July 14, 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyfVvAURMpY&feature=related
Sept 15, 2011
Chris Dolce
There has been billions of dollars lost in agriculture in the dry south central parts of the United States. This summer has brought little rain and record breaking hot temperatures and even though rain has come to some parts in the area, it wont be enough to make up for the loss from the drought. Estimates as of Sept 15, 2011 guess that Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma have lost more than 8 millions dollars combined, and it it expected to continue to increase. In Texas about 88 percent of the state is in exceptional drought, which is the worst category. Some cotton farmers have actually left their fields with the lack of rainfall and some ranchers have had to relocate their herds to adjacent states so as to have lower feeding costs. According to USA Today, Texas has had record-breaking hot temperatures June through August with an average of 86.8 degrees Farenheit, which is the hottest summer for any state in U.S. history. Texas has been estimated to lose $5.2 billion dollars. In Kansas 2/3 of the state are in moderate to exceptional drought as of September 13, with a loss of about $1.7 billion dollars. Oklahoma has about 93 percent of the state being in the extreme to exceptional drought category with an estimated loss of $1.6 billion dollars. Below is a map of Texas' drought category as of Sept 13, 2011.
This is a drought map of Texas as of Sept 13, 2011 with the darkest red shading being exceptional drought, the worst drought category. Image courtesy: NDMC/USDA/NOAA.
http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/drought-south-central-cost_2011-09-15
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/drought/story/2011-09-12/texas-drought-Dust-Bowl-ranchers/50373618/1
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