Editor's Introduction : Essay contest winners

Abstract

Missourians will remember the summer of 2012 as hot and dry, browning grass and brittle leaves all too visible in the landscape. Gardeners report lackluster tomatoes, farmers anticipate disappointing yields. We've watched gray skies, hoping for rain that rarely falls. But according to some researchers, these conditions might actually be a new normal. Evidence suggests that parts of the United States are positioned for a "megadrought," an extended period of time with minimal rainfall.