HONG KONG: Before the turn of the century, NASA predicts that the western United States will be hit by megadroughts, some of the worst seen in 1,000 years. The researchers say this period could potentially span multiple decades, and will likely be more severe than the drought that struck the Pueblo civilization of the previous millennia.
The team contend that the Southwest and Central Plains of the U.S. will be struck by “Unprecedented drought conditions” after 2050. NASA’s Benjamin Cook, an atmospheric scientist and the study’s lead scientist, had the following words to offer: “Nearly every year is going to be dry toward the end of the 21st century compared to what we think of as normal conditions now.”
The team estimates there is an 80 percent chance that the West will face a megadrought in the latter part of this century that will endure for 35 years or longer. This so-called megadrought will be similar in duration to the one witnessed during the 1930s Dust Bowl.
The states worse affected include the following: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. According to Cornell University researcher Toby Ault, this will make water in these areas a more “precious” commodity.
The research team used tree-ring records and a series of intricate computer simulation models to make their predictions. In making their assessments, the researchers also looked at the rate at which carbon dioxide is currently being released into the atmosphere.
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