Largest Natural Disaster Area Ever Declared in the U.S.

[Uncle Joe]

http://current.com/technology/93845309_largest-national-disaster-area-ever-declared-in-u-s.htm



Five days ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture followed by declaring disasters in 26 U.S. states. This is the largest national disaster area ever declared.

But while the drought is obviously a serious concern for the U.S. (historically, droughts are the nation’s most costly natural disaster), it also has worrying implications for other countries that are tied to the U.S. through the global food market. Coupled with other recent extreme weather events across the globe, the U.S. drought could have a globally destabilizing influence. And while it is too early to tell exactly why these events are happening, in the way that they are happening, recent reports show that climatic changes are a part of the story.

(snip)

Climate change projections are set to make matters worse. According to NOAA and the Met Office, last year’s drought in Texas was 20 times more likely because of climate change. Furthermore, as temperatures are set to continue increasing, these conditions will become more frequent.

(snip)

It is also important to consider that the drought and crop failures in the U.S. are not happening in isolation. In recent years, extreme hot and dry weather has forced Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan to reduce their harvest forecasts (and two studies explicitly link the devastating Russian heat wave of 2010 to climate change). European Union wheat yields this year will be smaller, in part, because Spain is suffering from the second worst drought in fifty years. North and South Korea are facing the worst drought in a century.

[Zorra]

1. Another Inconvenient Truth.

Thanks, Uncle Joe.

[Berlum]

2. "Who you going to believe? Me (smirk) or scientists?" - Rush Limbaugh (R)

"The $40 million a year I rake in from my corporate-republican cronies kinda mandates that I keep spewing climate change lies. And since I know you pathetic, no-brain RepubliProles out there who listen to me and who watch FOX like to have your 'thoughts' cooked up for you by draft-dodging, corporate brown-nosers like me, let me say it again: There really is no heat wave and no drought (smirk). This report (smirk) is all liberal lies from the USDA. So be sure and vote Republican in November to make sure America does dOOdley squat about this shit. Smirk."

- Rush Limbaugh (R - 1%)

[L0oniX]

3. Watch the corporations ship US food crops over seas while people here see food prices skyrocket...

and our people go hungry.

[Denninmi]

5. Of course they will.

This is "opportunity Capitalism" at its best.

[Berlum]

8. "This kinda shit makes us Republican elites lick our chops. Drool." - Willard Romney (R-1%)

"Opportunity Capitalism. Yeee haw. Now is when we republicans can really slurp the profits up, and then occultly hide our loot in the Cayman Islands. Smirk. Slurp. Smirk." - Willard

[ohheckyeah]

4. How long before parts of

the U.S., particularly the southwest, are uninhabitable because of drought and heat? 20 years?

[Denninmi]

6. Isn't Lake Meade almost gone now.

What will Las Vegas do when the spigot runs dry?

[ohheckyeah]

14. Good question.

Arizona and California have already had fights over water.

[Peepsite]

7. There was a time...

When this country had massive stockpiles of grain. There was also a time when we didn't pay farmers subsidies for not growing this or that.

[L0oniX]

9. Song "America the Beautiful" no longer applicable.

fruited plain ...amber waves of grain ...ect.

[magical thyme]

17. there was also a time when the heartland was renamed "the dust bowl"

on a temporary basis.

Correlation does not equal causation.

Paying or not paying farmers subsidies is not automatically related to the presence or absence of stockpiles of grains.

In fact, it is far less related to stockpiles than the current drought is.

[lunatica]

10. It's time to seriously start thinking about doable solutions

[stopwastingmymoney]

19. That's really cool

Thanks for sharing

[meow2u3]

11. Global warming doesn't exist. Don't you know that already?

[Uncle Joe]

12. 2 degrees was the semi-imposed limit to avert global catastrophe, even that margin of error was

being generous.

This insightful RollngStone Essay makes a strong and logical case that we are headed for a 6+ degree rise, it's all about the math.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1016&pid=36173

Rolling Stone: Global Warming's Terrifying New Math

[Uncle Joe]

13. Thanks to everyone that posted and/or recommended.

Peace to y'all.

[Care Acutely]

15. OMG that picture looks like Mars. I expect to see a stranded rover

And accompanying article about how scientists hope to get it moving again soon, etc.

Our home state has become all but inhospitable due to climate change. Mr. Care & I are making plans to move to move to Montana or Washington State.

[Uncle Joe]

18. Welcome to D.U. Care Acutely.

[RainDog]

16. Thanks for the thread, Uncle Joe n/t

[G_j]

20. K&R

[bvar22]

21. West/Central Arkansas, the Ouachita Mountains

We are in a "severe" drought.
This is the 3rd consecutive "drought" year.
Hardwood trees (Oaks and Hickory) that dominate this extensive national Forest have begun to go "dormant" the last couple of weeks.
They shut down, the leaves turn brown, and fall off.
This is a natural survival mechanism for hardwoods in times of low available water,
but how many years in a row can these beautiful old Hardwoods go dormant and still survive?

My wife and I depend on our spring/well to irrigate our veggie garden.
So far, it has been up to the challenge, and we are preserving food for the Winter,
but if the spring goes dry, life here will get much harder.

It is MUCH worse to our immediate west in Oklahoma,
and the very center of Arkansas (Little Rock) has been upgraded from "severe" to "extreme",
with some areas declared "exceptional". I had never before heard of the "exceptional drought" category.

If THIS is the New Normal,
We (inclusive) are in a LOT of trouble.

[Uncle Joe]

23. I hope your spring/well

keeps flowing, bvar.

[Segami]

22. K&R!