Globally, what is the major cause of famine? pests flood armed conflict ozone depletion drought2/1/2024 ![]() ![]() In the mid-latitudes, for example, over Australia, the ozone layer is thinned.Climate Prediction Center - United States Drought Information (noaa. ![]() Climate Prediction Center - United States Drought Information ().We provide this information to help cities and natural resource managers develop plans to prepare for future droughts and lessen the impacts of droughts on natural and human communities. We are also developing models to help predict which communities and landscapes may be vulnerable to future droughts, as well as when, how long, and how severe those droughts might be. With these improved data sets, USGS scientists are working to better understand when and how droughts occur. This effort strengthens our existing observation networks by investing in real-time data collection on rainfall, stream flows, and environmental impacts. Experts like water scientists, wildlife biologists, and geologists all work together to study droughts and their impacts. The USGS actively coordinates our drought research efforts among our many diverse scientists. This will have lasting impacts on the environment and those who rely on it. The southwestern U.S., in particular, is going through an unprecedented period of extreme drought. Since 2000, the western United States is experiencing some of the driest conditions on record. So even if there is “enough” water, the timing of the water may dictate whether an area is in a drought.Ĭlimate change has further altered the natural pattern of droughts, making them more frequent, longer, and more severe. If snow melts too early in the year, water can move through the environment too quickly, causing the ground to dry up and become “thirsty” too soon. The surface water-groundwater relationship gets even more complicated with snowpack. When this groundwater gets used up, the dry ground can act like a sponge, sucking surface water straight in. However, there’s more to the story than solely if there isn’t enough rain or snow.ĭroughts don’t just affect water stored in wetlands, lakes, and rivers, but also water below ground stored in aquifers and in the soil. The severity of drought increases over time depending on how long an area remains arid. ![]() If an area receives less rain or snow than expected over the course of a year, it can be classified as being in drought. ![]()
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