Arizona Facing Worst Megadrought In 1,200 Years

Arizona is facing a historic megadrought. 13 KOLD News reported that Arizona is one of several states in the Southwest that are facing the megadrought.

So what does being in a megadrought mean?

It basically just means that the state has remained in a drought that's lasted for 20 years or longer.

A study by the Nature Climate change shows that the current drought is the worst it's been in 1,200 years. Dr. Jessica Tierney, climate change expert, said, "In particular, southern Arizona is really in the bullseye of that megadrought."

According to Tierney, it will take several seasons of wet conditions to pull the state out of the drought. And, while 2021's monsoon season was very active, it only helped to temporarily prevent wildfires across the state.

So how can Arizonans help?

CNN reported that burning fossil fuels is having a direct impact on the availability of water in the West.

Dr. Tierney said, "It’s never too late. If we limit emissions, then a lot of this stops. We all as a society need to shift to burning less fossil fuels and that’s really the only way to avoid a worse outcome, a drier outcome."