Earth is fighting to stay alive. Mass dieoffs, triggered by anthropogenic assault and fallout of planetary defense systems offsetting the impact, could begin anytime!
Emergency Bulletins are now available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.
-------------------------------
We do NOT use Twitter or Facebook accounts. Our user names including "FEWW" have been hijacked by trolls.
-------------------------------
WARNING: WordPress Digitally Tracking Visitors!
Injury Claims Against Google: Fire-Earth posts important news & unique analysis that could help save you from harm, but Google [Alphabet Inc] filters the blog to protect their vast business interest. If you incur any injury or loss due to the denial of information, you may sue the Internet Mafia for damages.
STOP CENSORING THE REAL NEWS
WordPress is HACKING this blog!
WordPress continues to hack FIRE-EARTH & affiliated blogs at the behest of its corporate clients.
Blog Moderators condemn in the strongest terms the blatant removal and manipulation of content.
Starting January 29, 2013, Google & WordPress have restricted access to FIRE-EARTH reducing blog traffic by up to 95 percent, enabling their affiliated sites and commercial partners to hijack (and twist) the news, analysis and core ideas presented here.
Blocking information, hacking websites and twisting the facts concerning harm inflicted to Earth by humans are major crimes against nature, punishable by drought, famine, disease...
Caution
Technical information and scientific data from the US Government agencies (NASA, EPA…) are subject to variation due to political expediency.
This caution also extends to the UN organizations (e.g., FAO, WHO…).
As of August 2011, FIRE-EARTH will no longer reprint photos from NASA, due to the agency's wanton crimes against nature.
March 2023
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
ORIGINAL CONTENT POSTED ON THIS BLOG ARE COPYRIGHTS OF THE BLOG AUTHORS.
Content MAY BE REPRODUCED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES BY PRIOR PERMISSION ONLY.
REPRINTING FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES OR POSTING ON BLOGS THAT CARRY COMMERCIAL ADS IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
YOU may NOT copy, re-blog or otherwise reproduce any part of this blog on Facebook or Twitter.
Extreme Rain Events trigger devastating floods in NW China
Severe floods have destroyed Niangniangba Town in Qinzhou District of Tianshui City, in northwest China’s Gansu Province.
Extreme rain events, flooding and landslides have affected more than 1.22 million people, leaving at least 20 dead or missing in Tianshui in recent days, said a report.
Original caption: Photo taken on July 31, 2013 shows the Niangniangba Town destroyed by floods in Qinzhou District of Tianshui City, northwest China’s Gansu Province. More than 20 people were dead or missing and about 1.22 million people were affected by the landslides and floods caused by strong rainfall in Tianshui in recent days. (Xinhua/Bai Liping)
Original caption: A bridge is damaged [destroyed] by the flood in Niangniangba Town, Qinzhou District of Tianshui City, northwest China’s Gansu Province, July 31, 2013. More than 20 people were dead or missing and about 1.22 million people were affected by the landslides and floods caused by strong rainfall in Tianshui in recent days. (Xinhua/Bai Liping). More images …
Drought affecting 27 mln people in China: Ministry of Civil Affairs
Persistent drought since June has affected 27.11 million people in “11 provincial-level areas across China,” said the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA).
The drought has left 5.1 million people and 1.56 million livestock short of drinking water, with the direct economic losses put at 12.21 billion yuan (1.99 billion U.S dollars), MCA reported.
The drought has also damaged or destroyed 2.6 million hectares of crops nationwide, according to the report.
Original caption: Drought has affected the growth of corns in Dongshan Village of Pengshui County, southwest China’s Chongqing, Aug. 1, 2013. Lingering droughts in Chongqing have resulted in sever damage for crops and shortage of water supply. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng). More images…
Frost and rain have ruined more wheat in China than previously estimated: Report
Weather damage in China’s northern grain belt may have ruined more than 20 million metric tons of the wheat crop, or 16 percent, which is double the volume previously estimated, said a report.
“Higher imports, which have already been revised upwards on initial damage reports, will further shrink global supplies and support prices, fuelling new worries over global food security.”
“The harvest was terrible”
Farmers in Henan, China’s top wheat producing Province, say frost in the growing period and rainstorms during the harvest have slashed production by 40 percent compared with 2012, the report said .
Global wheat output is forecast to rise this year, but will still fall below demand resulting in the lowest wheat stocks since 2008/09.
In 2012, China accounted for about 20 percent of global wheat production and consumption.
China is expected to become top wheat buyer in 2014, eclipsing Egypt as the world’s top importer, the report said.
The crop damage in China is adding to concerns over global food supplies following the crop quality downgrades experienced by the United States and the Black Sea region due to adverse weather.
FIRE-EARTH population model shows mass die-offs resulting from human impact on the planet and the planetary response to the anthropogenic harm could occur by early 2016.
FIRE-EARTH Climate Models show climate change forcings and feedbacks switching global weather patterns onto “primordial tracks.”
The extreme weather events triggered by anthropogenic climate change have a four-prong impact on humans over the next 50 months [forecast released in 2011.] FIRE-EARTH models forecast:
1. Food production:
Average decline of 22% in the global agricultural output
Loss of topsoil and worsening of soil quality
Rapid Climate Change & Extreme Weather Events
Drought and Deluge
Extremes of Temperature
Heatwaves and Late Frosts
Desertification and Dust Storms
Crop Pests
Increases in the size and occurrence of dead zones
Large decline in marine food sources
2. Spread of Disease
Substantial increases in the spread of diseases
Vector borne
Air borne
Water borne
Food borne
Superbugs: Emergence of resistant bacteria, especially MDR bacteria
Resurgence of killer infectious diseases
Increases in the spread of human immunodeficiency viruses
Significant decline in air quality (and corresponding increase in chronic respiratory diseases)
Other viral diseases
Massive rises in mental illnesses
3. Physical Safety
Major increases in the number of deaths and injuries, as well as large scale displacements due to the loss of shelter and livelihood caused by extreme weather and geophysical events including:
Tornadoes
Hurricanes
Storms and Extreme Weather
Climate Change
Extreme Rain Events
Flash Flooding
Drought and Deluge
Landslides
Extremes of Temperature
Deforestation
Wildfires
Loss of “Seasons”
Earthquakes*
Tsunamis*
Volcanic activity*
Nuclear Incidents
Oil Spills
Chemical and Biological Threats
Poisoned and Polluted Environment (Air, Water and Soil pollution)
Ozone Depletion (Ozone Holes)
4. The Combined Effect
Social upheavals, regional conflicts and wars caused by mass migrations and scarcity of basic resources resulting from the combined effects of the above, as well as other mechanisms.
July 17, 2013 – SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN –
969 Days Left
Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.
Severe floods wreak havoc across much of East Africa
Much of East Africa including parts of seven countries—Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and Tanzania have been affected by deadly floods that were triggered by extreme rain events, beginning mid-March.
The rains have “caused significant flooding in the Lake Victoria basin in Uganda and Kenya, the southern Maasai rangelands in Kenya, and along the Wabi Shabelle in Ethiopia in late March and early April,” according to Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET).
“Above-normal rains have occurred in several areas, including northern and western Tanzania; Rwanda; Burundi; the Lake Victoria Basin; western, southern and northeastern Kenya; southern and central Somalia; and eastern and south-eastern Ethiopia,” said FEWS NET.
The rains are forecast to continue through May.
Floods have resulted in the loss of life, displacements of large numbers of people, the destruction of crops, and damage to infrastructure, FEWS NET reported.
Kenya
Flash floods have killed dozens of people in Kenya, displacing tens of thousands, and destroying crops and much of the infrastructure.
“If the current rains continue with the same intensity for the next three weeks, we expect food shortages and escalation of food prices in May and June this year,” according to the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS).
“In northeastern Kenya’s Dadaab refugee complex, home to about 463,000 mainly Somali refugees, the rains have displaced some families and affected commodity prices.”
Somalia
“Robust precipitation accumulations (>75mm) were again observed over central and southern Somalia,” states an Africa Hazards Outlook.
“Many local areas have already experienced more than three times their normal rainfall accumulation since the beginning of April, sustaining the risk for localized flash flooding and downstream river inundation over the Jubba and Shabelle River basins in eastern Ethiopia and southern Somalia.”
“SWALIM [Somalia Water and Land Information Management] field reports in the last two days indicate river breakages at Hurway (about 8m wide), Eji (about 6m wide) and Maadheere (about 14m wide) villages all in Middle Shabelle Region. This has led to inundation of large areas, causing destruction of cropped area[s] of unconfirmed acreage, and displacement of several families.”
Unseasonably cold spring severely affecting Britain’s wheat and vegetable crops
“The last 12 months have been unreal for farmers. Last April we had a drought and talk of a hosepipe ban, then we had to contend with heavy rains and flooding and then the wintery weather, frozen land and snow,” the National Farmers Union (NFU) said.
UK temperatures over the past week fell to among the coldest experienced in April for nearly 100 years, with maximum temperatures barely above the freezing in many parts of the southeast, according to local reports.
At -11.2ºC (11.8 degrees Fahrenheit), the village of Braemar in Scotland, about 90 km west of Aberdeen, on Tuesday, held the joint coldest April weather anywhere in the UK for nearly a century.
The unseasonably cold spring is severely affecting Britain’s wheat and vegetable crops.
“A disastrous 12-month cycle of poor weather has ruined harvests across the UK, costing farmers an estimated £500m, the chief economist of the National Farmers Union (NFU) warned,” said a report.
“The crop damage deals a further blow to Britain’s beleaguered farming industry, which is already reeling from a spate of recent livestock deaths due to the cold weather. To make matters worse, the weather has made planting new crops more difficult and damaged many of the seeds that have been sown in recent weeks.” The report said.
UK is expected to import about 1.5m tons more wheat than it exports this “crop year,” from July 2012 to June 2013, which compares to net exports of 1.6m tons last crop year and 2.2m tons 4 years ago, the report quoted the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) as saying.
Potato plantings are also down from 30,000 hectare this time last year to just 4,000 hectares, as of March end 2013.
The cold weather has also led to a heightened demand for gas, pushing the wholesale price much higher and forcing the government to source emergency deliveries of liquified gas from Qatar.
DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,202 Days Left
[November 26, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,202 Days Left to the most Fateful Dayin Human History
Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...
.
Global Disasters/ Significant Events
Somalia: Humanitarian Disaster
More than a million Somali refugees are currently hosted in Kenya, Yemen, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Tanzania and Uganda, and about 1.36 million others internally displaced, settled mainly in the South-Central region, UNHCR reported.
‘Somalia is the most affected country within the Horn of Africa by the ongoing drought, widely regarded as the worst in 60 years. Consecutive seasonal rain failures have led to sky-rocketing food prices, in a country already devastated by two decades of civil war,’ said the report.
Somali people are facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world today.
Somalia is generating the third highest number of refugees in the world, after Afghanistan and Iraq.
One in three Somalis is in urgent need of humanitarian help.
One in every three children living in the South-Central region is malnourished.
More than 66,000 Somalis have sought refuge in neighboring countries so far this year.
Republic of Niger. Flooding in Niger could destroy its main rice harvest, reports said.
Floods have already claimed dozens of lives since the annual rainy season began.
Niger produces about 130,000 tons of rice a year.
“Most of the rainy season rice crop, estimated at over 80,000 metric tons, risks being destroyed this year,” a Malian official said.
United States. The Department of Commerce has declared Fisheries Disasters in Northeast, Alaska, and Mississippi.
Northeast – Several key fish stocks in the Northeast groundfish fishery are not rebuilding and further cuts are expected in 2013. More information here.
Alaska – Low returns of Chinook salmon to the Yukon River, Kuskokwim River, and Cook Inlet have resulted in a fishery resource disaster have caused a continuation of the Yukon River commercial fishery failure in 2010 – 2012, a Kuskokwim River commercial fishery failure in 2011 – 2012, and a Cook Inlet commercial fishery failure in 2012. More information here.
Mississippi – Impacted by the massive freshwater impacts from the historic flooding in the lower Mississippi River in the spring of 2011, a commercial fishery failure has been declared for the Mississippi oyster fishery and the state’s blue crab fishery. More information here.
North Korea. Death toll from recent floods in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has risen to 300, with 600 others reported as missing and many injured, reports said.
“The floods between mid-June and late August destroyed 87,280 houses and affected roughly 298,050 residents, damaging farmland and social infrastructure such as electric cables, coal mines and railways, according to the KCNA, said a report.
Pakistan. Flooding in Pakistan has left hundreds of people dead, injured or missing. Thousands of others are left homeless.
Ryukyu Islands. Super Typhoon SANBA (TY 17W), near 23.5ºN, 129.1ºE, continues to intensifies moving north (345 degrees) toward Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands.
Super Typhoon SANBA (TY 17W) and its project path – enhanced IR satellite image. Image source: CIMSS
Large fish kill off Galveston blamed on neurotoxic algal bloom
As many as a million dead Gulf menhaden that littered Galveston’s West End beaches on the weekend are believed to have been killed by an algal bloom known as Karenia brevis.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept (TPWD) said it had received reports of fish kills from Sea Rim State Park, Sargent Beach and Surfsidehas, and confirmed a bloom of Karenia brevis, also known as red tide, in Galveston Bay.
Karenia brevis. Photo: FFWCC
Current Status
August 13, 2012 – afternoon
TPWD began receiving reports of fish kills on Friday, August 10. The reports were from Quintana Beach to the mouth of the Colorado River and included mostly Gulf menhaden with a few mentions of gafftopsail and hardhead catfish. Additional fish kills were reported over the weekend at Surfside Beach and Galveston; samples were collected from the Surfside jetty and San Luis Pass to look for Karenia brevis. Dead flounder and stingrays have been reported at Kemah and Bacliff; biologists originally thought that low oxygen levels were to blame, but additional investigations will be conducted to determine if K. brevis is the cause. In addition, fishermen reported coughing and dead fish 4 miles offshore of Galveston.
The amount of U.S. corn considered to be in very poor and poor conditions increased to 50 percent in the week ending August 5, 2012, a rise of two percent since previous week.
Corn Condition
The amount of corn considered to be in very poor to poor condition increased to 50 percent, a rise of 2 percent since last week, while the crop rated as as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ fell to 23 percent, due to ongoing drought and lingering heat, according to the USDA Crop Progress released August 6, 2012.
The amount of corn regarded as being in good or excellent condition fell to 23 percent for the week ending August 5, 2012, a further decline of 1 percent since previous week. It was 60 percent last year.
The USDA statistics are based on 18 States which planted 92% of the 2011 corn acreage: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.
Map of US Counties with Drought Level D0 and Above as of July 26, 2012. USDA
Soybean Condition
The amount of soybeans considered to be in very poor to poor condition was 39 percent, an increase of 2 percent since last week.
The amount of soybean regarded as being in good or excellent condition remained at 29 percent. It was 61 percent this time last year.
The statistics are based on 18 States that planted 95% of the 2011 soybean acreage: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina,
North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
Pasture and Range Condition
Pasture and Range Condition for the lower 48 States which are weighted based on pasture acreage and/or livestock inventories, further deteriorated by 2 percent.
Very poor to poor pasture and range areas rose to 59 percent, from 57 percent last week. It was 38 percent this time last year.
Total acreage in ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ condition fell to 16 percent. It was 39 percent last year.
[Source: Crop Progress, USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Report released August 6, 2012.]
“If I had a rain prayer or a rain dance I could do, I would do it.” Tom Vilsack
U.S. Drought Map – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, shows a map of the drought. Copyright The Iowa Soybean Association.
“I get on my knees everyday and I’m saying an extra prayer right now,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters after briefing with the Disaster President Obama. “If I had a rain prayer or a rain dance I could do, I would do it.”
DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,320 Days Left
[August 4, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,320 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…
North Korea. Recent flooding in N. Korea has left about 600 people dead or missing, according to official media.
Torrential rains triggered severe flooding throughout July, destroying or damaging thousands of homes, schools, hospitals, factories and other public infrastructure, inundating tens of thousands of hectares of crops and leaving about quarter a million people homeless.
The floods have contaminated drinking water in the affected areas and exacerbated the country’s food shortages.
Impact of human-enhanced disasters in the U.S. risen by 24 folds since 2009
EDRO Energy Model and FIRE-EARTH models show that the impact of anthropogenic enhanced disasters in the U.S. have risen by a massive 24 folds since late 2009 compared with the 70s.
The FEWW Mega Disaster Index comprises of two components:
Disaster frequency
Disaster intensity
Based on their findings, FIRE-EARTH Moderators aver the combined impact of the disasters caused by Drought 2012 and the next Mega Disaster, which could strike the country at anytime, would paralyze the United States.
Corn rated as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ falls to 24 percent
The amount of corn considered to be in very poor to poor condition increased to 48 percent, a rise of 3 percent since last week, while the crop rated as as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ fell to 24 percent, due to ongoing drought and lingering heat wave, according to the USDA Crop Progress.
The amount of corn regarded as being in good or excellent condition fell to 24 percent for the week ending July 29, a further drop of 2 percent since previous week. It was 62 percent last year.
The USDA statistics are based on 18 States which planted 92% of the 2011 corn acreage: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.
Soybean Condition
The amount of soybeans considered to be in very poor to poor condition was 37 percent, an increase of 2 percent since last week.
The amount of soybean regarded as being in good or excellent condition fell to 29 percent, a drop of 2 percent since last week. It was 60 percent this time last year.
The statistics are based on 18 States that planted 95% of the 2011 soybean acreage: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina,
North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
Pasture and Range Condition
Pasture and Range Condition for the lower 48 States which are weighted based on pasture acreage and/or livestock inventories, further deteriorated by 2 percent.
Very poor to poor pasture and range areas rose to 57 percent, from 55 percent last week. It was 36 percent this time last year.
Total acreage in ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ condition fell to 17 percent. It was 41 percent last year.
[Source: Crop Progress (July 2012) USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Report released July 30, 2012.]
About 89 percent of the U.S. corn crops were located in drought areas as of July 24, 2012, USDA reported.
Approximate percentage of corn located in drought areas. USDA
The U.S. Cattle Map
About 73% of the U.S. domestic cattle inventory is within drought stricken areas, as of July 24, 2012, USDA reported.
This graphic depicts the U.S. cattle areas experiencing drought from data accrued through the U. S. Drought Monitor on July 24, 2012. Approximately 73% of the domestic cattle inventory is within a drought stricken area, based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) 2007 Census of Agriculture data. Source: USDA
DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,327 Days Left
[July 28, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,327 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…
Ethiopia. Renewed ethnic clashes in Moyale area, Ethiopia have left at least 2 dozen people dead and forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. At least 20,000 people have crossed into Kenya to escape the slaughter, the Kenyan Red Cross said.
N. Korea. Rainstorms and flooding in North Korea has left more than 200 people dead or injured, and more than 60,000 people homeless according to reports quoting state-run KCNA news agency.
Uganda. Ebola virus has killed more than a dozen people and infected about a dozen others in Uganda, reports said.
Two-thirds of the United States is now experiencing moderate to extreme drought
USDA has designated 76 additional counties [2012 total of 1,369 counties] in six states [total of 31 states] as primary natural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by drought and excessive heat.
During the 2012 crop year, USDA has designated 1,369 counties across 31 states as disaster areas—1,234 due to drought. The drought disaster declaration list also includes numerous other counties designated as contiguous disaster areas.
Most of the drought-stricken areas from Kansas to Ohio need in excess of 10 inches of rain to break the drought, said a National Weather Service meteorologist, however, little precipitation is on the horizon.
“Monday’s crop ratings showed losses on par with the damage seen during the 1988 drought if these conditions persist,” said Bryce Knorr, senior editor for Farm Futures Magazine. “Weather so far has taken almost 4 billion bushels off the corn crop, so a lot of demand must still be rationed.”
List of the most recent counties declared as drought disaster areas by USDA on July 25:
Kansas. USDA has declared 47 counties in Kansas as agricultural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by the ongoing drought.
List of the 25 primary disaster areas: Chase, Franklin, Lincoln, Osage, Dickinson, Geary, Marion, Osborne, Douglas, Jefferson, Miami, Ottawa, Ellis, Johnson, Mitchell, Rush, Ellsworth, Leavenworth, Morris, Russell, Saline, Shawnee, Smith, Wabaunsee and Wyandotte counties.
List of the 22 contiguous disaster areas: Anderson, Cloud, Jewell, Ness, Atchison, Coffey, Linn, Pawnee, Barton, Greenwood, Lyon, Phillips, Butler, Harvey, McPherson, Pottawatomie, Clay, Jackson, Rice, Riley, Rooks and Trego counties.
Missouri. The above Disaster declaration covers 5 counties in Missouri because they are contiguous: Bates, Cass, Clay, Jackson and Platte counties.
Nebraska. Franklin and Webster counties.
Michigan. Drought disaster declared in 10 Michigan counties:
Primary DAs: Branch, Cass, Hillsdale and St. Joseph counties.
Contiguous DAs: Berrien, Calhoun, Jackson, Kalamazoo Lenawee, and Van Buren counties.
Indiana. Contiguous DAs: Elkhart, Lagrange, St. Joseph and Steuben counties.
Ohio. Fulton and Williams counties.
Nebraska. USDA has declared 22 Nebraska counties as agricultural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by the ongoing drought.
Indiana. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 38 counties in Indiana as agricultural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by the ongoing drought.
Illinois. The above declaration also extends to three counties in Illinois: Clark, Edgar and Vermilion counties.
Illinois. USDA has designated twelve counties in Illinois as agricultural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by the ongoing drought.
PDAs: Crawford and Pike counties.
CDAs: Adams, Calhoun, Greene, Lawrence, Richland,
Brown, Clark, Jasper, Morgan and Scott counties.
Wisconsin. USDA has designated 31 counties in Wisconsin as agricultural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by the ongoing drought.
Illinois. The above declaration extends to 6 contiguous areas in Illinois: Boone, Lake, Stephenson, Jo Daviess, McHenry and Winnebago counties.
Iowa. The above declaration also extends to 3 contiguous areas in Iowa: Allamakee, Clayton and Dubuque counties.
Weekly U.S. Precipitation Map for the Week Ending July 24, 2012. Source: HPRCC
Corn in Drought Map. Latest available map of drought superimposed on the corn production areas. This map depicts drought-affected areas of the U.S. corn producing farmland as of July 17, 2012. Approximately 88% of the corn grown in the U.S. is within an area-experiencing drought, based on historical U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop production data.
Other USDA Disaster Declarations
Colorado. USDA has designated 8 counties in Colorado as agricultural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by freezing temperatures that occurred April 7-8, 2012.
Utah. The above declaration also extends to two counties in Utah: Grand and San Juan counties.
Wisconsin. USDA has designated 34 counties in Wisconsin as agricultural disaster areas due to losses to maple syrup production caused by an unseasonably early thaw, unseasonably warm nights and excessive heat that occurred Jan. 23 – March 31, 2012.
Michigan. The above declaration extends to 4 counties in the state of Michigan.
Minnesota. The above declaration also extends to 4 counties in the state of Minnesota.
DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,331 Days Left
[July 24, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,331 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…
In the worst case scenario, the first wave of world’s cities will begin to collapse by as early as 2012. “The collapse would be caused by a combination of failing ecosystems, human-enhanced environmental catastrophes; failing infrastructure; food, water and fuel shortages; infectious disease; war, civil conflict and other dynamics. Following the first phase of collapse, massive waves of human migration from the affected areas create a domino effect that causes the collapse of the remaining population centers shortly after.” EDRO Forecast dated September 21, 2007
Corn in v. poor or poor condition increases to 45 percent: USDA
The amount of corn considered to be in very poor to poor condition has increased by 7 percent since last week due to ongoing drought and lingering heat wave, according to the USDA Crop Progress report.
The amount of corn regarded as being in good or excellent condition was 26 percent for the week ending July 22, a drop of 5 percent since previous week. It was 62 percent last year.
The USDA statistics are based on 18 States which planted 92% of the 2011 corn acreage: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.
U.S. Corn Condition by State Map as of July 22, 2012. Source: USDA/AWA
Soybean Condition
The amount of soybeans considered to be in very poor to poor condition was 35 percent, an increase of 5 percent since last week.
The amount of soybean regarded as being in good or excellent condition was 31 percent, a drop of 3 percent since last week. It was 62 percent last year.
The statistics are based on 18 States that planted 95% of the 2011 soybean acreage: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina,
North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
Pasture and Range Condition
Pasture and Range Condition for the lower 48 States which are weighted based on pasture acreage and/or livestock inventories, further deteriorated by 1 percent.
V. poor to poor category rose to 55 percent. It was 33 percent last year.
[Source: Crop Progress (July 2012) USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Report released July 23, 2012.]
Drought and Deluge Double Whammy
The historic drought could finally end in an epic deluge, in which case what is already extreme stress on the topsoil would be incalculable.
Corn in Drought Map. Latest available map of drought superimposed on the corn production areas. This map depicts drought-affected areas of the U.S. corn producing farmland as of July 17, 2012. Approximately 88% of the corn grown in the U.S. is within an area-experiencing drought, based on historical U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop production data.
Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events
China. Typhoon VICENTE has grown into a monstrous category 4A stormwith sustained winds of more than 215kmph. The storm has landed in southern China.
The Hong Kong Observatory has raised its storm warning signal to the highest level 10, while local media reported at least 70 people injured, as of posting.
Typhoon VICENTE – NHC Enhanced IR Sat Image. Source: CIMSS
China. Extreme Rain Events have buffeted 17 provinces in China since July 20, leaving hundreds dead or missing.
Rainstorm related disasters have affected up to 10 million people in thousands of towns and villages across 264 counties in 17 provinces, forcing about a million residents to flee their homes.
Rainstorms also destroyed or damaged about 100,000 homes.
“In Sichuan province, water levels in several rivers have exceeded the warning levels and the Luzhou section in the upper reach of the Yangtze River has witnessed the biggest flooding since 1949, according to the provincial flood control headquarters,” said a report.
Dozens of cities and villages are submerged under about 2m of water.
The influx of floodwater into the Three Gorges Reservoir, upstream of the gigantic Three Gorges hydropower project in Yichang, Hubei province, is expected to reach 70,000 cubic meters per second, the report said.
Original Caption: The pivot of Three Gorges releases flood water in seven spillways in Yichang, central China’s Hubei Province, July 23, 2012. The Three Gorges Dam will experience its largest flood peak this year on Tuesday, the Yangtze River flood control and drought relief headquarters said Monday. (Xinhua/Zheng Jiayu)
DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN:1,333 Days Left
[July 22, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,333 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…
Corn and soybean prices break all-time records. Corn prices have climbed 53 percent in one month, as worst drought and poorest crop conditions in decades decimate yields in the Corn Belt region and beyond.
U.S. Drought Map for July 17, 2012, released July 19.
List of Disaster Areas Continues Growing
On Wednesday, USDA designated an additional 39 counties in 8 states as Primary Natural Disaster areas due to worsening drought, making up a disaster total of 1,297 counties in 29 states. Additionally, several hundred other counties have been declared as contiguous disaster areas.
One Way Drought
Drought is intensifying in the Corn Belt region and creeping to the areas beyond including Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and eastern Nebraska, eastern Kansas, southern Minnesota and parts of Missouri, Kentucky and the Dakotas.
Drought and Deluge Double Whammy
The historic drought could finally end in an epic deluge, in which case what is already extreme stress on the topsoil would be incalculable.
NASS Crop Production Data. Map of drought superimposed on the corn production areas, July 10, 2012.
Drought Stats
Nearly two-thirds of Continental U.S. is currently in drought condition
More than 42 percent of the lower 48 states were in SEVERE, EXTREME or EXCEPTIONAL Drought Conditions (D2-D4) as of July 17, 2012, a rise of over 5 percent since last week.
As of July 17, 2012, the entire Continental U.S. with the exception of Maine was experiencing Abnormally Dry or Drought Conditions (D0 -D4) in full or in parts of the states, a situation which has since worsened due to scant precipitation and a persistent heat wave in the past few days.
More than 81 percent of the Contiguous United States was Abnormally Dry or in Drought Conditions (D0 – D4).
Drought 2012 is considered as the worst drought since 1956 and worst agricultural drought since 1988.
About 40% of the U.S. corn crop is in poor-very poor condition.
Good-excellent soybean crop dropped to 34% – down from 56% at start of season.
Some 1,297 counties in 29 states have been declared as primary natural disaster areas, with several hundred other counties designated as contiguous disaster areas.
Less than 10 percent topsoil moisture is left in South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.
Topsoil moisture in the entire Central Region is below 50 percent of normal.
Drought is expected to persist or intensify across Central Region.
About 98 percent of corn is grown within Central Region.
About 80 percent of corn grown in the U.S. is experiencing drought.
Deadly Heat Persists
Meantime, preliminary records from NCDC showed 145 high temperature records broken Wednesday and 67 records tied in 23 states: Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
High temperatures in the triple digits will be the norm for the next several days for parts of the central U.S., with heat indices reaching into the 110 degree range. Some NWS Forecast Offices have already extended their heat advisories to last through the middle of next week. Source: NWS
Nearly two-thirds of Continental U.S. in drought condition
More than 42 percent of the lower 48 states were in SEVERE, EXTREME or EXCEPTIONAL Drought Conditions (D2-D4) as of July 17, 2012, a rise of over 5 percent since last week.
As of July 17, 2012, all of the Continental U.S. with the exception of Maine is experiencing Abnormally Dry or Drought Conditions (D0 -D4) in full or in parts of the states, a situation which has since worsened due to lack of precipitation and a heat wave in the past two days.
More than 81 percent of the Contiguous United States was Abnormally Dry or in Drought Conditions (D0 – D4).
U.S. Drought Map for July 17, 2012, released July 19.
Comparison Maps for July 10 and July 17, 2012.
U.S. Drought Comparison Maps for July 3 and July 10, 2012.
U.S. Drought Comparison Maps for June 26 and July 3, 2012
Dryness and drought, exacerbated by above-normal temperatures, have been increasing both in extent and intensity across much of the central and northern U.S.Source: NOAA/ NWS/ NCEP/ Climate Prediction Center
‘If I had a rain prayer or a rain dance …’ —Vilsack
U.S. drought intensifies as deadly heat plagues regions from Dakotas to Ohio Valley
‘Dangerous and deadly heat has entrenched itself in the central Plains and Midwest with no prospects of relief in the near future,’ said NOAA forecasters.
U.S. Weather Hazards Map, July 19, 2012. Source: NWS
Excessive Heat Warnings are in effect for parts of 10 states and into the weekend for parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Heat Advisories have been issued for parts of 19 states: South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island, NWS reported.
U.S. Daily Highest Max Temperature Records (July 17, 2012)
Highest Max Temp Reported
BURLINGTON 2S, DES MOINES, IA. New record: 107.0°F set on 2012-07-17; old record at 98.0°F dated 2006-07-17
Drought 2012
“If I had a rain prayer or a rain dance I could do, I would do it.”
USDA has now declared as primary disaster areas a total of about 1,300 counties [many other counties are designated as contiguous disaster areas ] across 29 states, as grain prices shoot through the roof due to deadly heat and unrelenting drought.
“I get on my knees everyday and I’m saying an extra prayer right now,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters after briefing with the Disaster President Obama. “If I had a rain prayer or a rain dance I could do, I would do it.”
Among nature’s extreme dislikes is the fact that more than 40 percent of the U.S. corn is used to produce ethanol.
Weekly drought statistics to be released by U.S. Drought Monitor later today could show more than two-thirds of Continental U.S. in drought condition.
By early July 2012, more than 60% of the contiguous United States was experiencing drought conditions, nearly double the area from early January. This NOAA animation shows monthly composites of D1 to D4 categories of drought in the contiguous U.S. over the time frame January 2012 to July 2012 using data from the U.S. Drought Monitor. The Drought Monitor summary map identifies general drought areas, labeling droughts by intensity, with D1 (lightest color) being the least intense and D4 (darkest color) being the most intense.
State of Emergency Declared in Wisconsin
Governor Walker has declared a state of emergency in all 72 Wisconsin counties due to drought and abnormally dry conditions extending across most of the state.
“Wisconsin families, businesses and farmers are hurting as a result of this drought,” said Gov. Walker. “The increase in wildfires due to the combined lack of rain and high temperatures is adding to the risk of major economic losses, especially in agriculture. This is a time of crisis for many people, and we will utilize whatever resources are necessary to help.”
On July 10, Walker declared a state of emergency in 42 southern and central counties.
Latest Disaster Declarations by USDA
USDA has issued Disaster Declarations due to damage and losses caused by drought and excessive heat that began in April 1, 2012, and continues in
Missouri: A total of 105 counties declared as agricultural disaster areas.
Arkansas: 5 counties
Illinois: 9 counties
Iowa: 10 counties
Kansas: 10 counties
Nebraska: 3 counties
Oklahoma: 2 counties
USDA designated ten Counties in Wyoming as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the recent drought.
All other Wyoming counties that would be eligible under 7 CFR 759.5 (a), already have been designated as primary natural disaster counties.
USDA designated 16 Counties in Utah as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the recent drought.
Arizona. The designation also extends to 2 contiguous counties in Arizona.
USDA Designates 5 Counties in Tennessee agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the recent drought.
Arkansas. The designation also extends to 2 contiguous counties in Arkansas.
Mississippi. Extends also to 2 counties in Mississippi.
USDA has designated 32 counties in Arkansas as agricultural natural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the recent drought.
Mississippi. No. of counties are contiguous disaster areas: 4
USDA has designated 7 counties in New Mexico as agricultural natural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the recent drought.
Arizona. Counties declared as contiguous disaster areas: 1
Latest Available Maps of Agricultural Disaster Areas in the U.S.
Map of U.S. counties declared as agricultural disaster areas under ‘Streamlined Disaster Designation Process,’ as of July 12, 2012
PRIMARY & CONTIGUOUS COUNTIES designated for 2012 crop disaster losses – As of 07/10/2012 – through Designation No. S3260 (Approved 07/03/2012)
Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events
Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain). A massive wildfire has consumed/affected about 2,000 hectares on the volcanic island of Tenerife forcing the authorities to evacuate 1,800 inhabitants of the small town of Vilaflor, as well as the residents of another village nearby, reports said.
Another large fire burned more than 500 hectares on the neighboring island of La Palma before it was brought under control on Tuesday, officials said.
Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Global CO2 emissions rose 3 percent to 34 billion tons, said a new EU report today.
China emits 29 percent of global total (9.7 billion tons), while the U.S. is responsible for 16 percent (5.42 billion tons), the EU11 percent, India 6 percent, Russia 5 percent and Japan 4 percent, according to the report.
Australia has the world’s largest per capita emissions at 19 tons, followed by the U.S. at 17.3 tons and Saudi Arabia at 16.5 tons per year.
The report was released by EC’s Joint Research Center (JRC) and the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency.
Serious drought conditions continue to creep across nearly two-thirds of the lower 48 states: USDA
Farmers and ranchers across most of the U.S. have been affected by a string of extreme weather in 2012, as serious drought conditions in the Midwest expands north and west, further worsening the crop conditions and putting even more crops at risk, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported.
“Hot, dry and drought conditions across states from California to Delaware have damaged some crops and slowed development of others.” USDA said in a news release, as the agency’s senior officials prepared to tour “Michigan, Ohio and Indiana—three states affected by severe frost and freezes in the spring, with Indiana now experiencing increasing levels of drought. In the weeks ahead, additional USDA subcabinet leaders will travel to Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and others.”
From a Crisis to a Horror Story
“We’re moving from a crisis to a horror story,” said a Purdue University Professor of Agronomy. “I see an increasing number of fields that will produce zero grain.”
Precipitation
Two-thirds of the Continental U.S. has received less than 1 inch of rain in the last 7 days. See below for 7-day and 90-day total precipitation maps.
Precipitation Map for continental U.S. (7-day total). Source: HPRCC
Precipitation Map for continental U.S. (90-day total). Source: HPRCC
Palmer Drought Index
Based on the Palmer Drought Index, 55 percent of Continental U.S. was under moderate to extreme drought conditions in June, NOAA reported.
Topsoil Moisture Map
U.S. Topsoil Moisture as of July 15, 2012
Corn Crop Condition
Corn conditions have further worsened since last week. The amount of corn rated as FAIR to EXCELLENT conditions have plummeted from 89 percent last year to only 62 percent.
Soybean Condition
Soybean conditions too have further worsened since last week. The amount of soybean rated as FAIR to EXCELLENT conditions have plummeted from 90 percent last year to only 70 percent.
Livestock, Pasture and Range Report
Pasture and range conditions: 24 percent very poor, 30 poor, 28 fair, 16 good, and 2 excellent. The rating was well below 68 percent fair to excellent last year.
U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook (July 5 to September 30, 2012)
Map of Agricultural Disaster Areas in the U.S. Map of U.S. counties declared as agricultural disaster areas under ‘Streamlined Disaster Designation Process,’ as of July 12, 2012
PRIMARY & CONTIGUOUS COUNTIES designated for 2012 crop disaster losses – As of 07/10/2012 – through Designation No. S3260 (Approved 07/03/2012)
Drought conditions have sparked disaster declarations in about 1,300 counties (1,016 primary, 278 contiguous) across the country, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported.
U.S. drought has been intensified by the driest June in history and triple-digit temperatures on 10 out of 11 days recently.
As of last week, Moderate to Extreme drought conditions prevailed in 52.56 percent of the Midwest, and 68.39 percent of the South. Moderate to Exceptional drought conditions covered 73.87% of High Plains, 64.15% of the West and 35.46% of the Southeast.
The declaration covers 26 states across the country: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wyoming and Hawaii.
Worsening Drought Conditions
Missouri. Worsening drought throughout Missouri has forced Gov. Nixon to ask the federal authorities for disaster declaration for all of the state’s 114 counties with the exception of independent city of St. Louis.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on Wednesday a ‘Streamlined Disaster Designation Process’ a USDA rule change for Secretarial disaster designations that will allow nearly automatically a county to be declared a disaster area once it is categorized by the U.S. Drought Monitor as a severe drought for eight consecutive weeks during the growing season.
Maps of U.S. Hazards Outlook
Map of U.S. Hazards Outlook for July 19 – 23, 2012, showing persistent severe drought.
Map of U.S. Hazards Outlook for July 20 – 26, 2012, showing persistent severe drought.
Map of U.S. Hazards Outlook to July 30, 2012, showing persistent severe drought.
U.S. Drought Comparison Maps for July 3 and July 10, 2012.
U.S. Drought Comparison Maps for June 26 and July 3, 2012
Current U.S. Drought Map – Released July 12, 2012.
Climate related disasters in 2012 could prove costliest in history
FIRE-EARTH estimates the losses and damage from Drought 2012 and other climate-related disasters this year could exceed the combined toll of all ‘natural disasters’ that have occurred in the U.S. since 1980.
Map of U.S. counties declared as agricultural disaster areas under ‘Streamlined Disaster Designation Process,’ as of July 12, 2012
PRIMARY & CONTIGUOUS COUNTIES designated for 2012 crop disaster losses – As of 07/10/2012 – through Designation No. S3260 (Approved 07/03/2012)
Drought conditions have sparked disaster declarations in about 1,300 counties (1,016 primary, 278 contiguous) across the country, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported.
U.S. drought has been intensified by the driest June in history and triple-digit temperatures on 10 out of 11 days recently.
As of last week, Moderate to Extreme drought conditions prevailed in 52.56 percent of the Midwest, and 68.39 percent of the South. Moderate to Exceptional drought conditions covered 73.87% of High Plains, 64.15% of the West and 35.46% of the Southeast.
The declaration covers 26 states across the country: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wyoming and Hawaii.
Worsening Drought Conditions
Missouri. Worsening drought throughout Missouri has forced Gov. Nixon to ask the federal authorities for disaster declaration for all of the state’s 114 counties with the exception of independent city of St. Louis.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on Wednesday a ‘Streamlined Disaster Designation Process’ a USDA rule change for Secretarial disaster designations that will allow nearly automatically a county to be declared a disaster area once it is categorized by the U.S. Drought Monitor as a severe drought for eight consecutive weeks during the growing season.
Drought Map for Missouri as of July 10, 2012. Source: Drought Monitor Archives
Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events
Kyushu, Japan. Flooding and landslides on the island of Kyushu have left dozens of people dead or missing.
At least 250,000 people are under mandatory evacuation orders, with an additional 150,000 advised to abandon their homes.
The evacuation orders affect the entire cities of Miyama, Yame and Yanagawa.
The worst affected areas are Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Ōita and Saga prefectures.
The city of Aso in Kumamoto prefecture received 754mm (~ 30 inches) in under 72 hours.
Many rivers have burst their banks in the affected areas, unleashing deadly torrents of water, mud and debris throughout the region.
Severe frost and freeze in April, ongoing drought prompt agricultural disaster declarations across 11 states
Losses and damage caused to crops due to severe frost and freeze in April, as well as the ongoing drought across most of the U.S. have prompted USDA to declare agricultural disaster areas in dozens of U.S. counties across 11 states.
Damage and losses caused by drought that began in April 2012 and continues prompted USDA to issue disaster declaration in
Arkansas: 30 counties
Missouri: 6 counties
Georgia. USDA has designated a total of 30 counties in Georgia as both primary and contiguous natural disaster areas in two separate declaration due to frost, freeze, hail and high winds that occurred in April and May 2012.
Six counties in North Carolina (4), South Carolina (1) and Tennessee (1), are also designated as disaster areas because they are contiguous.
Iowa. USDA has designated 43 counties in Iowa as both primary and contiguous natural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by severe frosts and freezes that occurred April 6-30, 2012.
Nine counties in Illinois (4), Missouri (1), Nebraska (2) and Wisconsin (2) are also designated as disaster areas because they are contiguous.
Map of U.S. Hazards Outlook for July 20 – 26, 2012, showing persistent severe drought.
Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events
Japan: Extreme Rain Events. Dozens are dead or missing on Kyushu island in western Japan, after extreme rain events, which began late Wednesday, spawned severe flooding and multiple landslides.
A record 500 mm of rain fell over a 24-hour period on Aso, Kumamoto prefecture, while scores of homes in neighboring Minami-Aso were destroyed and many more damaged by landslides.
In Kyushu’s Kumamoto and neighboring Oita prefectures, hourly rainfalls of 106mm were recorded, Japan’s meteorological agency said, while warning of additional rainfall.
Up to 150,000 people in about 35,000 households were under mandatory evacuation orders.
Moscow, Russia. Freak storm pounded Moscow, flooding the the historic center of the Russian capital on Friday, said a report.
At least two people were killed after lightning struck them.
Further storms could strike throughout the weekend, meteorologist warned.
Black clouds spawned deadly lightning and massive rainstorm over Moscow. Image by twitter user @OksanaGon4arov, via RT.
Drought Conditions Expand by 5 Percent in Continental U.S.
Moderate to Exceptional Drought conditions (D1 – D4) prevail in 60.84 percent of the Contiguous United States, a rise of about 5 percent from last week.
Abnormally Dry to Exceptional Drought conditions (D0 – D4) cover 80 percent of the United States, the largest area hit by drought than at any other time since the U.S. Drought Monitor began more than 12 years ago—breaking the previous national drought record set only last week…
Current U.S. Drought Map – Released July 12, 2012.
Half of the U.S. declared agricultural disaster area due to worsening drought
Drought conditions have sparked disaster declarations in more than 1,300 counties (1,016 primary, 278 contiguous) across the country, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported.
U.S. drought has been intensified by the driest June in history and triple-digit temperatures on 10 out of 11 days recently.
As of last week, Moderate to Extreme drought conditions prevailed in 52.56 percent of the Midwest, and 68.39 percent of the South. Moderate to Exceptional drought conditions covered 73.87% of High Plains, 64.15% of the West and 35.46% of the Southeast.
The declaration covers 26 states across the country: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wyoming and Hawaii.
Map of U.S. counties declared as agricultural disaster areas.
In addition to the 1,016 primary disaster areas, 278 other counties have been designated as contiguous disaster areas (see map above).
[NOTE: There are 3,033 organized county or county-equivalent governments in the U.S. Source: U.S. Department of Commerce –Census Bureau]
U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook (July 5 to September 30, 2012)
Corn Conditions
Thirty percent of the corn in the 18 states that produce most of the U.S. crop is now in poor or very poor condition, up from 22% last week, USDA reported.
The amount of corn considered to be in excellent or good condition has dropped to 40 percent this week down from 48 percent last week.
Sixty percent or more of the crop has been rated poor to very poor in Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee.
Corn Condition – Selected States: Week Ending July 8, 2012. The 18 states planted 92% of 2011 acreage. Source: Crop Progress – Released July 9, 2012, by NASS/USDA.
Original caption: 
Fire Earth 
