Lack of rain or snow for a prolonged period causes dry weather, otherwise known as drought (**). As temperatures rise due to global climate change, moisture from soil and water evaporates, leaving less water on Earth (**). While in some places it snows and rains more to compensate for climate change, in others it rains less. Drought periods have been becoming longer and more intense internationally since the 1970s (**). If there are no changes, studies show that the drought will continue to become longer and more severe. Drought is dangerous because it means less water for things like irrigating crops, drinking water, and producing electricity through hydroelectric dams. The southwestern United States is currently at risk of drought because water supplies are running low in states like Arizona, where water is already insufficient as it is. Wild Weather Warm ocean water serves as energy to fuel hurricanes and other tropical storms. Storms and hurricanes become more violent with faster winds and heavier rain as the upper ocean warms. Climate change causes storms to be more extreme due to higher heat and increased evaporation. Storms in the Atlantic have become even stronger over the past two decades. Since the 1980s, the United States has also been hit by more powerful daily storms, generating rain and snow at an unusual rate (**). With the climate getting warmer, snowstorms and stronger thunderstorms are expected to occur more often, and storms around the world will continue to get stronger. Storms and hurricanes are hazards that can damage buildings, damage crops, cause flooding, and endanger people's lives. Melting Glaciers Glaciers are large chunks of ice and snow found everywhere... middle of paper.... ...tourism, which is large in the Southwest, suffers dramatically. In the Great Plains, rising temperatures, rapid evaporation, and droughts make water even scarcer. Reducing water resources and hotter temperatures are threatening agricultural-related things, such as ranching and natural lands. Climate change is also affecting plants and animals by shifting key habitats, such as prairie dog holes. In the coastal region, sea levels continue to rise dramatically, increasing the risk of people living in coastal cities. Due to rising temperatures and warmer waters, there is a seasonal decline in oxygen in coastal ecosystems and will continue to increase. High temperatures and high acidification of the ocean will affect coral reefs. Furthermore, fluctuations in ocean currents will influence coastal ecosystems and lifestyles.