Mechanisms of Past and Future Droughts in the Southwest United States

Explore the mechanisms behind past and future droughts in the Southwestern United States through this comprehensive 2-hour conference session from the 2012 AGU Fall Meeting. Delve into regional precipitation patterns over the past four centuries, analyze the joint variability of global sea-surface temperatures and runoff, and examine isotope-based climate proxies and model simulations. Investigate projected declines in surface water availability and seasonal diagnosis of drying trends in the region. Learn about latitudinal shifts in precipitation due to anthropogenic forcings and the expansion of the Hadley cell under global warming. Gain insights into the factors driving Hadley Cell variability and their implications for drought patterns in the Southwest.