U.S. faces widest area of drought since 1956

[Feather]

When we went to the store mid afternoon it was 100* but it didn't feel humid. It was hot feeling but not so nasty humid, I could deal with it.

[Ross]

The footprint of US droughts .

[blue gecko]

Hope we're not in for this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_Bowl

On November 11, 1933, a very strong dust storm stripped topsoil from desiccated South Dakota farmlands in just one of a series of bad dust storms that year. Then, beginning on May 9, 1934, a strong, two-day dust storm removed massive amounts of Great Plains topsoil in one of the worst such storms of the Dust Bowl. The dust clouds blew all the way to Chicago, where they deposited 12 million pounds of dust.[9] Two days later, the same storm reached cities in the east, such as Buffalo, Boston, Cleveland, New York City, and Washington, D.C.[10] That winter (1934–1935), red snow fell on New England. On April 14, 1935, known as "Black Sunday", 20 of the worst "black blizzards" occurred throughout the Dust Bowl, causing extensive damage and turning the day to night; witnesses reported they could not see five feet in front of them at certain points.

[Catbird]

I read an interesting book on the Dustbowl not long ago called The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan. The writing style isn't the best but the author tells the personal stories of several different people who lived through it.

The conditions described, and their effects on people, are almost unbelievable. Agricultural practices have changed since then, and we know a lot more now, so theoretically it shouldn't't happen again. But the way things have been going, it really does make me wonder if we are on our way to a repeat.

[rootdiggr]

Cat, in that book is there a woman describing the centipedes in the walls? I read a book on the dust bowl a year or so ago, and I think that was the title. Good read.

[Catbird]

Originally Posted by rootdiggr

Cat, in that book is there a woman describing the centipedes in the walls? I read a book on the dust bowl a year or so ago, and I think that was the title. Good read.

Yes, that's the one. I learned a lot about what it must have really been like to live through it. Good food for thought.

[blue gecko]

I lived in Oklahoma in 1988 during a severe drought. We had a dust storm during that time and it was amazing. You could see this red wall of dust hundreds of feet high. We tried to prepare by putting damp towels around the windows and doors. As the storm came it the whole house rattled and became filled with the finest dust you've ever seen. It was not an experience I would like to have again. What a mess.

[Feather]

Sounds like the dust devils in the desert southwest. Nasty to clean out of a swamp cooler.

[blue gecko]

Feather, this was no dust devil. It was a huge wall cloud miles and miles long. One big red mass of very fine dust and wind. It lasted for hours!

like this:

You Tube

[Feather]

I was lucky, all we saw while out there were a few dust devils. I can't imagine a wall of dust going for such a long time. I just that I can understand dust getting in and making a mess of everything. It took days to get the mud out of our swamp cooler. After a dust storm like that wall you went through it must have been horrible cleaning it all up. I know what we got filled two vacuume bags, a wall of dust would take a whole lot more.

[oldasrocks]

This weather is depressing. I think I understand now why some of the dustbowlers committed suicide.

[blue gecko]

Some interesting Dustbowl links:

http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps...n/dustbowl.htm

http://history.knoji.com/facts-about-the-dust-bowl/

[LvDemWings]

After work I had an errand to run in the county north of mine. I took the long way which goes through the reservation and into farm country. When I was there about a month ago the corn looked good, the bean plants were strong and the tomatoes were bushy and about 4ft high. Today the corn is dead with ears shriveled on brown stalks. The bean and tomato plants are turning yellow. There was 1 produce stand open, when there should have been dozens, and all they had were herb plants in pots and not many of those.

[Feather]

On our way to my foot appointment today I looked over the side of the bridge to see how the river is. The Des Moines river is low, you can see the concrete part under the supports for a dock at a private boat club. There are three damns on the river that I know of. Could be more small ones farther south east of here. I haven't heard if Saylorville Lake is low but I did see something about Lake Red Rock is low. Red Rock is south east of here. Saylorville must be fairly ok or the people with boats that like to go there would be whining.

The part of the river headed towards Red Rock is fed by not only the Des Moines river but the Raccoon river also. They haven't said anything about the lake here in town being to low for the boats so it can't be to bad there. I think I need to take a drive around town tomorrow.