water loss

New research is indicating that California is on its way to its worst drought in history due to the increasing tropics, according to the New Scientist.

Climate scientists have documented a slow progression of low-latitude weather systems towards the poles, and this has been matched by rising temperatures in many temperate regions. Deciding whether this broadening of the tropical belt is linked to the greenhouse effect has been difficult, however.

The scientist studied the tropopause, which is the part of the atmosphere where weather forms.  They have found that it is widening.  This means that the tropical boundaries are expanding at a rate of 70 kilometers per decade.

The expansion of the tropic is not as detrimental as the expansion of the subtropic. The subtropic is defined as having drought and dryness, which Southern California is a part of during the summer months.  As that expands into Northern California, the state will be under severe water stress.