBATO-SANCHEZ, René. The Drought Monitor in Mexico. Tecnol. cienc. agua [online]. 2016, vol.7, n.5, pp.197-211. ISSN 2007-2422.

Because of its slow evolution and its impacts, drought is among the costliest natural phenomena. In 2002 a group of climatologists from Mexico, Unites States and Canada implemented the North American Drought Monitor (NADM), under such initiative the methodology was adapted to develop the Mexican Drought Monitor (MSM). Droughts may be classified by its physical mechanisms, by its impacts or a combination of both; there is no a single definition for fulfilling its entire spectra of applications. Temporal and spatial scale of drought evolution and magnitud required of the meteorological concepts with information of both rainfall and temperature; in agriculture, soil moisture and vegetation conditions are required; in hydrology with reservoir and stream flow conditions; and socioeconomic impacts in the availability of goods and water supply to all users. The MSM is constructed by using 7 different indices in layers blended through a Geographic Information System, it is complemented though the expertise of the climatologist along with the discussion and consensus among users and specialists. Historical information is a complement with the current in the form of indices and percentages with respect to its mean values, quality and timely data is required for a continuing and objective process. The challenge resides in collecting all the information in one single product with standardized units which allow the determination of its magnitude. The MSM is the basic input information for programs dealing with water management.

Palabras llave : Droughts; monitor; climate; temperature; precipitation; soil moisture; evapotranspiration; index.

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