Rose Andreatta

Last updated May 10, 2022
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Western Drought 2020-2022

United States

Climate change is a major contributor to the prolonged and intensifying drought that has impacted the western US since early 2020, as well as the underlying megadrought that has been ongoing since 2000.[1] Rising temperatures due to climate change lead to earlier snowpack melt, increased evaporation from streams and lakes, and increased evapotranspiration from soils and plants. Climate change also increases the risk of seasonal precipitation extremes—including longer and hotter periods with little precipitation that dry out the soil as well as heavier rain and snow events leading to excessive runoff and flooding. Many events have contributed to the severity of the western drought including consecutive dry and warm winters, rapid snowmelt, and record hot summer temperatures.

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Western drought 2020-2021
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Global Warming
Land Surface Temperature Increase
Air Mass Temperature Increase
Large Scale Global Circulation Change
Snowpack Melting Earlier and/or Faster
Precipitation Falls as Rain Instead of Snow
Atmospheric Blocking Increase
Land Surface Drying Increase
Snowpack Decline
Southwestern US Precipitation Decrease
Extreme Heat and Heat Waves
Drought Risk Increase
Western Drought 2020-2022
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Author

Rose Andreatta

Rose Andreatta is the director of the Climate Signals project and has over a decade of experience translating scientific information into usable formats for a variety of audiences. Rose earned her Master’s of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy at Columbia University and holds a Certificate of Achievement in Weather Forecasting from Pennsylvania State University.

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