SW US Faces Historic Megadrought

JAN 4 2023·Updated APR 14

Story

Image credit: Unsplash

The Facts

Per a study in Nature Climate Change, the last 22 years in the American Southwest has been the driest period in 1,200 years, with human emissions accounting for 42% of drought severity.
The Guardian
The study author asserts this is a worst-case scenario, with conditions expected to deteriorate even further.
Nature
Last year, low water levels in Lake Mead triggered the first federal water shortage declaration for the Colorado River basin.
Axios
95% of the Western US is currently in a drought.
USA Today

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

This has the unmistakable fingerprints of climate change. It's extreme, epic and historic. Expect the future to be a wild ride -- we may even see Southern Califorrnia suffer regular heat waves in winter.

wapo

Narrative B

There's real climate alarmism here. Only 1/5 of the current megadrought can be attributed to human-caused climate change. Analysis referenced in the report shows there's been five other major droughts since 800 AD, so this is mostly natural variation. Unfortunately, climate panic brings paywall clicks for science journals.