Of course, the media are advancing all kinds of claims about the current drought affecting much of the US, because it is the “worst in fifty years”. They claim that it is clear evidence of global warming, that it shows how much things have changed, that this is the face of global warming.
Does this drought show how things have changed? Yes, for the better. The US drought situation was worse in the 1950s. And before that, it was worse in the 1930s. And before that? Among the first entries when I google “megadrought are these:
Tree rings document ancient Western megadrought
Sierra Nevada 200-year megadroughts confirmed
Scientists find evidence of ancient megadrought in southwestern U.S.
I don’t want to minimize the suffering of those in the drought-affected areas. Droughts are bad news for the people affected. But this is not the worst drought in 50 years—it’s among the best droughts in 5,000 years. So the claim that big droughts are evidence of human-caused warming is a sad joke.
So what was happening 50 years ago, when there was apparently a worse drought? (I assume it was worse, or else they would say worst drought in 100 years)
Makes one long for the “good old days” when a heat wave was just a heat wave and a drought was just a drought. Adding an apocalyptic warning to these phenomena just adds to the misery. It’s hot and dry and miserable. And that’s just how it is–nothing more.