DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- This year's drought is consistent with predictions that global climate change would bring about weather extremes including more frequent droughts, said a report released Monday.
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"The drought is sort of a teachable moment," said Jerry Schnoor, co-director of the Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research at the University of Iowa.
This year has been the wettest spring in 141 years of weather record keeping, according to state of Iowa climatologist Harry Hillaker.
The Hawkeye State has been drenched with 16.65 inches of precipitation through Tuesday. That breaks the statewide record of 15.36 inches set in 1892.
Forecasters measure spring as March, April and May to create uniformity in record keeping. Traditionally spring begins with the spring equinox, which fell on March 20 this year, and ends with the summer solstice set for June 21.
Last year’s teachable moment was about drought. This year’s teachable moment is about the hydrological cycle. If warmth causes drought the evaporated water will eventually return to Earth. It does not stay aloft forever. It may not come down from where it arose but it will eventually precipitate.
Luckily for Iowa the water has returned shortly after it left to relieve the drought.
Somehow, Jerry Schnoor missed that teachable moment. Like Texas Governor Perry he could have predicted the return of the rains and be thought a weather guru. Did his AGW bias banish his understanding of the hydrological cycle from his mind?
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