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Weather and Climate

This stretch of the Colorado River near Moab, Utah is currently in extreme drought.

Predicted Arizona dry year could impact trees, cause fires

Jan 19, 2021 After driest year on record in 2020, no relief is in sight
This stretch of the Colorado River near Moab, Utah is currently in extreme drought.

National Weather Service: Dryness defined 2020 in Southwest

Jan 2, 2021 Record or near-record dryness across Arizona and the region
This stretch of the Colorado River near Moab, Utah is currently in extreme drought.

Colorado River watershed forecast looks very dry for start of 2021

Dec 22, 2020 The Colorado River’s largest reservoirs are likely to drop next year if demands stay the same.
Cars driving with downtown Phoenix in the background

Phoenix posts its hottest summer and autumn in city history

Dec 2, 2020 Arizona's capital already has shattered its record for the most days of triple-digit heat in a calendar year.
Rillito River flows after a monsoon storm, July 2020

Major changes in environmental policy expected under Biden

Nov 25, 2020 Reclassifying Arizona waterways is among the items on the new administration's agenda
A meadow along Canyon Creek, Tonto National Forest.

As Western fires burn, focus narrows on forest management. But it’s easier said than done

Oct 23, 2020 Correcting the mistakes of the past is tougher than it sounds, as managers work to get ahead of coming wildfires and learn from previous ones.
Eighteen plots are laid out on the hillside on Brian Mealor’s property in Sheridan County, Wyo. Mealor is studying how differing amounts of herbicide sprayed at different times of year can be used to manage invasive species.

In grasslands plagued by invasives and drought, wildfires fuel calls for new solutions

Oct 22, 2020 Invasive plants and climate change are changing the relationship between vast rangelands, drought and wildfire.
Between the High Park and Cameron Peak Fires, a broad reach of the Poudre River’s watershed has burned within the last decade.

For the West’s drinking water, wildfire concerns linger long after smoke clears

Oct 21, 2020 For municipal drinking water systems, fires are felt for years after they’re snuffed out.
Firefighters watch a controlled burn within the Grizzly Creek Fire in Colorado. The fire has burned more than 30,000 acres near Glenwood Canyon. Now, the charred hillsides pose a flood risk for nearby areas.

Homeowners who avoid wildfire damage can find themselves in new flood zone

Oct 20, 2020 Even long after the flames of a wildfire are gone, those who live nearby face a serious increase in the threat of flooding.
A firefighter watches the flames in Yellowstone National Park during the 1988 fires.

In Yellowstone, America's 'first water park,' decades-old blaze marked start of megafire era

Oct 19, 2020 The wildfires ushered in a chapter of massive, frequent blazes as well as a new understanding of the ecological process.
A solar array used by Tucson Electric Power to add renewable energy to the grid, August 2019

Tucson Electric Power looks to expand renewables, raise customer rates

Oct 16, 2020 TEP’s plans to raise rates and install a transmission line near historic neighborhoods are not without controversy.
The sun sets over Tucson in July 2020, which was the hottest July on record.

Much of US Southwest left parched after monsoon season

Oct 2, 2020 Weather forecasters say the upcoming winter likely won't make up for the precipitation deficit.
The bright sun sets behind some trees near Soleng Tom Elementary School on Tucson's east side.

News roundup: Quitobaquito road access closed, Pima County breaks early ballot record

Sep 30, 2020 Recent coverage impacting Southern Arizona, Sept. 30.
The Colorado River near Kremmling, Colorado, on Sept. 15, 2018.

Climate change likely to keep hammering Colorado River's biggest reservoirs, model shows

Sep 17, 2020 Projections show an increasing likelihood of official shortage declaration before 2026.
Climate change will mean hotter temperatures and likely longer periods of drought for the Southwest.

Tucson City Council to vote on climate emergency declaration

Sep 8, 2020 Plan calls for carbon-neutral city operations by 2030.
The sun shines harshly behind a saguaro cactus.

The risks of severe heat

Sep 4, 2020 The hottest summer in the city’s history came during a global health crisis, leaving many residents at risk for heat-related issues.

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