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The Great Plains receive warm, moist air moving north from the Gulf of Mexico, and cold, dry air moving in from the Rocky Mountains and the northern U.S. Where these air masses meet, vigorous mixing causes thunderstorms. The warming conditions alone can be impactful, drying out soils quicker during breaks in monsoon rainfall, for example (2). Some earlier studies suggested that El Nio may be related to lower JulyAugust rainfall, and La Nia related to higher rainfall, due to large-scale atmospheric circulation changes. Also found are a number of tree species with a disjunct distribution. Glaciation in the Southern Hemisphere occurred during the late Devonian, while the supercontinent Gondwana was located over the South Pole, and intensified during the early Carboniferous. The Southwest contributes significantly to climate change. Bear Lake and Glacier Gorge, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, 2011. Large glaciers were found at higher elevations, and temperatures were cool. Accessed March 2021. https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DmData/DataTables.aspx. The large ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere did not extend into the Southwest, even at their maximum area. The coldest periods will be in late November, mid- and late December, and mid-January. Also, the occasional eastern Pacific tropical storm can increase monsoon moisture and rainfall. So is climate change increasing monsoon variability? Submitted by rebecca.lindsey on Thu, 09/30/2021 - 10:15, Science & information for a climate-smart nation. During the Permian, shallow marine waters gave way to lowland coastal areas across portions of the Southwest. This salt is part of the Late Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) Paradox Formation. That timeworn classic is only partially true--May and September can also be great summer months. Source:Figure 1 from Erdei et al. The last glacial advance of the modern ice age peaked some 18,000 years ago. (2011)PLoS ONE3(7): e2791(Creative Commons Attribution license, image reorganized and resized). Ill be back on my regular beat in a couple of weeks with the September ENSO update. As the Triassic period began, the Southwest moved north from the equator. Figure by Ingrid Zabel for PRI's [emailprotected] project (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license). ; Precipitation was above-average across portions of the Great Basin and Southwest, from the southern Plains to the Great Lakes and across much of the eastern U.S. Mississippi had its wettest summer on record with Alabama, Michigan, New York and Massachusetts . The causes of specific weather events such as tornados and severe thunderstorms are incredibly complex, although climate change has enhanced some correlated factors, such as increased wind speed and an unstable atmosphere. The Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson, Arizona are surrounded desert in which saguaro cacti grow. Sand dunes started to become widespread. The elevation of Bear Lake is about 2880 meters (9450 feet). Climate at a glance. A strong difference in air temperature at different heights creates instability; the warmer the air near the surface is relative to the air above it, the more potential (stored) energy the warm air has to move up, and the more potential for a storm. Ordovician deposits across the Southwest indicate warm, shallow seas rich in invertebrate life. All rights reserved. At the close of the Mesozoic, global climatealthough warmer than todaywas cooler than at the start of the era. Some areas were more than 2F warmer than average (see Figure 1). The inner canyon temperatures are extreme and hot, with a lower elevation of about 2400 feet (732 meters). This movement of air in different directions is also the reason for the high incidence of powerful tornados that occur along "Tornado Alley" in the Great Plains, which affect eastern New Mexico and especially eastern Colorado. However, while the effect of warming on the storms is uncertain, temperatures have been increasing. Summer heat waves will become hotter and longer, while winter cold snaps will occur less often. Later in the Jurassic, the climate became more moderate; dune fields were replaced by rivers and floodplains populated by a rich dinosaur fauna (exemplified by the Morrison Formation) and large trees along rivers, streams, and grasslands. Tornado Alley is identified. Southwest Increased heat, drought, and insect outbreaks, all linked to climate change, have increased wildfires. This fire, which started as two separate fires that merged, began in April 2022 and has since burned more than 138,000 hectares (340,000 acres) of land and over 300 homes. The more than 16 million residents of the Southwest use carbon-rich fossil fuels to provide electricity for lighting, cooling, and appliances, to fuel their transportation and industry, and to make the products they use. Because high mountains to the west and north act as a barrier to cold Arctic air masses, most areas of Utah rarely experience temperatures below freezing or prolonged periods of extreme cold. Data for Figures 1 and 3 were obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations National Centers for Environmental Information, which maintains a large collection of climate data online at: www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cag. Time-series graph of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions from southwestern states, showing rising emissions from 1970 to around 2008, followed by a decreasing trend from 2008 to 2019. The supercontinent was split by spreading along the mid-Atlantic ridge, initiating the formation of the Atlantic Ocean. Kppen climate map of the 48 contiguous states of the continental United States. Thick salt deposits accumulated in the northwestern Four Corners area as the seas evaporated. He pointed out that ENSO does influence Pacific tropical storms, which can supply moisture to the monsoon. Official websites use .gov Winter is the driest season in New Mexico, because precipitation from eastward-traveling Pacific storms is left behind in the western mountains of Arizona and Utah. Is the tropical storm season done for this part of the country? Right:Dolichometoppus productus. There was likely little or no glacial ice anywhere on Earth, and temperatures were highest in lower latitudes. In Utah, areas below 1200 meters (4000 feet) receive less than 25 centimeters (10 inches) per year, while higher elevations in the Wasatch Mountains receive more than 100 centimeters (40 inches). Climate change is affecting the Southwest's water resources, terrestrial ecosystems, coastal and marine environments, agriculture, and energy supply. Funnel clouds (developing tornadoes) over El Paso County, Colorado, March 29, 2019. Scientists first noted the seasonal rainfall patterns in the Southwest in the early 20th century, with the circulation pattern being understood as monsoonal by midcentury. Columbian mammoth (Mammuthus columbi) tracks, Pleistocene, White Sands National Park, New Mexico. The American Southwest, here defined as the area between 95W and 125W and 25N and 40N, 9 covers over four million square kilometers. Thus, each Southwestern state experiences both extreme highs and lows. Lower latitudes receive more heat from the sun over the course of a year; for each degree increase in latitude, there is approximately a 1C (2F) decrease in temperature. Download related technical information PDF, https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DmData/DataTables.aspx, A Closer Look: Temperature and Drought in the Southwest. Weather conditions, particularly hot, dry weather and wind that spreads flames, contribute significantly to the ignition and growth of wildfires. Photo by Stefan Klein (Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license, image cropped and resized). Famous sheriffs like Wyatt Earp and outlaws like Billy the . As Pangaea reached its greatest size during the early Triassic, the monsoons intensity increased, and the vast dune deserts of the late Permian were replaced by rivers and floodplains. When you add in the sparse rain-gauge observations available in the U.S. Southwest and Mexico, it becomes even more difficult to make confident statements about the effects of the monsoon and how it can be predicted. In the early Carboniferous (Mississippian), ice capped the South Pole and began to expand northward. Photo by Lane Pearman (flickr, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license, image cropped and resized). This circulation brings thunderstorms and rainfall to the monsoon region, providing much of their annual total precipitation. This feature provides a closer look at trends in temperature and drought in the southwestern United States. Before the Isthmus closed, the Atlantic and Pacific oceans were connected. Today nearly all the glaciers in the Southwest are gone, and the climate is in an arid state. Large portions of the Southwest have experienced drought conditions since weekly Drought Monitor records began in 2000. Scattered pockets of drier, Mediterranean temperatures can also be found. The North Rim is 8000 feet (2438meters) to 9000 feet (2743 meters) above sea level. Photo by Bigmikebmw (Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license, image cropped). A large, low-latitude desert formed along Pangaea's western margin, generating extensive dune deposits. In chapter 8.3, How is the water cycle changing and why?, the report states In summary, both paleoclimate evidence and observations indicate an intensification of the NAmerM in a warmer climate (medium confidence). Although there has been a fair amount of research into the monsoon, there are still far more questions than answers about how it works, and if the seasonal amount of rain, potential start date, or other characteristics can be predicted. The formation of precipitation also causes electrical charging of particles in the atmosphere, which in turn produces lightning. Map by NOAA(public domain) modified for the[emailprotected]project. Drought continues to be quite severe over the southern Plains in Texas and Oklahoma due to hot and dry conditions. Accessed March 2021. www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cag. Although on the western edge of the North American Monsoon, California plant geography indicates it makes a large contribution to the states southern flora. The oceans between Gondwana and North America began to close. P. Natl. The Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary at Trinidad Lake State Park, Las Animas County, Colorado. Check out Toms recent post on the drought in Arizona to understand more about how drought works in this region. During winter months, daytime temperatures may average 70 degrees F, with night temperatures often falling to freezing of slightly below in the lower desert valleys." Photo by James St. John (flickr, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license, image resized). Drought outlook for the Lower 48 U.S. states in August 2022. One especially alarming detail about the Calf Canyon fire is that it was originally set in January 2022. For extended periods from 2002 to 2005 and from 2012 to2020, nearly the entire region was abnormally dry or even drier (see Figure 2). SUMMARY OF THE OUTLOOK FOR NON-TECHNICAL USERS. This chapter builds on assessments of climate change in the Southwest region from the three previous U.S. National Climate Assessments. There were spots that received large amounts of rain, but overall Nora was a bust. Snowpack helps keep the ground and soil moist by covering it longer into the spring and summer, which delays the onset of the fire season and influences the prevalence and severity of wildfires. Submitted by rebecca.lindsey on Thu, 09/30/2021 - 10:13. (Prescribed burns are an important forest management tool; they are used to consume fuels like dry wood that can ignite and feed wildfires as well as maintain forest health.) Moving westward, Colorado's foothills and mountainous areas experience an overall cooler climate and higher levels of precipitation. Earth 300 million years ago, during the end of the Carboniferous Period (Pennsylvanian). By comparison, the average high and low temperatures for the entire United States are 17C (63F) and 5C (41F), respectively. Well those extra storms probably just go somewhere else because of the change in wind pattern that the El Nino brings, eh? Although the mountain building that occurred during this event was mostly far to the east, the Southwest was influenced by both fluctuating sea levels and a few significant tectonic changes. Despite the areas arid climate, the dunes were surprisingly full of life, particularly in southeastern Utah. We are largely unaware of this precipitation because of the Southern California Chamber of Commerce and a lack of rain gauges. That's at least one part of a very big climate puzzle crossing that barrier that involves both the ocean and atmosphere. Climate models project a significant increase in the number of days over 95F per year across the Southeast. While thats often the situation for the Indian monsoon, the monsoon in North America behaves a bit differently. During the Paleocene to Eocene, the Southwests climate was warm and wet, and large mammals roamed the forested landscape. The thunderstorm begins. The Southwest has a very unique culture, climate, and geography. The Southwest's overall average high temperature of 19.2C (66.6F) and average low of 2.8C (37.0F) are indicative of a varied climate, one much less uniform than that found in many other parts of the United States. Across New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah, summer rains originate from moisture brought into the area from the Gulf of Mexico. Its largely too soon to tell. Average annual preciptiation for the southwestern U.S. Please click here to see any active alerts. The state's mountainous areas, however, have climate characteristics that more closely follow those found in the Colorado Rockies. The Southwest, already the driest region in the United States, has become even drier since the mid-20th century, particularly on the hottest days . Moisture condenses out of the warm air as it comes into contact with cool air, forming clouds. This page uses Google Analytics. It's made up of the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Extreme high temperatures. Data source: NOAA, 20214Web update: April2021, Key Points | Background | About the Data | Technical Documentation. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Photo by Udo S. Title: Monument Valley - Arizona / USA. Maps showing the progressive closure of the Isthmus of Panama at 20 million years ago (A) and 15 million years ago (B). A major contributing factor to this event was a geological change that occurred far to the south. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Cumbres in the San Juan Mountains receives nearly 7.6 meters (300 inches) of snowfall annually, while Manassa, less than 50 kilometers (30 miles) away in the San Luis Valley, receives only about 63 centimeters (25 inches) of snow a year. Annual Weather SummaryNovember 2022 to October 2023. Forecasts had all of this widespread flash flooding. Right:Reconstruction of living animals. Allmon, W. D., T. A. Smrecak, and R. M. Ross. Higher elevations (such as those found in the Rockies and on the Colorado Plateau) are also cooler, with approximately a 1.5C (3F) decrease in mean annual temperature for each 300-meter (1000-foot) increase in elevation. The daily range between maximum and minimum temperatures sometimes runs as much as 50 to 60 degrees F during the drier periods of the year. Digital Encyclopedia of Earth Science: Why talk about climate change? The warmer the air near the surface is relative to the air above it, the more potential energy it has to move up. A shift in plant type to those better adapted to drier conditions further suggests a change in climate during the Permian. Another player is land-surface feedbackswetter soils provide more moisture to the air through evaporation. These changes threaten economic productivity, public health, and the sustainability of Indigenous communities. Photo source:National Park Service (public domain). Data from Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC) and ERSSTv5. Photo by James St. John (flickr,Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license, image cropped and resized). To provide more detailed information, each state has been divided into climate divisions, which are zones that share similar climate features. Streamflow totals for the decade of 2001-2010 in the Great Basin, Rio Grande, and Colorado River were between 5% and 37% lower than their 20. Convective mixing stops because the vertical column of air has turned over so that the cool air is at the bottom and the warm air is at the top. Cycads are a group of seed plants that look superficially similar to palms, but are not closely related to them and do not produce flowers. Since 800,000 years ago, an equilibrium has been reached between warming and cooling, with the ice caps growing and retreating primarily due to the influence of astronomical forces (i.e., the combined gravitational effects of the Earth, Sun, moon, and planets). 2021. Temperatures in the southwest region average greater than states up North, because there isn't as much water vapor in upper level winds to screen direct sunlight. Some regions have received more than 200% of the average rainfall, and Tucson recorded its wettest month ever this July. Ive summarized their conclusions above, and include the quotes here, but I suggest you head over to the full science report if youre in the mood for some specifics. Credits for individual images are given in figure captions. Elevation does, however, play a key role in precipitation received throughout the Southwest. The Southwest experiences nearly every variety of extreme weather; heat snaps and cold waves, droughts, floods, blizzards, and even tornados are all considerations for residents of the southwestern states. Data source: NOAA, 20212Web update: April2021. Photo by Archaeopoda (Wikimedia Commons,Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license, image cropped, resized, and labeled). The better known of these wet seasons is the summer monsoon, which lasts from about mid-June to early September. Like the summer monsoons, the milder storms . In general, places in the east and south of the UK tend to be drier, warmer, sunnier and less windy than those further west and north. Precipitation also varies widely. Thanks for visiting the North American Monsoon region with me! Eventually, a sheet of sea ice formed over the Arctic, and ice sheets spread over northern Asia, Europe, and North America, signaling the start of the most recent ice age. SW Precipitation Precipitation in the Southwest has two distinct seasons. Hey! An ancient horse (Mesohippus),Eocene Florissant Fossil Beds, Teller County, Colorado. The new dry-land isthmus blocked the warm ocean currents that had been flowing east-to-west from the Atlantic to the Pacific for more than 100 million years, diverting them into the Gulf of Mexico and ultimately into the western Atlantic Gulf Stream. Recent warming within the Southwest has been among the most rapid in the United States, and models predict that the area's climate will continue to warm. We can see some hints of this relationship in my scatter-plot here. In the latest Cretaceous, sea level dropped again and the western Southwest became a broad coastal plain that hosted lush forests, abundant dinosaurs, and large swamps. Average Annual Temperatures in the Southwestern United States. These changes to rain and snow-pack are already stressing water sources and affecting agriculture. The Drought Monitor is a more recent and more detailed index based on several other indices (including Palmer), along with additional factors such as snow water content, groundwater levels, reservoir storage, pasture/range conditions, and other impacts. Fossil mammals adapted to colder temperatures are found in the Pleistocene of Colorado. Climate.gov image of original from Albuquerque, NM National Weather Service office. In 2020, Colorado ranked 7th in the nation for solar and wind power production, and Arizona and New Mexico ranked 12th and 13th, respectively. Accessed March2021. www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cag. These warmer temperatures and increased precipitation have helped bring on longer growing seasons. I listened to the Southwest Climate Podcast from CLIMAS, the Climate Assessment for the Southwest, to learn more about what affects the monsoon and its rainfall, and how Monsoon 2021 is shaping up, and reached out to the podcast co-hosts, Zack Guido and Mike Crimmins, for help with this post. Bark beetles, which normally die in cold weather, have been able to survive through the winter and reproduce, increasing tree mortality. Average temperatures range from about 60 to 80 F in Paris, while in Nice and on the south coast they range from around 80 to 90 F. In recent years, heatwaves in Paris and elsewhere have brought record-breaking temperatures, sometimes exceeding 100 degrees F. Summer storm systems are common. Home Regions Southwest Key Points: Reconstruction created using basemap from the PALEOMAP PaleoAtlas for GPlatesand the PaleoData Plotter Program, PALEOMAP Project by C. R. Scotese (2016); map annotations by Jonathan R. Hendricks for PRI's[emailprotected]project (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0license). 3. Right (2):Crown of leaves from a mature plant.

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