Megadrought In The West Predicted By End Of The Century

drought in Southwest U.S.The consequences of climate change may be impacting the Southwest and much of the Great Plains. A “megadrought” will likely occur late this century, and it could last for three decades, according to a new report by Cornell University and NASA researchers in the journal Science Advances.

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“The results were striking. As a society, we’ve weighted the dice toward megadrought. Data clearly point to a high risk in the Southwest and Great Plains, as we continue to add carbon dioxide into our atmosphere,” said Toby Ault, Cornell associate professor of earth and atmospheric sciences. “However, if we manage to get serious about lowering greenhouse gases within the next 10 years, we could face a lower risk.”

With a drier future and higher regional temperatures amplifying possible late-century droughts, the situation presents a major adaptation challenge for managing the region’s water needs, explained Ault, who along with lead author Benjamin Cook and Jason Smerdon, both of NASA, published their new study, “Unprecedented 21st Century Drought Risk in the American Southwest and Central Plains Drought Risk in Western North America.”

By examining tree rings and other physical clues, previous research had identified a period of time called Medieval Climate Anomaly – from the year 1100 to the year 1300 – when megadroughts were more common. By analyzing data from 17 state-of-the-art global climate models, the researchers learned that western North America’s future drought risk exceeded even the driest centuries of the Medieval Climate Anomaly.

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Source: Cornell University

 

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Avatar for Southern Tier Farmer Southern Tier Farmer says:

I am sure that if they receive govt funding for the remainder of the century they could study this further. Please! Why are we even entertaining this stuff?Guess what? The climate will change tomorrow just like it did yesterday. If they are so good at predicting then they can tell us what the weather will be like for the entire year coming up so we can all plan accordingly. They should also be able to tell us how many hurricanes, snow storm, tornadoes, etc. we can expect. Bottom line is follow the money and it will tell you what these “scientists” say.

Avatar for barbjc barbjc says:

So you are saying most scientist are motivated by money? And the inconvenience of lowering greenhouse gases does not motivate you into non-action? Most of the scientist I know are motivated by finding the truth! And they make very little money in the great scheme of things. Not lowering greenhouse gases is a huge money making and money saving industry, much more so then saving our planet. And these “scientists” are good at predicting the storms you mentioned- more so now then ever! What possible harm can come from lowering green house gases? I’ve never heard one good motivation for why the the worlds scientists almost as a whole would lie about climate change. It is happening right now!!!

Avatar for Scott Graddy Scott Graddy says:

I would like to comment. As a Precision Ag Consultant, I am technically minded and spiritually driven. This helps me look at things from a different angle. I tend to view things from a conspirator angle. I fully believe that you must follow the money when you look at things because it is the driving force behind it all. Proof is in the pudding when you see governments pushing something, you have to suspect that there is an ulterior motive behind it. I believe that there is a whole lot of money to be made (and squandered) by pushing Climate Change threat. I also believe that it is one of the best ways to keep 3rd world countries from becoming industrialized. I am not saying we should cut down all the trees and burn as much petrol as we desire. Don’t take me as being that far on the other side of this debate. I believe we must curb petrol use for the simple reason that when we do run out of it we will not be able to create all of the other wonderful things (byproducts) that come from petrol. Besides petrol is not the only thing that causes green house gases!
Here is a link to a recent article that to me spells out the true Climate Change movement and explains the science of carbon count much better than those scientists who have blinders on or driven by grant money that they may not get if they do not swag the numbers.
http://humanevents.com/2014/03/24/the-carbon-dioxide-level-is-dangerously-low/

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