The Southwestern United States has been acknowledged as a “climate challenged” area of the country due to its high rate of population growth, limited water resources and rainfall, and a recent long-term drought. Climate change will likely exacerbate this situation. Recent research has suggested several types of climate change impacts the Southwestern states can expect, though some predictions are more certain that others. According to the Assessment of Climate Change in the Southwest United States the Southwest is already experiencing several observed recent climatic changes: a warming trend, unusually severe recent drought, and lower flows in the four major drainage basins (Sacramento/San Joaquin, Upper Colorado, Rio Grande, and Great Basin) in the Southwest.
Keywords: climate change, temperature, precipitation