U.S. in Worst Drought in Sixty Years -Now Slowly Fading

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Worst drought since 1950s in continental U.S.

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



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 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.



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.

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And it is likely only to get worse.  

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

And rationing in the not-too-distant future.  

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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



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.

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



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.