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\"I think folks have been taken somewhat off guard by the rapid intensification of the California drought in recent months -- soil and vegetation conditions in some regions have reached their driest levels on record for the time of year, and reservoir levels are now lower than they were on at the same calendar date at any point during California's 2012-2016 drought,\" Swain said.

Brad Pugh, a meteorologist with NOAA's Climate Prediction Center said: \"The upcoming monsoon season may provide some relief, but drought is likely to persist due to its long-term duration.\"

\"PHOTO:
David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE
PHOTO: People walk over a dried lake bed at Folsom Lake in Folsom, Calif., March 31, 2021. Much of the U.S. West is facing the driest spring in seven years.
>

\"To mitigate the effects of the drought, residents can conserve water and remain aware of the current drought conditions from the U.S. Drought Monitor,\" Pugh continued.

There is a direct link between climate change and drought. In a new study published in Nature Communications, researchers at the University of California, Irvine, claim that greenhouse gas emissions and aerosol pollution are directly tied to increases in the frequency and severity of droughts.

\"There has always been natural variability in drought events around the world, but our research shows the clear human influence on drying, specifically from anthropogenic aerosols, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases,\" the study's lead author Felicia Chian said in a press release earlier this week.

The study's co-author, Omid Mazdiyasni, added: \"To make matters worse, droughts can be accompanied by heat waves, and high heat and low moisture can increase wildfire risk, which is already significant in the western United States.\"

Unfortunately, there is no relief in sight. The summer months offer very little chances of rain in the western U.S.

\"PHOTO:
ABC
PHOTO: A graphic based on data from the The U.S Drought Monitor at the National Drought Mitigation Center/University of Nebraska-Lincoln shows the Summer outlook for the American West
>

The latest Climate Prediction Center forecast also shows much of the U.S. will see above-average temperatures through August. Parts of the Southwest U.S., where the drought will persist, will see the highest chances of extreme temperatures during the summer months.

Parts of the eastern U.S. will also see above-average temperatures, with temperatures well above average expected from Florida to Maine.

Ginger Zee contributed to this report.

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