drought
Assessment Outlines Future Climate Changes, Impacts in SW
The Southwest U.S. will continue to get warmer over the 21st century, with fewer cold waves and longer, hotter heat waves, according to an expansive new book published by Island Press.
Streamflow Forecasts Grim for AZ, NM
Conditions over the past month have once again been dry and warm in Arizona and New Mexico, according to the April Southwest Climate Outlook from CLIMAS. Temperatures have been 1 to 5 degrees F above average, and precipitation has been less than 70 percent of average in much of both states.
Great Plains Drought, Worse Than Dust Bowl, Not Attributed to Climate Change
Precipitation deficits over the central Great Plains last summer were more severe than the driest summers of the Dust Bowl era, and the most severe since record keeping began, according to a new assessment of the 2012 drought by NOAA.
Drought May Push Food Prices Up 3 to 4 Percent
Food prices are predicted to increase 3 to 4 percent this year, due to the severe drought in the Midwest last year, according to the 2013 Food Price Outlook from the USDA.
Above-Normal Wildfire Season Predicted for SW
Continued drought conditions in Arizona and New Mexico will increase the potential for significant wildfires in May, according to predictions from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Warm, Dry Conditions to Continue in AZ, NM
Recent conditions have been warm and dry in Arizona and New Mexico, and more of the same is predicted through June, according to the latest Southwest Climate Outlook from CLIMAS.
Monsoon Plays Major Role in Long-Term Droughts
A recent publication sheds light on the North American Monsoon and how it has changed over the past five centuries.
Winter Storms Bring Much-Needed Precipitation to AZ
It was a tale of two states over the past 30 days, with cold, wet conditions in most of Arizona and warm, dry conditions in most of New Mexico, according to the February Southwest Climate Outlook from CLIMAS.
Drought, Not Bark Beetles, Increase Fire Risk
Contrary to what was previously believed, authors of a new study published in Natural Areas Journal find that bark beetle outbreaks do not substantially increase the risk of fire in lodgepole pine and spruce-fir forests.
Plants Adapt to Water Extremes
Plant communities from grasslands to forests contain an intrinsic system sensitivity to water availability, allowing them to adapt to extreme shifts such as drought and flooding, according to a recent study published in Nature. The authors analyzed how plants responded to wet and dry periods during t