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More than 95 percent of the West is in some level of drought, with nearly two-thirds in extreme or exceptional drought — the two worst categories.
Scientists say the unprecedented, multi-year drought is a clear sign of how the climate crisis is affecting not only the weather, but water supply, food production and electricity generation.
Current drought
Across the US, the drought has nearly doubled in size from this time last year. Around 25% of the country was in drought conditions in July 2020; as of this week, nearly half the US is in drought.
There are now seven states completely in drought conditions: California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, North Dakota and Montana.
Significant week-over-week improvement was reported in Arizona, where seasonal rainfall reduced the state’s extreme and exceptional drought coverage — the two most severe categories — from 51.6% to 35.8%.
Colorado has also experienced a significant improvement since the beginning of the year. Drought conditions covered 34% of the state this week, down from 100% in January.
Despite the improvements in some parts of the West due to some seasonal rainfall, the Drought Monitor notes “the protracted length and severity” of the drought in this region remains worrisome.
As the planet warms, drought and extreme heat will also fuel deadly wildfires. Multiple studies have linked rising carbon dioxide emissions and high temperatures to increased acreage of burning across the West, particularly in California.
Rainfall outlook
The West experienced extremely low rain and snowfall over the past year, compounded by drastically high temperatures. Less rain and increasing heat waves have led directly to drought conditions and water shortages.
The Southwest monsoon, which began in mid-July, has lead to some relief in the region. July was the wettest month ever in Tucson, where more than 8 inches of rain fell. In comparison, Tucson only logged a half inch of rain in July 2020.
“A 5-day stretch in late July saw more rain than the entire year of 2020,” the US Drought Monitor reports of the city. “Across southeast Arizona, 13 flood warnings were issued for a least a brief time in a small area during 2020. So far this summer, 83 such warnings have been issued.”
As climate change accelerates and winter temperatures increase, snowfall will decrease. High-elevation snowpack serves as a natural reservoir that eases drought, storing water through the winter months and slowly releasing it through the spring melting season.
Stream and river flow
Streamflow, a measure of how much water is carried by rivers and streams, is another significant indicator of drought and its impact.
As drought conditions have worsened in 2021, hundreds of stream and river locations are experiencing below-average flow. More than 50 percent of the western monitoring stations reported lighter-than-usual flows. Fishing restrictions have also been put in place on many rivers in Montana due to low flows and warm waters.
Changes in streamflow affect the water supply for our own municipal use, crop irrigation and power generation.