61% Of US Experiencing Drought. Hope You Enjoyed The Abnormally Dry Winter
“My daddy spent his life lookin’ up at the sky / He’d cuss, kick the dust, sayin’, “Son, it’s way too dry” / If it clouds up in the city, the weather man complains / But where I come from, rain is a good thing ” – Luke Bryan
I started this article with Luke Bryan’s country hit Rain Is A Good Thing because many Americans feel to realize the importance of rain on our food prices and the ability of farmers to do their jobs. While many of us likely cheered the abnormally warm, dry winter we experienced this year those dry conditions have carried over to a dry spring and drought like conditions in 61% of the lower 48 states according to a recent report. Last year dry conditions cost southern farmers $10 billion and it’s not looking good for 2012.
In fact the United States is experiencing its biggest drought period since 2007 with only Ohio and Alaska managing to stay out of drought like conditions because of the dry, mild winter.
The worst state to be hit is Georgia where 63% of the state is said to be suffering the two worst levels of drought. Even New England which rarely witnesses drought like conditions is suffering after the abnormally dry winter.
One area experiencing improvement however is Texas as the Southern Plains experienced a wet winter. In California, mountain snowpack water levels are 45% lower than usual. A wet winter in the Southern Plains has provided a bit of good news, however, with eastern Texas seeing improvements this year.
Luke Bryan’s song couldn’t be more true to form, while we curse at cold wet winters and rain filled nights in the Spring, the cost of our food and other products is adversely affected by rain, remember that the next time weather man complains that he’s essentially cursing at farmers.
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About the Author
James Johnson James is a new media professional with more than half a decade worth of experience in the online writing space. He currently serves as the Associate Editor of Inquisitr.com and the Editor-in-Chief of SocialNewsDaily.com. He also serves as a resident writer for Splash Press Media. In his spare time James consults businesses regarding SEO and Content Development.
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