The south-western US’s megadrought is its driest in 1,200 years

0 cumulative drought severity

(standard deviations from baseline)

Five driest 22-year

periods since AD800

-5

2000-2021

without human-

caused warming

-10

863-884

-15

1276-1297

1130-1151

1571-1592

2000-2021

-20

Start of

22 yr.

dry period

10 yr.

0 yr.

Driest

year

0 cumulative drought severity

(standard deviations from baseline)

Five driest 22-year

periods since AD800

-5

2000-2021

without human-

caused warming

-10

863-884

-15

1276-1297

1130-1151

1571-1592

2000-2021

-20

Start of

22 yr.

dry period

15 yr.

10 yr.

5 yr.

0 yr.

Driest

year

0 cumulative drought severity (standard deviations from baseline)

Five driest 22-year

periods since AD800

-5

2000-2021

without human-

caused warming

-10

863-884

-15

1276-1297

1130-1151

1571-1592

2000-2021

-20

Start of 22 yr.

dry period

15 yr.

10 yr.

5 yr.

0 yr.

Driest year

0 cumulative drought severity (standard deviations from baseline)

Five driest 22-year

periods since AD800

-5

2000-2021

without human-

caused warming

-10

863-884

-15

1276-1297

1130-1151

1571-1592

2000-2021

-20

Start of 22 yr.

dry period

15 yr.

10 yr.

5 yr.

0 yr.

Driest year

0 cumulative drought severity (standard deviations from baseline)

Five driest 22-year

periods since AD800

-5

2000-2021

without human-

caused warming

-10

863-884

-15

1276-1297

1130-1151

1571-1592

2000-2021

-20

Start of 22 yr.

dry period

15 yr.

10 yr.

5 yr.

0 yr.

Driest year