More than 90% of the American West is in the grip of a historic and life-threatening drought – and summer 2021 is just beginning. "The high prior to the 2020/2021 drought was July 23, 2002, at 45.3%," the agency noted in a tweet. NOAA's climate page described drought and heat as "natural dance partners," with drought exacerbated when temperatures soar and vice versa. HISTORIC DROUGHT IN WEST BRINGS IN PLAGUE OF GRASSHOPPERSDrought is also driven by La Niña conditions, which were in place through winter 2020 to 2021. "We have a conveyance system, a water system, that was designed for a world that no longer exists."

Source: Fox News June 26, 2021 19:22 UTC