ESSIC researcher Amy McNally's land surface modeling & water availability monitoring work is being utilized by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). The work was featured in a mid-December 2015 FEWS NET special report entitled, "Illustrating the extent and severity of the 2015 drought." (McNally's research is specifically referenced in Maps 3 & 4 of the report labeled (source FEWS NET/NASA). These reports are used as decision support for humanitarian aid organizations e.g. USAID Food for Peace and the UN World Food Program.
![Satellite seasonal temperature difference maps indicate how the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and its organisms may respond to the temperature changes. Here, the maps show warmer than average water temperatures from January through March 2020, cooler than average from April through June, near average July through September, and slightly warmer than average October through December. The long-term baseline is from the years 2008-2019.]](https://essic.umd.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/rv-chesapeake2-150x150.jpg)
Tracking Water Temperature with Satellites
September 18, 2025
