A warming Midwest increases likelihood that farmers will need to irrigate
Warming conditions will necessitate a much greater demand for water in the Midwest, a new study in Ecospheres reports.
Annual Rainfall Increasing in Most U.S. States
From 1950 to 2018, average annual precipitation has risen in 90% of the U.S. states analyzed. The great majority of the country has experienced above-average rainfall so far this year – in fact, the last 12 months have been the wettest on record.
Changing Precipitation Normals
Climate Central’s media package highlights changes in average precipitation between the 1991-2020 and 1981-2010 normal periods. Annual average precipitation has increased east of the Rockies and decreased to the west, especially in the Southwestern United States. Seasonal averages show high regional variation, with a strong winter wetting signal in the North Central U.S., and strong summer and fall drying signals throughout the West, Southwest and Northwestern U.S.
December 2021 U.S. Climate Outlook: A La Niña-like pattern with warmth over much of the U.S.
The December 2021 outlook from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center suggests much of the United States will observe a warmer-than-average month, except for the northern tier of the country. Meanwhile, a drier-than-average end to the year is favored across the Southeast, with wetter-than-normal conditions across the Great Lakes and Pacific Northwest.
More Days of Heavy Rain
More heavy rain is a major impact of climate change—on par with intensifying heat.
The Power of Trees: Fighting Floodwaters
By absorbing rainwater, reducing erosion, and creating more permeable soils, trees save nearly 400 billion gallons of stormwater runoff in the continental U.S. each year. In this article, Climate Central explains how, why, and where trees are helping combat increasing floodss.
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