From the University of Nebraska-Lincoln , a new record in the 12 year old drought monitor.
US sets drought monitor’s ‘exceptional drought’ record in July
Worst classification for drought in nearly 12 percent of contiguous US
The percent of contiguous U.S. land area experiencing exceptional drought in July reached the highest levels in the history of the U.S. Drought Monitor, an official at the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln said.
Nearly 12 percent of the contiguous United States fell into the “exceptional” classification during the month, peaking at 11.96 percent on July 12. That level of exceptional drought had never before been seen in the monitor’s 12-year history, said Brian Fuchs, UNL assistant geoscientist and climatologist at the NDMC.
The monitor uses a ranking system that begins at D0 (abnormal dryness) and moves through D1 (moderate drought), D2 (severe drought), D3 (extreme drought) and D4 (exceptional drought).
Exceptional drought’s impacts include widespread crop and pasture losses, as well as shortages of water in reservoirs, streams and wells, creating water emergencies.
Currently, 18 percent of the country is classified as under either extreme or exceptional drought, Fuchs said. Much of it is in the south, particularly Texas, where the entire state is experiencing drought — three-fourths considered exceptional.
The most recent drought monitor report, released late last week, indicated that 59 percent of the United States was drought-free, while 41 percent faced some form of abnormal dryness or drought. Two weeks ago, 64 percent of the country was drought-free.
Other states that are at least 85 percent abnormally dry or in drought according to the report include:
- New Mexico (100 percent in drought, 48 percent exceptional)
- Louisiana (100 percent abnormally dry or in drought, 33 percent exceptional)
- Oklahoma (100 percent abnormally dry or in drought, 52 percent exceptional)
- South Carolina (97 percent abnormally dry or in drought, 16 percent extreme to exceptional)
- Georgia (95 percent abnormally dry or in drought, 68 percent extreme to exceptional)
- Arkansas (96 percent abnormally dry or in drought, 6 percent extreme to exceptional)
- Florida (89 percent abnormally dry or in drought, 20 percent extreme to exceptional)
In the next two to three weeks, some affected areas may see some improvement. The wake of Tropical Storm Don should result in rainfall in the central and western Gulf Coast states, but the degree of drought relief will depend upon the storm’s intensity, as well as its track and speed.
“Whenever there is a lot of moisture in a short period of time, the potential exists for rapid improvement,” Fuchs said. “But while that possibility exists, it won’t necessarily mean the end of drought in those areas. It will likely only improve by one drought category for those areas not impacted by any tropical storms or where drought related impacts improve.”
The drought monitor combines numeric measures of drought and experts’ best judgment into a weekly map. It is produced by the NDMC, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and incorporates review from 300 climatologists, extension agents and others across the nation.
Each week the previous map is revised based on rain, snow and other events, observers’ reports of how drought is affecting crops, wildlife and other indicators.
To examine current and archived national, regional and state-by-state drought maps and conditions, go to http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu.
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New record higher temperature in Dallas, TX: 109 bypassing the old record of 106 deg or so …
Also a new record set for power consumption in the ERCOT control region within Texas: 67,949 MW is the highest value observed so far and this number could go higher (peak consumption is usually around 5 PM CDT and it’s only just after 4 PM now).
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Jim,
It’s hotter than normal in Texas? Well, it’s colder than normal all along the Pacific coast. Currently 77°F at my house. In August it would typically be ≈90°F here.
‘What’s all the hubbub Bub?’- Citizen
‘Its worse than we thought !’ – Alarmist
This mantra continues to become more pronounced and more prolific with each passing day.
The alarmist has shed any pride they may have had and decided to throw a gauntlet of dis-information in a attempt to drowning the voice of the skeptic and one of reason.
This report suggests that 12% of the Lower 48 is ‘exceptional’, but fails to say what percentage is sever or extreme. But instead says 41% of the Lower 48 is abnormally dry.
In 2002, another drought plagued the US. The news then was this:
Drought, abnormally dry weather hits 49 states.
There was no announcement then of any exceptional drought percentage. Instead, the news was, “Roughly 36 percent of the country is covered by one of four drought categories, which range from “moderate” to “exceptional,”
I then tried to locate previous press releases by UNL and I discovered that this was their first and only on drought conditions.
Go figure. In 12 years of data collection of droughts, only now does the UNL write a press release.
To claim that the current drought is more exceptional than any other in the previous 12 years is a stretch of the imagination.
2002 can be considered worse than 2011 and I’ll let you be the judge.
Here are two images from droughtmonitor for July, 2002, and again here for July, 2011.
While it might be considered that there is a greater percentage of just ‘exceptional’ drought in 2011, the percentage above severe is greater in 2002 than 2011. Considerably so.
In 2002, most of the drought was centered over the Western U.S., effecting reservoirs, basins, and waterways that supplies a vast majority with water to non-localized communities. The current drought in 2011 is centered over Texas that most consider to be an area drought prone, with very little impact on water supplies in regions beyond its locality.
Something else to consider is the amount of precipitation for the rest of the Lower 48. In 2002, nearly every state suffered some form of drought. In 2011 a greater number of states experienced more precipitation on average, while only a few states had experienced less precipitation or drought on average.
To describe what I mean, I’ll use data from the NCDC, using the PDSI(Palmer Drought Severity Index)
Here is a graph from July, 2002
You’ll notice that every state west of the Red River, and nearly every state along the east coast suffers from severe or extreme drought. Few states hardly show any positive precipitation or moisture.
Here is the latest PDSI image from NCDC.
It is quite apparent that there is a far greater area that is either very moist or extremely moist, as opposed to an area having moderate/severe/extreme drought.
What we can expect over the next few months is that these drought stricken areas, surrounding Texas, can soon draw water from the rivers and waterways that flow from these extremely moist northern and westerly states.
That could not be said for 2002 when the water basins of the western US suffered the impact of drought and was unable to provide sufficient water to those localities they supplied.
Lake Mead comes to mind.
This year, with the record snowpack in the Sierra Nevada and the projected 50-60 feet of additional water in the lake, it is safe to say that Lake Mead and other reservoirs like it, can now safely supply its customers for years to come.
What I would like to suggest to everyone that is tired of the, ‘Its worse than we thought’ mantra of the alarmist, is to start replying to them by saying, “Hey Mr. Warmista. We are on to you.”
Smokey says on August 2, 2011 at 2:14 pm: “It’s hotter than normal in Texas?”
This year it is a little bit warmer … and after +45 some odd days straight (in this part of the state) of near and above 100 deg temps the parched, dry landscape and stressed “Flora” aren’t able to provide much ‘resistance’ (evaporative cooling) to the unrelenting insolation … dew points are ranging from 52 to 60 deg F around the area today; normally we see 10 more points (62 to 70 deg F dew point) on that value …
What I wouldn’t do to see *only* a 90 degree day!
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It was only 109 in Dallas?! It was 113 in Fort Smith, Arkansas today. Gonna be even hotter tomorrow! Must be those long range ocean breezes lol My non-offical outside temp sensor here in Centerton, Ar topped out at 108.4
You wanna crap your pants? Check out the 10 day forecast for Tulsa, Oklahoma on weather.com. Man, id hate to live there.
The thugs are putting on the full court press. Especially CNN and the NYT. A deluge of alarmist articles. Stephen Nash in the NYT, for example.
Texas has had severe droughts before, and this one may not be the worst, but it’s bad. Really bad. We’re praying for tropical storms to hit the coast and move inland because no other relief seems to be in sight for a long time.
In some regions of the US there was too much water, in other regions there was a serious lack of water. For Texas it is important to create a buffer to bridge periodes of drought. The best place of this lake has to be explored. There would be a bonus: lakes have a cooling capacity!
In Central MN we’ve had 20 inches over last 90 days, or 2/3 of our yearly total. Water standing in many fields and ditches.
Time to visit http://www.save-the-rain.com
Drought? Seattle says Hi!
We in the northwest are more than happy to take some of the droughts out of your hands, as we actually had a unusually cool summer so far.
The cause was of course related. The high pressure in those other states, kept the clouds unusually long running over our state.
It’s not just the worst drought recorded, it’s the 12th wettest year recorded!!!
/sarc off
Pitiful that people fall for this tripe…
We are way ahead of you Rik!
Thanks to planning by those who preceded us, we have quite a number of man-made ‘lakes’ we term reservoirs since there is only one natural ‘lake’ in Texas:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Reservoirs_in_Texas
Present conditions – Surface Water Resources / Texas Water Conditions:
http://midgewater.twdb.state.tx.us/Reservoirs/TWC/twcr.html
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This is the worst drought and the hottest summer on record here in Amarillo. Our history only goes back to the 1880s, but since the instrument record began, its never been hotter or more dry. Then again, when Coronado led his expedition through this country in the 1590s no more than a few thousand people lived in the entire area which is now the Great State of Texas, which was over run with buffalo, but no people to eat them. There is only 1 natural lake in the entire state, hundred mile stretches between “rivers” which are frequently nothing more than dry river beds. Texas is a harsh country, always has been. The drought of the 1950s was worse than the dust bowl era drought of the dirty ’30s. That drought ended with the great blizzard of 1957, which buried houses up to the roof line under snow drifts. This year we have seen the weather shift from -4 one week to the 80s the very next week. The entire countryside go up in flames. Hell, I myself, have been fighting black boogers for at least the last 6 months caused by the dust and smoke. Go figure, the weather is mad as always, but that’s ok, keeps the Californians out. No offense to Anthony intended, just a lot of fruits and nuts in California.