Draught 101

Source: U.S. Drought Monitor·Conditions during the first week of June.

Anybody buying a house in AZ is nuts.

An intense drought is gripping the American West. Extreme conditions are more widespread than at any point in at least 20 years, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the government’s official drought-tracking service.

And the hottest months of summer are still to come.

The same applies to FL.

Source: U.S. Drought Monitor

Any questions?

It's getting worse ...

A temperature "misery index" shows peak levels across the Southwest (orange and yellow), and the upper air flow shows how the jet stream is being pushed north, away from the heat dome parked over the Four Corners region. (Earth.nullschool.net)

By the numbers: In Death Valley, Calif., which holds the distinction of having recorded the hottest temperature on Earth, the June high-temperature record of 129°F is likely to be threatened Wednesday and Thursday. Death Valley hit 124°F on Tuesday.

The average temperature there for this time of year is about 110°F.

Several noteworthy records were tied or fell on Tuesday, including:

• 107°F in Salt Lake City, tying the city’s all-time record for anytime of the year and beating its previous record for hottest temperature in June, which had stood at 106°F.
• Billings, Montana also tied its all-time hottest temperature on record for any month with a high of 108°F on Tuesday.
• Laramie, Wyo. tied its all-time high temperature record of 94°F on Tuesday.

Again, we did it to ourselves.