Climate change makes drought recovery tougher in U.S. West

By ADAM BEAM
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Many parts of California are seeing heavy rainfall this week for the first time in months. But the rain did not stop Gov. Gavin Newsom from issuing a statewide drought emergency on Tuesday. Newsom’s order might seem strange as forecasters predict parts of the state could see up to 7 inches of rain this week. But experts say California’s hotter and drier conditions because of climate change are making it much harder to recover from droughts. Water from rain and snowmelt is more likely to evaporate or be absorbed into dry soil in hot and dry conditions.