WeatherWise -- Is the Disaster Drought in Texas Long Term?

The above Drought Monitor map tells the story of the exceptional drought conditions in Texas, Oklahoma and southern New Mexico. The last extended drought in Texas occurred in the 1940s and '50s and was the worst in history.

Miles and Miles of Drought in Texas | NYTimes.com says today that "the real fear is that this may not be a one- or two-year drought, but the kind that lasts for 30 or 40 years. Droughts of that extent appear often enough in tree-rings, which suggest that they are part of normal historical weather patterns across the Southwest." We all certainly hope not.

Drought: Past Problems and Future Scenarios by Justin Sheffield, a research hydrologist at Princeton University and Eric F. Wood, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Princeton University, reviews the historical occurrence of global drought, particularly during the 20th century and assesses the likely potential changes over the 21st century under climate change.

Read More in: Global Warming/Climate Change

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