Drought Severity Index (DSI)

A few years ago, I work with Stuart Gage who had developed a Heat /
Precipitation Index as a measure of drought severity.  It works just as
well if not better than the Palmer Drought Index.

You can find the formula in this only pdf report:  Climate Variability in
the North Central Region:
  http://goes.msu.edu/publications/pdfs_ps/CGCEO%2085.pdf

Google search:  Stuart Gage Heat Precipitation Index

If you can not download the file.  Write to me individually and I'll send
it directly.

Steve

Steve Friedman Ph. D.
Spatial Statistical Analyst
Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Park
950 N Krome Ave (3rd Floor)
Homestead, Florida 33034

Steve_Friedman at nps.gov
Office (305) 224 - 4282
Fax     (305) 224 - 4147


                                                                           
             Muhammad Rahiz                                                
             <muhammad.rahiz at o                                             
             uce.ox.ac.uk>                                              To 
             Sent by:                  Jim Lemon <jim at bitwrit.com.au>      
             r-help-bounces at r-                                          cc 
             project.org               "r-help at r-project.org"              
                                       <r-help at r-project.org>              
                                                                   Subject 
             01/12/2010 06:21          Re: [R] Drought Severity Index      
             AM                        (DSI)                               
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           




Hello Jim,

Thanks for the response. I have the algorithm based on the original
paper (Bryant et al. 1994) and subsequent modification by Philips and
McGregor(1994). The latter gives the formula for calculating the index
in MS Excel. I'm trying to translate it to R.





Muhammad

Muhammad Rahiz  |  Doctoral Student in Regional Climate Modeling

Climate Research Laboratory, School of Geography & the Environment

Oxford University Centre for the Environment
South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1865-285194         Mobile: +44 (0)7854-625974
Email: muhammad.rahiz at ouce.ox.ac.uk






Jim Lemon wrote:
  

On 01/12/2010 07:21 PM, Muhammad Rahiz wrote:

    

Does anyone have the code to calculate the drought severity index?



      

Hi Muhammad,
If you mean "does anyone have the algorithm?" it seems pretty hard to
find. Even that old standby Wikipedia didn't have a description of
Palmer's algorithm. If you happen to have the algorithm but not the R
code, perhaps mentioning that might get some responses.

Jim