US midwest drought worsens despite rains

[xchrom]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jul/26/us-midwest-drought-worsens?intcmp=122


Corn plants struggle to survive in a drought-stricken farm field. Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Images

The most extensive drought in five decades intensified this week across the US midwest and plains states that produce most of the county's corn, soybeans and livestock, a report from climate experts showed on Thursday.

Almost 30% of the nine-state midwest was suffering extreme drought, nearly triple from the previous week, according to the US drought monitor for the week ending 24 July.

Conditions in the midwest, which produces roughly three quarters of the corn and soybean crops in the world's largest producer and exporter, worsened despite the first measurable rainfall in a month in some areas.

More than 53% of the United States and Puerto Rico are in moderate drought or worse, a record-large amount for the fourth straight week in the drought monitor's 12-year history.

[dipsydoodle]

1. Water just runs off bone dry ground

instead of soaking in. Recovery is likely to be slow.

[hatrack]

2. We got maybe 1/10th of an inch night before last

Nice to have a break from watering for a day or two, but it's too late to really make any difference for the farmers around here.

On the bright side, it did was take us from 105-106 where it's been for the last week down to 93-95. Of course this weekend - back up to 102-103.