NOAA Drought Task Force Report on the 2020-2021 Southwestern U.S. Drought

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American Southwest's 2020-21 Mega-Drought: Record Low Rain and Heat, Made Worse By Climate Change

The 2020-21 drought in the U.S. Southwest saw record low precipitation and the third-highest temperatures since 1895. While natural climate variations were the primary driver, human-caused warming intensified the drought by increasing evaporation. The drought is expected to persist into 2022, possibly longer, especially as climate change continues to exacerbate future drought risk.

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None identified

Rating Explanation

This report provides a robust, data-driven analysis of the 2020-2021 Southwestern U.S. drought. It combines observations with climate model simulations to understand the causes and likely persistence of the drought. It effectively identifies the roles of natural variability and human-caused warming. While a scientific study, it is a summary of existing research, and thus no methodological limitations exist.

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