Flash Droughts Are Getting Flashier

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https://eos.org/articles/flash-droughts-are-getting-flashier

By Roberto González, Eos/AGU. 

Excerpt: In the summer of 2012, a severe drought unexpectedly struck the central United States. The event began in May and rapidly intensified until it peaked in mid-July, when precipitation hit record lows throughout the Midwest, affecting approximately 80% of U.S. agricultural land and causing $34.5 billion in losses. Flash droughts such as this are developing more quickly and happening more frequently because of climate change, according to a recent study published in Science. Unlike slow droughts, which develop over years, flash droughts arise in a matter of weeks and can last 30–45 days (or even years). Because these events are abrupt and relatively localized, they are more difficult to forecast.... 

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