<p>November precipitation was below average across most of Arizona, with record-dry conditions in the western third of the state. Above-average temperatures and below-normal precipitation are reflected in the expanding areas of drought designation, with both Arizona and New Mexico seeing increases in extent and intensity of drought. The three-month outlook for January through March calls for increased chances of below-average precipitation for all of Arizona and New Mexico, and increased chances of above-average temperatures for the entire southwestern United States.</p>
<p>A new report on the state of Tucson’s food system, produced by the UA Center for Regional Food Studies, shows that Tucson is one of the top U.S. cities in its high diversity of edible plants affordably accessed, grown and eaten as a means to reduce food insecurity.The new director of the Center for Regional Food Studies Megan Carney says, "Biodiversity is a matter of social justice. Without concerted efforts to preserve and cultivate biodiversity, our food system will be monopolized by private interests. At stake here is not only the health and resilience of our ecosystem, but that of our own population as well."</p>
<p>Inspired by the impact of biomedical research on clinical outcomes, ecologists are strengthening ties with stakeholders to inform environmental management and policy decisions. The directors of the Southwest Climate Science Center — Stephen Jackson, research professor in the University of Arizona's School of Natural Resources and the Environment and a U.S. Geological Survey scientist; Carolyn Enquist, assistant professor in SNRE and a USGS scientist; and UA climate scientist Gregg Garfin — are conveners and lead authors of the special issue of Frontiers in Ecology and Environment.</p>
<p>Forecasts favor above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation for the Rio Grande/Bravo Basin through February, due to weak La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific</p>
<p>October precipitation was below average to record driest in Arizona, with the driest conditions occurring in the southwestern corner of the state, and temperatures were above average to much-above average. However, the current forecast also suggests this will remain a weak La Niña event, for which correlations to below-average winter precipitation in the Southwest are not as evident.</p>