It’s Been 1,200 Years Since California Suffered A Drought This Severe

A new study published this week revealed that California is currently enduring its driest 22-year period in at least 1,200 years.

According to Mercury News, scientists measured historical moisture patterns by looking at thousands of tree rings and concluded that the West is in a "megadrought," the likes the area has not seen since at least 800 A.D.

“Here we are 22 years into a bad drought, and because of climate change we are now surpassing the severity of megadroughts that have always been thought of as the worst-case scenarios,” Park Williams, an associate professor of geography at UCLA and lead author of the study told Mercury News.

“Scientists are the eyes for society,” Williams continued. “It’s like when your eyes tell you that your head is about to hit a tree branch. You have to do something to avoid that. We see a danger now, right here in front of our eyes.”

Over the last 20 years, California has endured three stretches of short-term drought from 2000-2003, 2007-2009, and 2012-2016. The past two years have also seen a period of intense drought. Put together, the last 22 years now exceed the previous worst 22-year period (1571 to 1593) in the historical record.

To read the full report, click here.