Drought is a unique hazard, as the answer to the question of "How dry are current conditions?" is quantified relative to a record of historical observations, often called a “reference period”. As the Western U.S. has experienced drying trends in the past several decades, the choice of reference period influences the answer to the question of “how dry” and, from the examination of this influence, another question arises - “What is a drought in a drier west?". The Western Drought Perspective Tool provides a platform for users to explore how perspectives on drought severity and extent are sensitive to the choice of reference period. From this, users can identify where the decision of reference period should be critically examined and is likely to impact how we respond to drought events in the future.