Scientists warn the western US could face a 'mega-drought'

Banjo · Feb 13, 2015

San José (United States) (AFP) - Long-lasting mega-droughts could occur with increasing frequency in the western United States later this century if no action is taken to rein in climate change by curbing fossil fuel use, researchers said.

http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-scientists-warn-of-mega-drought-risk-in-western-us-2015-2

dbphoenix · Feb 13, 2015

So it's not getting cooler after all?

Hunh!

Arnie · Feb 13, 2015

There was no "man made" warming 1000 years ago

California's current drought is being billed as the driest period in the state's recorded rainfall history. But scientists who study the West's long-term climate patterns say the state has been parched for much longer stretches before that 163-year historical period began.

And they worry that the "megadroughts" typical of California's earlier history could come again.
Through studies of tree rings, sediment and other natural evidence, researchers have documented multiple droughts in California that lasted 10 or 20 years in a row during the past 1,000 years -- compared to the mere three-year duration of the current dry spell. The two most severe megadroughts make the Dust Bowl of the 1930s look tame: a 240-year-long drought that started in 850 and, 50 years after the conclusion of that one, another that stretched at least 180 years.

http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_24993601/california-drought-past-dry-periods-have-lasted-more

Arnie · Feb 13, 2015

Here's one of the comments on the article....

The picture in this story is Holiday Harbor on Shasta Lake on Aug 30, 2014. Shasta is now 66 FEET HIGHER today than the picture, double the water, 76% of normal for the date. Notice they don't date the pic or label the location.

No deception is big enough when talking about Global Warming. I thought Brian Williams was on sabbatical.

dbphoenix · Feb 13, 2015

Arnie said:
Here's one of the comments on the article....

The picture in this story is Holiday Harbor on Shasta Lake on Aug 30, 2014. Shasta is now 66 FEET HIGHER today than the picture, double the water, 76% of normal for the date. Notice they don't date the pic or label the location.

No deception is big enough when talking about Global Warming. I thought Brian Williams was on sabbatical.

TGregg · Feb 13, 2015

Arnie said:
There was no "man made" warming 1000 years ago
California's current drought is being billed as the driest period in the state's recorded rainfall history. But scientists who study the West's long-term climate patterns say the state has been parched for much longer stretches before that 163-year historical period began.

And they worry that the "megadroughts" typical of California's earlier history could come again.
Through studies of tree rings, sediment and other natural evidence, researchers have documented multiple droughts in California that lasted 10 or 20 years in a row during the past 1,000 years -- compared to the mere three-year duration of the current dry spell. The two most severe megadroughts make the Dust Bowl of the 1930s look tame: a 240-year-long drought that started in 850 and, 50 years after the conclusion of that one, another that stretched at least 180 years.

http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_24993601/california-drought-past-dry-periods-have-lasted-more

That's just how bad fossil fuels really are. They are warming the past!

Ricter · Feb 13, 2015

The days in drought and the hectares affected are rising, albeit still scattered. Still, the likelihood of "bunching" and persistence are why would one expect more megadroughts in our future.

But, math is hard.

dbphoenix · Feb 13, 2015

Ricter said:
The days in drought and the hectares affected are rising, albeit still scattered. Still, the likelihood of "bunching" and persistence are why would one expect more megadroughts in our future.

But, math is hard.

Lewis Black?

gwb-trading · Feb 13, 2015

dbphoenix said:
Lewis Black?

Maybe you should ask Lewis Black some day what he thinks about global warming.

jem · Feb 13, 2015

the article stated this...

They also projected a continued rise in emissions of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, and looked at a scenario in which actions were taken to cut back on greenhouse gases resulting in lower emissions. Both approaches raised concern for the future.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-...ought-risk-in-western-us-2015-2#ixzz3Re9Mix8S

so in short they took the research we linked to in the past and noted in the post above and concluded California cycles through long droughts.

The reality is we should be encouraging water conservation methods right now in instead of wasting money on agw research. It kills me that people are supposed to keep nice lawns here in San Diego. We should have some grass for the kids in the backyard but that is it. And we should not have flushed billion of gallons out to sea to screw the farmers. (or whatever the crazy amount was.)

We need to set up desal plants with the billions being wasted on agw fear mongering.