One wet summer in Arizona is not going to be nearly enough to reverse the effects of the decades-long drought the region is facing. But there has been some incremental improvement.
On June 1, the U.S. Drought Monitor characterized at least half the state as experiencing exceptional drought — the worst condition possible on the scale.
As of Aug. 17, only one patch in northeastern Arizona was in the exceptional drought category.
And southeastern Arizona — which had been in the exceptional drought category on June 1 — had moved into the moderate drought category, a dramatic difference.
Mike Crimmins of University of Arizona’s Department of Environmental Science took part in a Southwest Drought Briefing on Aug. 24. The Show spoke with him to learn about some of his findings.
