<p>Forecasts favor above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation for the Rio Grande/Bravo Basin through May.</p>
<p>A UA-led study projects substantial increases in area burned across western North America, with implications for land managers and policy makers.</p>
<p>A UA-led team studied the natural temperature archives stored in coral and found the ocean around the Galápagos Islands has been warming since the 1970s.</p>
<p>In the February 2018 episode of the CLIMAS Southwest Climate Podcast, Mike Crimmins and Zack Guido chat about what's been going on in the Southwest over the past few months, since we last recorded a podcast. In terms of precipitation, the answer is not much, unless the day in question is also a podcast day - the weather has an odd - but welcome - habit of raining on days we record the podcast. In terms of temperature, the record to near record heat remains a key part of the winter story.</p>
<p>January was warm and dry across the Southwest. Temperatures were much-above average to record warmest in Arizona. Drought-designated areas were further expanded and intensified in the Feb. 13 U.S. Drought Monitor, with both Arizona and New Mexico documenting increases in the extent and intensity of drought since January’s outlook. The three-month outlook for March through May calls for increased chances of below-average precipitation and increased chances of above-average temperatures for the southwestern United States.</p>