Talk Elections

Worst drought since 1950s in continental U.S. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/worst-drought-since-1950s-in-continental-us/2012/07/16/gJQAbeKApW_blog.html?tid=pm_local_pop)

By Jason Samenow
Posted at 03:28 PM ET, 07/16/2012

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It’s been more than 50 years since a drought this extensive has afflicted the Lower 48 states. That’s the conclusion of NOAA’s latest report (http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/drought/2012/6) on drought, released today.

Through the end of June, some 56 percent of the continental U.S. was designated in some form of drought, the largest percentage since December, 1956.

“... indicators suggest that the 2012 drought is similar to the 1950s drought in extent, pattern, and intensity, although not in duration,” the report said.

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The current drought also does not yet compare with the Dust Bowl droughts of the 1930s in terms of duration, or intensity.

Still, severe-to-extreme drought grew 10 percent from late May to late June, reaching 33 percent of the Lower 48, thanks to the third driest June on record.

In historical context, the Weather Channel writes this is the 10th-largest severe drought since 1895, “but the more severe drought categories don’t cover quite as much land now as did the droughts of 1988 and the early 2000s,” it said.

Exceptionally dry conditions in the cornbelt and soybean belts over the last three months have taken their toll.

That's why I'm never leaving the Northwest. :)

We had a pretty big wildfire start in SE Oregon last week: http://www.ktvz.com/news/SE-Oregon-wildfire-Oregon-s-largest-in-century/-/413192/15509842/-/aahw6o/-/index.html

It looks like it's contained now though.

Sure Obama is to blame for it, right ?

I left Indiana May 30th. Since then, it hasn't even rained a quarter of an inch...total.

I see the elephant in the room has not been mentioned yet.

No, Bush was in office from 2001-2009.

No, it's Bush's. He got so mad that the black guy won that he made Jeebus turn off the wet.

I see that some areas are extremely moist. Mmmmm yeah.

I live in Cleveland, I'm not used to this s**t. I want snow, but if I can't have snow in July, then at least some rain.


This is Forum Community Off-Topic, not General Discussion.

EDIT: Whoops.

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It sucks here right now, I'm glad we aren't at Dust Bowl levels.

Why would you have rain in July? That would be awful!

Dafuq?

Seems I am in a area of the state which isn't in drought, which is made pretty evident by the ten foot tall corn. However its starting to dry out : as its been hot and not rained much in the last couple weeks.

If this goes on, this is going to be a major drag on the economy, tho its effects won't be largely felt outside the cornbelt until after the election.  It could well be we're looking at another dip in 2013 no matter who wins.

Like the phallic Florida.

Ignoring the moist joke, we're only out of it because we took on Beryl/Debbie.

Same here, really tall corn for this time of year in eastern Nebraska and southern Iowa....but starting to dry out a bit.

It's why I didn't mention it by name.

It doesn't rain in July in California at all? Seriously?

We don't have a drought problem now with the thunderstorm we just got, with more rain on the way, but I like the rain in the summer, it cools things down and is much better when it's done, I'd rather have 75F with puddles than well into the 90s without them. The freak storms we get often get pretty severe (even hail), but I only hate the rain in the winter or early spring when it's really cold and the rain just makes it worse (especially when it drops below freezing later and all the rain puddles turn to ice.) Of course it can result in some bad flooding too, like North Dakota often gets, but we're more prepared for that.

The precipitation chart is in the middle. It doesn't rain when it's warm.

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We could use that rain from the pacific northwest at the moment.

Look out for higher prices on almost everything at the supermarket.

My county is one of the couple that is in a "drought disaster". I think that's what it is called anyways. :(

It's terrible - our yard is completely destroyed, our "pond" is down 2 feet. The crops are completely ruined.

You have a farm?

No - I live outside of town and we do own several acres and have a pond. The crops I was referring to were the ones around my house and general area. It's really depressing how small the corn is.

I've seen some conservation warnings here though.

And it is likely only to get worse (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/20/science/earth/severe-drought-expected-to-worsen-across-the-nation.html?_r=1&hpw&gwh=206C1FC6A3479036945E412D45357D80).  :P


And rationing in the not-too-distant future.  

No incumbent President can survive a drought of this magnitude.

Obama = Hoover II

Now can we move this to general discussion? And I liked Hoover.

But I think rationing would be impossible (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-3i_auSk5Q) in modern America. But drought? It seems like such an old-time problem, just goes to show...

Produce was damn expensive at Kroger today. Needs to rain soon.

According to the NOAA Climate Prediction Center, the drought is easing and slowly releasing its grip on the breadbasket of the country:

Forecast: US drought lingering but leveling off (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2018928575_apusdroughtseverity.html)

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By JIM SUHR
AP Business Writer
Originally published Thursday, August 16, 2012 at 6:14 AM

The worst drought in the U.S. in decades may be leveling off or even be easing ever so slightly in some lucky locales, federal weather forecasters announced Thursday in a report of little comfort for farmers and ranchers who already have begun tallying this year's losses.

While the latest forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center calls for the drought to linger in the nation's breadbasket and parts of some mountain states at least through November, it provided a silver lining with the news that conditions aren't expected to get worse.

Conditions may even improve in the Southwest and in a band sweeping from South Dakota through a section of Iowa and east to southern Indiana, then south to Texas. Some areas have seen rain and cooler temperatures in recent weeks, although one forecaster cautioned he doesn't expect enough extra rain to end the drought.

The drought is hurting middle America, with continued price hikes on the horizon, but not even Obama/Biden are crazy enough to attempt rationing via price controls. Too many people still remember the gas lines during the energy crisis of the late '70s.

Still dry here, not as hot like June or July.

Just goes to show that Winfield is wrong about Obama being Nixon II.

Looks as if at least here in the DC area, it's going to get worse before it gets better:

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We did get some rain today, but considering we are at least 8 inches below normal for the year, it is barely a drop in the bucket.