Earlier, warmer spring is bad news for Arizona, West’s water supply
Spring is arriving sooner and warming up faster than ever before, new research shows. And that means more than just early wildflower blooms across Arizona. A longer, warmer spring can stress water supplies in the West. The longer spring season may also produce ripple effects on agriculture as water demand will likely increase, and growing seasons may shift. On average spring temperatures have increased by 2 degrees Fahrenheit across the U.S., according to research by the USA National Phenology Center…. Scientist are concerned that an early start to spring could cause snowpack, which plays a key function in the water cycle in the West, to melt faster and earlier than usual.