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David Boutt, Professor of Hydrogeology, UMass Amherst

The US is seeing stronger storms, so why are droughts getting worse?

Drought United States
In heavy downpours, it can be harder for water to sink into the ground. John Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images

About two-thirds of the U.S. is in some stage of drought in late spring 2026, yet at the same time the country has been seeing more intense downpours. It might seem contradictory, but both are symptoms of rising global temperatures.

The reason has to do with the water cycle.

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