尽管最近西部有几场暴雨倾盆大雨，一些建筑物的二楼也有足够的积雪，但美国仍创下了令人震惊的干旱记录：至少 40% 的下 48 州已经连续 68 周——超过 17 个月—— - 在干旱条件下。
根据美国干旱监测机构的数据，本周美国近 55% 的地区出现干旱。上一次干旱如此普遍如此长时间是在 2013 年 10 月。如果在接下来的 7 天内没有出现前所未有的重大降水，该国将处于未知的干旱领域并彻底打破这一纪录。
美国几乎所有的干旱都发生在密西西比河以西，在遥远的西部各州极端干旱，科学家警告说这是气候危机的结果。美国农业部气象学家布拉德·里佩 (Brad Rippey) 说，西部的大部分干旱实际上是一种长期现象，年复一年地持续存在，没有足够的降水导致全面恢复。
“西南地区经历了被许多科学家称为‘特大干旱'的情况已经持续了大约 20 年，”里皮告诉 CNN。
11 月，美国干旱覆盖率自 2013 年以来首次攀升至 50% 以上。在 2013 年的记录之前，美国在 2002 年 3 月至 2003 年 6 月期间也经历了连续 65 周的干旱。美国干旱监测自 2000 年以来一直在跟踪情况。
The US 'megadrought' sets another stunning record
Despite several recent drenching rainstorms in the West and enough snow to top the second story of some buildings, the United States has tied an alarming drought record: At least 40% of the Lower 48 has gone 68 straight weeks -- more than 17 months -- in drought conditions.
Drought was present in nearly 55% of the contiguous US this week, according to the US Drought Monitor. The last time drought has been so widespread for so long was October 2013. And without significant and unprecedented precipitation over the next seven days, the country will be in uncharted drought territory and break that record outright.
Almost all of the US drought is located west of the Mississippi River, with extraordinarily dry conditions in far Western states, which scientists warn is a consequence of the climate crisis. Much of the West's drought is actually a long-term phenomenon, persisting from year to year without enough precipitation to lead to a full recovery, said Brad Rippey, a meteorologist with the US Department of Agriculture.
"The Southwest has been experiencing what many scientists have termed a 'megadrought' for about two decades," Rippey told CNN.
In November, US drought coverage climbed above 50% for the first time since 2013. Before the 2013 records, the US had also experienced 65 consecutive weeks of drought between March 2002 and June 2003. The US Drought Monitor has been tracking conditions since 2000.
