The western US will face increasingly severe mega-droughts later this century if no action is taken to curb climate change, researchers have warned. They say that 'unprecedented drought conditions' - the worst in more than 1,000 years - are likely to come to the Southwest and Central Plains after 2050 and persist because of global warming. It is the first study to predict that the coming intense dry spells could exceed the decades-long mega-droughts that occurred centuries ago and are blamed for the demise of certain civilisations in the late 13th century. Researchers say the current mega-drought in the US is going to get worse. They say there will be more and more droughts starting in 2050. And there's an 80% chance one could last at least 35 years. Pictured is a warning buoy sitting on the dry, cracked bed of Lake Mendocino near Ukiah, California
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Researchers say mega-droughts in the US are going to get worse
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They say there will be more and more droughts starting in 2050
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And there's an 80% chance one could last at least 35 years
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These droughts are caused by climate change - while ones in the past were due to natural processes
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'We're going to have to think about a much drier future in western North America,' said study lead author Dr Cook from Nasa
And scientists in @placeholder have warned that the region may be experiencing a century-long 'mega-drought'.