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Monday, February 16, 2015

Mega-droughts to become the new normal

Large sections of the United States will endure "persistent droughts" in the coming decades that will be worse than anything experienced in the past 1,000 years.

Comparing the conditions to the Dust Bowl but lasting several decades, researchers writing in the journal Science Advances warned Thursday that the Southwest and Great Plains will be hit by these "mega-droughts" in the later part of the 21st century. Such events have been linked to the fall of civilizations, including the decline of the Anasazi, or Ancient Pueblo Peoples, in the Colorado Plateau in the late 13th century.

"The story is a bit bleak," said Jason E. Smerdon, a co-author and climate scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, part of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. "Even when selecting for the worst mega drought-dominated period, the 21st century projections make (those) mega droughts seem like quaint walks through the Garden of Eden."

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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hence the name, "Desert Southwest".
From Wikipedia...
"The southwestern United States features a semi-arid to arid climate, depending on the location....
During El Niño, winters and springs are generally colder and wetter across southern portions of the region, while the northern portion stays warmer and drier due to a southern jet stream. Under La Niña, the opposite happens, meaning the cool and wet weather tends to stay further north."
So the models say, "It may get drier!" Wow - scary!

Anonymous said...

Where on earth does the climate not change ? With out climate changing would it make all perfect? Just image no need for BG GOVERMENT !

Anonymous said...

"Mega thirsty" will be the new beer pitch.Watch for it.