CLIMATE COCKTAIL:
Thirsty Rancher
Flash Droughts

^{©Drink the Change}

BARTENDER NOTES

The Thirsty Rancher is a scaffa style cocktail, an English word for “cupboard”, easily assembled without dilution or a chill, reverse proportioned to compensate for the lack of dilution. Simple for service as a spirit forward room temp sipper.

Flash Droughts
in Montana

Flash Droughts are a recently identified and not improved climate phenomenon, just ask the ranchers in Montana. The 2017 flash drought that hit the Northern Plains introduced this devastating weather pattern to a region where seasonal rainfall is already unreliable.

This flash drought phenomenon is driving farmers and ranchers
to the edge.

In a flash drought, the historical weather pattern shifts so dramatically that on farms that can’t irrigate, crops are first shocked by severe heat then wither from lack of moisture. Ranchers lose grazing land and stock ponds for livestock.

STRAIGHT UP CLIMATE

Evapotranspiration

Evapotranspiration occurs when evaporation of water from the ground surface, mostly from soils, happens in combination with transpiration of water through a plant into the atmosphere, mostly through its leaves.

As happened in Montana, a flash drought can become much more extreme when there is reduced cloud cover and hotter temperatures, which sparks a higher rate of evapotranspiration.

And everywhere
you look,
wildfire risks increase.

Farmers and ranchers know that flash droughts means the already unreliable weather patterns are becoming even more so - and that means trouble.

Ponder this...

Q:Which type(s) of drought elevated the 2017 Northern Plains flash drought to "record-breaking natural disaster" status?

• meteorological
• socioeconomic
• agricultural
• hydrological
• ecological

A: All of the above.
See below.

Different types of drought¹

Flash Drought: Lessons Learned from the 2017 Drought Across the U.S. Northern Plains and Canadian Prairies. NOAA National Integrated Drought Information System, p. 13.

Flash Drought: Lessons Learned from the 2017 Drought Across the U.S. Northern Plains and Canadian Prairies. NOAA National Integrated Drought Information System, p. 13.

The term “flash drought” was added to the
American Meteorological Society’s glossary
of meteorology in 2019

CLIMATE COCKTAIL RECIPE
Thirsty Rancher
Glass: Rocks or Votive glass

1.5 oz. Punt e Mes Apertivo
.75 oz. Westland American Whiskey
.5 oz. Skaadi or other aquavit (this is from Montana)
.25 oz. Huckleberry cordial or other berry as available

To serve Combine in a rocks glass or votive glass Serve at room temperature

Bartender Note: These types of spirits can be procured from Montana's lively craft-spirits producers or your local source.