This is a code red, folks. It's barely spring in 2022, and we've already broken record heat

and drought levels never before seen in 1,200 years. Major reservoirs across the American

West are at record lows. Groundwater is drying up. It's projected to get even worse in the

upcoming summer. And come June 1st, millions of

Southern Californians will have to learn how to live with the region's most severe water

restrictions ever. Fun times. I'm Gustavo Ariano. You're listening to The Times, daily news from the

L.A. Times. It's Friday, May 13th, 2022. Today, tomorrow. Forever. California is in a drought. Local governments are taking action with unprecedented water restrictions, which means you could be seeing browner lawns, dead trees, and shorter showers.

Damn.

It's times like these that we fall back in our monthly panel of peril, my colleagues of catastrophe,

our own Marvel Cinematic Universe of Environmental Eternals.

Yep, it's time for Masters of Disasters

Zazza Zza Z Z

Musica maestro

Sitting as always in the earthquake chair is Ron Lynn and Ron, when you're not out covering, shaking on the ground, you've been pulled into drought coverage for, God, how many years now?

15 years. So, you know, for a couple of droughts now.

Oh, Jesus. That's like, what? One mega-magrought, though.

So on the wildfire wing, as always, Alex Wigglesworth. Alex, if a tree burns in the forest, does it make a sound? Definitely. It's pretty loud, actually. Oh, that was supposed to be more of a mystery. But thank you. And our Cassandra of the coast, Rosanna Shaw,

is off to get crowned as an honorary turn.

So joining us this month is Breaking News reporter but thank you. And our Cassandra of the coast, Rosanna Shah, is off to get crowned as an honorary turn.

So joining us this month is breaking news reporter Haley Smith.

Haley, what's your most precious drought memory?

Well, I grew up in Miami, which is basically a place with too much water.

...