- Most dry places are deserts, but that doesn’t mean they are hot. In fact, one of them is the coldest place on Earth.
- In the U.S., the driest climate is in the Southwest where a drought has been going on for many years, prompting water conservation measures.
- Also: Discover the next Nvidia
So What?
What can you do with this information? Well, if you want to visit a desert biome as a tourist or a student of the environment, we’ve got you covered. If a dry climate agrees with you, some of these are places you might consider retiring to (or near). If you’re a big-time investor, this could give you ideas of where to throw some money toward solar power, water desalinization or pipeline infrastructure, or tourist facilities. And if you’re concerned about climate change, some of these dry places may give you a scary preview of coming attractions for other parts of the planet to motivate you to action and advocacy.
1. Atacama Desert
Average Annual Rainfall: 0.6 inches
Chile is a long, narrow country running down the Pacific coast of South America. The Atacama desert is in the north of the country. Scientists say that areas of it may have gone 400 years without rain. It’s a popular site for testing Mars landers because the conditions are so similar to the Red Planet. The desert once belonged to Peru and Bolivia, until Chile seized it in the War of the Pacific from 1879-1884, leaving Bolivia completely landlocked. Why would they want it? It’s rich in minerals.
2. Namib Desert
Average Annual Rainfall: less than 2 inches
The Namib desert is found mainly in Namibia but extends into Angola and South Africa. It has sand dunes reaching up to 980 feet high, about 3 times taller than the Statue of Liberty! Along the coast the temperature only gets up to 68 °F but further inland in the summer it can reach 113 °F. Very few people live in the Namib, so despite its dryness, it has an undisturbed diversity of endemic plant and animal species.
3. Antarctica
4. Sahara Desert
Average Annual Rainfall: 3 inches
The Sahara is one of the largest deserts in the world, reaching all the way across Africa from the Atlantic to the Red Sea and from the Mediterranean south to the arid Sahel region. 10 nations are located all or in part in the Sahara. Areas of it do get precipitation between December and March, and this can cause flash floods that fan out into the surrounding desert beyond where the thunderstorms occurred. Dust storms from the Sahara lift particles high into the atmosphere that flow to the west and help bring minerals to the Amazon. So, unexpectedly, this barren African desert is one of the sources of the lush green jungles of South America.
5. The Outback
Average Annual Rainfall: 6 inches
Most Australians live near the coast, and it’s not just because they love the beach. It’s because most of the interior of the country is covered by ten deserts that, along with surrounding semi-arid regions, are known as “the Outback.” Contrary to popular belief, most of Australia’s aboriginal population does not live in the Outback, but in the heavily populated eastern states of New South Wales and Queensland.
The Driest Cities in the U.S.
If for some reason you’re not ready to move to Antarctica or the Outback, the following are the driest cities in the United States for your consideration.
1. Yuma, Arizona
Average Annual Rainfall: 2.7 inches
If you hate rain, move to Yuma. It has over 300 sunny days a year, more than any other city in the United States. And if you ever want to get out of town, it’s right on the border of California and just 30 miles from the Mexican border.
2. Las Vegas, Nevada
Average Annual Rainfall: 4.2 inches
Las Vegas has a reputation for decadence in its racy entertainment and gaming industry. But the very existence of a city of 2 million people in the Nevada desert is an exercise in excess. It soaks up 500 million gallons of water a day from the drought-stricken Colorado River and gets electricity for all those lights from Hoover Dam.
3. Bishop, California
Average Annual Rainfall: 5.6 inches
The Sierra Nevada mountains in California block moisture-laden clouds from the Pacific, causing them to drop most of their rain on their western sl0pes and foothills while the east stays parched. Bishop, California is in the dry rain shadow of the mountains. That doesn’t make it a complete desert, though. Meltwater from the snowpack in the peaks keeps the town from getting too thirsty.
4. Bakersfield, California
Average Annual Rainfall: 5.7 inches
California has some of the driest cities in the nation. One of these is Bakersfield, in the Central Valley. Although it doesn’t rain a lot there, the city and surrounding farmland are hydrated with groundwater wells, rivers and streams of mountain meltwater, and the California Aqueduct that pipes water where needed around the state.
5. Phoenix, Arizona
Average Annual Rainfall: 7.2 inches
The Phoenix, Arizona metro area has a population of almost 5 million people and is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. The city gets much of its water from mountain snowmelt, channeled through a system of reservoirs and canals. Phoenix is an immensely popular retirement location because of its warm weather and sunny skies.
The Southwestern Drought
The Southwestern United States has been going through a severe drought for many years that has drastically reduced the flow of the Colorado River and lowered the water levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead. As a consequence, these two reservoirs may soon be unable to generate electricity and provide enough water to the cities and agriculture that depend on them. A big part of the problem is that more people have flocked to dry areas than the water supply can sustain. Some have suggested radical solutions, like pumping water from the Mississippi River to the Colorado River. This would be prohibitively expensive and have serious environmental repercussions.
Living in a Dry City
How do these dry cities manage their water resources? In principle, water is not always scarce in a place without much rain, because it may flow reliably from mountain peaks and other areas with more precipitation, or it may be pumped in from other places with pipelines. But in places where the water supply is tenuous, local governments enforce water conservation rules, promote xeriscaping (low-maintenance landscaping with indigenous plants), and pass zoning laws to restrict water usage. Dry areas also have to be alert to the possibility of wildfires, which are a well-known problem in places like California.
Despite these kinds of risks and restrictions, people continue to flock to these dry, sunny places for the opportunities and lifestyle they offer. Would you move to one of them?
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