Droughts aren't increasing in Indiana

In an editorial at The Journal Gazette from Fort Wayne, Indiana, a physics professor at a local university writes the following:

One of the most important effects of climate change on Indiana will be these increased floods and, to a lesser extent, the droughts.

Increased droughts in Indiana due to climate change?

Since records began in 1895, there has been a highly statistically significant trend toward fewer droughts, not more.  (The PDSI is the Palmer Drought Severity Index; yellow represents droughts, and green represents wet years.)  Recent decades haven't shown any sign of significant trends toward more drought, either.  Over the last three decades, the correlation is still toward less drought-like conditions for the state.

From the 1970s onward, the state hasn't seen anything like the droughts from the late 1800s up through the 1960s.  The same trend toward far less drought is evident when looking at the 18-, 24-, 36-, 48-, and 60-month PDSIs.  In fact, the 5-year PDSI is striking.  Long-term drought conditions for the state have all but entirely disappeared.

None of the state's individual climate regions has trends toward more droughts, either.

Overall, the conclusion appears to be that droughts are becoming far less common and severe in Indiana.

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