Drought Affecting 2.7 Million Households in South Africa

Five SA provinces have already been declared drought disaster areas

Authorities have declared drought disaster in five South African provinces—Limpopo, North West, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga—as worst drought on record continues to plague much of the country.

Drought has decimated the nation’s agricultural output, killing livestock, pushing up food prices and increasing unemployment.

Speaking to the parliament, President Zuma said the drought issue was a big problem affecting millions of people across the country.

“The impact on the agricultural sector is severe and it will affect us for a long time to come.

“Farmers are facing serious challenge of dying livestock due to the drought… fact is, the drought is here…”

Related Stories

• Zuma on corruption and drought
• Worst drought on record spells disaster for Jacob Zuma’s dysfunctional presidency
• At least R20bn will be needed to import maize – Grain SA

2013 U.S. Drought Disaster Map

Drought Disaster Covers All or Parts of 28 States

As of July 31, 2013 some 1,295 U.S. counties were designated as drought disaster areas. [The figure includes both primary and contiguous disaster designations.]

U.S. Drought Disaster Map as of July 31, 2013.  At least 1,295 counties, or 41% of all counties*, were designated as drought disaster areas. [The figure includes both primary and contiguous disaster designations.] Source: USDA. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH.

*[U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.]

Related Links

• Disaster Declared for 98 Counties in 9 States August 1, 2013
• Drought Disaster 2013 [Index Page]

Drought Disaster Declared for Montana Counties

Five Montana Counties Declared Agricultural Disaster Areas Due to Worsening Drought

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated five additional Montana counties as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the expanding drought.

The designated counties, both primary and contiguous disaster areas, include Silver Bow, Beaverhead, Deer Lodge, Jefferson and Madison counties.

All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas July 24, 2013, said USDA.

As of July 24, 2013 at least 1,278 U.S. counties were designated as primary or contiguous agricultural disaster areas due to the ongoing drought (see map below).

U.S. Drought Disaster Map as of July 24, 2013. A total of at least 1,278 counties across 28 states are currently designated as [primary or contiguous] drought disaster areas.

Related Links

• U.S. Drought Expands for 5th Straight Week  July 18, 2013
• Agricultural Disaster Declared in 3 States July 18, 2013

• Disaster Declared for 61 Counties in 5 States July 12, 2013
• Disaster Declared for 140 Counties in 10 States July 4, 2013
• Major Disaster Declared in 47 Iowa Counties  July 3, 2013
• Agricultural Disasters 2013 [Index Page]
• China to Become Top Wheat Importer after Major Crop Disaster July 17, 2013

 

• U-S Drought 2013: Fueled by Heat from Hell? January 31, 2013 [FIRE-EARTH Forecast]
• US: Drought Disaster 2013 [Index Page]

 

Disaster Declared for 27 Counties in Three States

Drought Disaster Declared for 10 Counties in California and Arizona

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated eight counties in California as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the ongoing drought.

• The disaster declaration lists Imperial, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties as primary disaster areas, and Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego and San Luis Obispo as contiguous disaster areas.

• Additionally two counties in Arizona—La Paz and Yuma—have also been designated as contiguous disaster areas.

Georgia Disaster Areas

In a separate disaster declaration, USDA has designated a total of 13 counties in Georgia as primary or contiguous  natural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive rain, high winds and hail that occurred from Feb. 24 – March 24, 2013.

• Those counties are Evans, Montgomery, Tattnall, Treutlen, Appling, Candler, Johnson, Long, Bryan, Emanuel, Laurens, Toombs, Bulloch, Jeff Davis, Liberty, Wayne and Wheeler.

-oOo-

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Singapore smog from Indonesia fires continued to choke the city-state

Haze caused by forest fires in Indonesia enveloped Singapore, pushing  the pollution standards index to 371 on Thursday.

Parts of Malaysia have also been shrouded in “hazardous” pollution levels, prompting the authorities to close hundreds of schools in the south.

Air Quality Index for Singapore, June 20, 2013 @ 12:00UTC. Sources:
Meteorological Service Singapore; http://aqicn.org Composite image by FEWW.

Prelude to more serious events?

Our colleagues at EDRO believe that the collapse of Singapore may occur as a result of volcanic activity on the island of Sumatra. However, they have not disclosed any further detail.

Map of Singapore smog. Source: ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Center/ Meteorological Service Singapore via BBC

-oOo-

Bolivia declares a state of emergency amid nationwide drought

The Bolivian government has declared a state of national emergency due to drought in the departments of Chuquisaca, Santa Cruz, Tarija and Cochabamba.

The drought has so far destroyed 84,000 hectares of crops and affected 16,000 families.

“To date, we have 16,000 families affected in the Bolivian Chaco region in Chuquisaca, Tarijo and Santa Cruz, and 226,000 head of cattle as well as 806,000 hectares of crops are at risk,” Deputy Minister of Civil Defense Oscar Cabrera told reporters.

Meantime, cold weather has affected six departments in the south and west. Frost has caused crop losses in the departments of Oruro, Potosi and La Paz located on the high plateau, as well as the valley regions Tarija, Chuquisaca and Cochabamba, added Cabera.

-oOo-

Beijing’s Air Pollution Again Rises to “Very Unhealthy”

“Death Penalty” for China’s Polluters

Meantime, China’s “supreme court and procuratorate jointly issued the new judicial explanation on Tuesday that imposes harsher punishments on polluters. In the most serious cases the death penalty could be handed down,” said a report.

.

DISASTER CALENDAR – June 20, 2013 — 
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN:

996 Days Left 

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 996 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human  History

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity [To be updated.]
• WARNING: RAPID PLANETARY DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

Drought Disaster Declared for 72 Counties in 9 States

Drought Disaster Plagues at least 1,260 Counties across the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 72 additional counties in nine states as agricultural disaster areas due to the ongoing drought.

The latest designations including both primary and contiguous disaster areas are:-

• Texas:   Total of  20 counties including Aransas, Atascosa, Crane, Bexar, Ector, La Salle a, Medin, Refugio, Ward, Calhoun, Frio, Live Oak, Neuces, San Patricio, Wilson, Crockett, Karnes, McMullen, Pecos and Upton.
• Utah: 13 Counties including Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, Beaver, Emery, Juab, Utah, Carbon, Garfield, Millard, Wayne Rich and Summit.
• Montana:  9 Counties including Jefferson, Madison, Beaverhead, Deer Lodge, Lewis and Clark, Silver Bow, Broadwater, Gallatin and Powell.
• Idaho:  7 Counties including Canyon, Owyhee, Payette, Washington, Bear Lake, Bonneville and Cariboulll.
• Nebraska:  6 Counties including Nuckolls, Adams, Clay, Fillmore, Thayer and Webster.
• Nevada: 6 Counties including Humboldt, Eureka, Elko, Lander, Nye and White Pine.
• Wyoming: Lincoln, Uinta, Sublette, Sweetwater and Teton counties.
• Oregon: Malheur, Baker, Grant and Harney counties.
• Kansas: Adams and Clay counties.

U.S. Drought Disaster Map as of May 29, 2013. A total of at least 1,260 counties across 28 states are currently designated as [primary or contiguous] drought disaster areas.

Related Links

• Drought Disaster Declared for 28 Additional Counties in 3 States May 23, 2013
• U-S Drought 2013: Fueled by Heat from Hell? January 31, 2013 [FIRE-EARTH Forecast]
• US: Drought Disaster 2013 [Index Page]

Disaster Declared for 119 Counties in 10 States

Drought Disaster Declared for 103 Counties, Freeze and Frost for 16

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared agricultural disaster for 119 counties across 10 states.

• 103 counties across 9 states have been designated as Drought Disaster areas, both primary and contiguous, due to damages and losses caused by the ongoing drought. Those states are Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming

• 16 additional counties across two states have been declared disaster areas due to losses caused by frosts and freezes that occurred March 26-29, 2013. Those states are Florida and Georgia.

U.S. Drought Disaster Map as of May 8, 2013. A total of at least 1,231 counties across 28 states are currently designated as [primary or contiguous] drought disaster areas.

Related Links

• Drought Disaster Declared for 37 Counties in 5 States April 25, 2013

• U-S Drought 2013: Fueled by Heat from Hell? January 31, 2013 [FIRE-EARTH Forecast]
• Drought Disaster Declared in 32 Additional Texas Counties April 4, 2013
• US: Drought Disaster 2013 [Index Page]

Drought Disaster Spreads to Counties in 5 States

40 additional counties across five states declared drought disaster areas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 40 additional counties across five states as primary or contiguous disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the ongoing drought.

• The disaster areas spread across Arizona (10 counties), Florida (15), Nevada (1), Texas (11) and Utah (3).

U.S. Drought Disaster Map as of May 1, 2013. A total of at least 1,183 counties across 27 states are currently designated as agricultural [primary or contiguous] disaster areas.

Related Links

• Drought Disaster Declared for 37 Counties in 5 States April 25, 2013

• U-S Drought 2013: Fueled by Heat from Hell? January 31, 2013 [FIRE-EARTH Forecast]
• Drought Disaster Declared in 32 Additional Texas Counties April 4, 2013
• US: Drought Disaster 2013 [Index Page]

U.S. Drought: Little Change Despite Snowstorms

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,164 Days Left 

[January 3, 2013] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,164 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

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Global Disasters/ Significant Events

About 73 percent of U.S. ‘Abnormally Dry’ or worse

More than 61 percent of the U.S. remained in ‘Moderate’ or worse drought conditions (D1 to D4 on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale), as of January 1, 2013.

U.S. Drought Map for January 1, 2013.  Released January 3, 2013 by U.S. Drought Monitor

Recent Drought Links

• U.S. Drought Persists Despite Snow December 21, 2012
• Drought Continues to Expand through U.S. Farming Region December 14, 2012
• Drought Continues to Expand through Central U.S. December 7, 2012

• US: Dozens of Additional Counties Designated Disaster Areas December 4, 2012
• U.S. Drought: 54 Additional Counties Declared Drought Disaster Areas Posted  November 2, 2012
• U.S. Counties Declared Disaster Areas October 25, 2012
• U.S. drought retreats fractionally, expected to persist through winter October 19, 2012
• U.S. Crop Disaster Losses Spreads to 2,673 Counties October 18, 2012
  
• Drought Disaster Spreads to 2,423 U.S. Counties October 12, 2012
• U.S. Drought: Little Change! October 4, 2012

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

U.S. Drought Spreads

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,170 Days Left 

[December 28, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,170 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Drought spreads fractionally across the U.S.

Abnormally Dry or worse drought conditions (D0 to D4 levels on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale) spread to 73.84 of continental U.S. as of December 25 fractionally higher than the previous week (73.79%), while moderate to severe drought (D1 to D4) expanded to 61.82 percent of the country.

U.S. Drought Map for December 25, 2012. Released December 27 by U.S. Drought Monitor

Additional Counties Designated as Drought Disaster Areas

• California.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 30 counties in California as disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by drought that began Jan. 1, 2012, and continues. The designation includes 6 counties as primary disaster areas and 24 others as secondary disaster areas.

• Texas.  USDA has also designated 12 counties in Texas as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the recent drought. The designation include 2 counties as primary and 10 others as secondary disaster areas.

Recent Drought Links

• U.S. Drought Persists Despite Snow December 21, 2012
• Drought Continues to Expand through U.S. Farming Region December 14, 2012
• Drought Continues to Expand through Central U.S. December 7, 2012

• US: Dozens of Additional Counties Designated Disaster Areas December 4, 2012
• U.S. Drought: 54 Additional Counties Declared Drought Disaster Areas Posted  November 2, 2012
• U.S. Counties Declared Disaster Areas October 25, 2012
• U.S. drought retreats fractionally, expected to persist through winter October 19, 2012
• U.S. Crop Disaster Losses Spreads to 2,673 Counties October 18, 2012
  
• Drought Disaster Spreads to 2,423 U.S. Counties October 12, 2012
• U.S. Drought: Little Change! October 4, 2012

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

U.S. Drought Persists Despite Snow

Nearly 74% of the U.S. remains abnormally dry or worse, despite  snowstorms 

“The snow is good, but in most instances it was less than one inch of liquid and if the soils are frozen, there will be little infiltration,” said a climatologist with the National Drought Mitigation Center.

• High Plains:  Severe drought covered 86.20% of the High Plains as of December 18, 2012, up from 86.12% percent the previous week , While extreme drought spread to 59.98% of the region, up from 58.39% and exceptional drought area increased to 26.99%, up from 26.91%.

• Contiguous United States:  About 61.79% of Continental U.S. was in moderate to exceptional drought (D1 to D4 on the Drought Monitor Scale), a marginal improvement from 61.87% on December 11.

U.S. Drought Map for December 18, 2012. Released December 20 by U.S. Drought Monitor

Drought Links

• Drought Continues to Expand through Central U.S. December 7, 2012

• US: Dozens of Additional Counties Designated Disaster Areas December 4, 2012
• U.S. Drought: 54 Additional Counties Declared Drought Disaster Areas Posted  November 2, 2012
• U.S. Counties Declared Disaster Areas October 25, 2012
• U.S. drought retreats fractionally, expected to persist through winter October 19, 2012
• U.S. Crop Disaster Losses Spreads to 2,673 Counties October 18, 2012
  
• Drought Disaster Spreads to 2,423 U.S. Counties October 12, 2012
• U.S. Drought: Little Change! October 4, 2012

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Drought Continues to Expand through U.S. Farming Region

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,184 Days Left 

[December 14, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,184 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

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Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Drought affecting about two-thirds of U.S. new winter wheat crop

As of December 11, 2012 ‘severe’ to ‘exceptional’ drought levels (D3 – D5 on the U.S. Drought Monitor Scale ) pervaded through 42.59% of continental United States, up from 42.22% a week earlier.

• Some 61.87 percent of the contiguous United States was in at least ‘Moderate’ drought, down from 62.37 percent the previous week.

U.S. Drought Map for December 11, 2012. Release December 13 by U.S. Drought Monitor

Map of the U.S. Counties Designated as Drought Disaster Areas

As of December 12, 2012, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) had designated as drought disaster areas  a total of 2,735 counties throughout  the country. The designations included 2,300 counties declared primary disaster areas and 435 additional counties as contiguous disaster areas.

U.S. Drought Disaster Map for December 12, 2012.

Drought Links

• Drought Continues to Expand through Central U.S. December 7, 2012

• US: Dozens of Additional Counties Designated Disaster Areas December 4, 2012
• U.S. Drought: 54 Additional Counties Declared Drought Disaster Areas Posted  November 2, 2012
• U.S. Counties Declared Disaster Areas October 25, 2012
• U.S. drought retreats fractionally, expected to persist through winter October 19, 2012
• U.S. Crop Disaster Losses Spreads to 2,673 Counties October 18, 2012
  
• Drought Disaster Spreads to 2,423 U.S. Counties October 12, 2012
• U.S. Drought: Little Change! October 4, 2012

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Drought Continues to Expand through Central U.S.

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,191 Days Left 

[December 7, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,191 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

‘Abnormally Dry’ to ‘Exceptional Drought’ conditions plague more than ¾ of Contiguous United States

More than 76 percent of Contiguous United States was covered by Abnormally Dry to Exceptional Drought conditions, as of December 4, 2012, U.S. Drought Monitor said.

• The ongoing drought is seriously impacting winter wheat crop and restricting the movement of essential commodities along receding waterways.
  • Drought conditions in the South have expanded by 5 percent, covering additional parts of Texas, Oklahoma,  Missouri, Louisiana and Kansas.
  • The winter wheat conditions are worse than any November on record, USDA reported.
  • More than 65 percent of the new winter wheat crop is in drought areas.
  • Many producers may be forced to abandon the crop due to its extremely poor condition, USDA said.

• Record high temperatures kept 2012 on track for the warmest year on record, NOAA said.
  • The year-to-date has been the warmest first 11 months of any year on record for the contiguous United States.

• Nebraska remained the worst hit state with 100% of the area plagued by Severe to Exception Drought conditions (D2 – D4 on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale).

Drought Links

• US: Dozens of Additional Counties Designated Disaster Areas December 4, 2012
• U.S. Drought: 54 Additional Counties Declared Drought Disaster Areas Posted  November 2, 2012
• U.S. Counties Declared Disaster Areas October 25, 2012
• U.S. drought retreats fractionally, expected to persist through winter October 19, 2012
• U.S. Crop Disaster Losses Spreads to 2,673 Counties October 18, 2012
  
• Drought Disaster Spreads to 2,423 U.S. Counties October 12, 2012
• U.S. Drought: Little Change! October 4, 2012

US: Dozens of Additional Counties Designated Disaster Areas

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,194 Days Left 

[December 4, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,194 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

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Global Disasters/ Significant Events

USDA declares counties across 9 states disaster areas

Drought, excessive heat, unseasonably warm and cold weather, and Hurricane Sandy prompts USDA to declare 163 counties across nine states as agricultural disaster areas.

• The designated disaster areas are in the states of California (4 counties as both primary and contiguous disaster areas), Illinois (3), Michigan (3), Minnesota (6), New York (57), Pennsylvania (9), Vermont (2), Virginia (7) and  Wisconsin (72 counties).

• Some 2,709 counties across 45 states and D.C. are currently designated as agricultural disaster areas due to the ongoing drought.  [Note: Drought disaster designations include both primary and contiguous disaster areas,  2,268 and 441 counties respectively. ]

U.S. Drought Disaster Map.  This USDA map is incomplete because it does NOT show all 2,709 counties across the 45 states and D.C. that are currently designated as Drought Disaster Areas. For a recent update see List of Designated Drought Disaster Counties (PDF, 581KB)

U.S. Precipitation Chart, 26 November – 2 December 2012. Source: HPRCC

Highlights from November Drought Update (CPC/NOAA)

• Drought impacts to persist into winter and spring

• Mississippi River barge traffic being impacted by low flows above the Ohio River

• Severe impacts on agriculture, water supplies, river transportation and energy sectors expected if drought persists into next year

• 36% of  lower 48 currently in severe or worse drought

• Exceptional to Extreme Drought persists in Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas

• Extreme Drought persists in parts of Minnesota and Iowa

• 53% of Midwest still in the Moderate to Exceptional range – substantial improvements across the east

• 2012 remains the worst agricultural drought since 1988

U.S. Rain Map  18 – 24 Nov. 2012.  Source: CPC/NOAA

Drought Links

• U.S. Drought: 54 Additional Counties Declared Drought Disaster Areas Posted  November 2, 2012
• U.S. Counties Declared Disaster Areas October 25, 2012
• U.S. drought retreats fractionally, expected to persist through winter October 19, 2012
• U.S. Crop Disaster Losses Spreads to 2,673 Counties October 18, 2012
  
• Drought Disaster Spreads to 2,423 U.S. Counties October 12, 2012
• U.S. Drought: Little Change! October 4, 2012

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

U.S. Drought Deepens

About 76 percent of continental United States abnormally dry or worse

‘Abnormally Dry’ to ‘Exceptional Drought’ conditions cover nearly 76 percent of contiguous U.S., an increase of more than 2 percent since last week.

U.S. Drought Map for November 27, 2012. Released by US Drought Monitor  November 29, 2012.

U.S. Weekly Rain Map.  Source: HPRCC

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

U.S. Drought Widens Over Past Week

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,206 Days Left 

[November 22, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,206 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

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Global Disasters/ Significant Events

‘Abnormally Dry’ to ‘Exceptional Drought’ conditions cover nearly 74 percent of contiguous U.S.

Extreme and Exceptional drought plague the Great Plains including virtually all of Nebraska and Kansas.

U.S. Drought Map, November 20, 2012. Released by US Drought Monitor on November 21, 2012.

Highlights from the weekly Drought Monitor Report:

• Nearly 94% of High Plains is now in drought with more than 84% of the region plagued by ‘Severe’ to ‘Exceptional’ drought levels.

• More than three-quarters of Texas is in at least a ‘Moderate’ drought, with about nearly half the state covered by ‘Severe’ or worse drought conditions.

• More than 72% of the West, 61% of the South, 30% of the Southeast and 52% of the Midwest are in drought.

Weekly Precipitation Map (November 14 – 20, 2012)

U.S. Weekly Rain Map.  Source: HPRCC

Other related stories

• ‘Thieves are stealing thousands of dollars in hay bales in central Kansas amid a drought that has tightened supplies and driven up prices.’
• Wheat Crop Hit Hard by Drought

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

United States: Drought Persists

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,212 Days Left 

[November 16, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,212 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

U.S. Drought persists despite rain: Drought Monitor

As of November 13, about ¾ of contiguous United States remains Abnormally Dry or worse  according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

U.S. Drought Map, November 13, 2012. Released by US Drought Monitor on November 15, 2012.

U.S. Rain Map: Total precipitation (inches),  4 – 10 Nov 2012.

Highlights from November Drought Update (CPC/NOAA)

• Drought impacts to persist into winter and spring

• Mississippi River barge traffic being impacted by low flows above the Ohio River

• Severe impacts on agriculture, water supplies, river transportation and energy sectors expected if drought persists into next year

• 36% of  lower 48 currently in severe or worse drought

• Exceptional to Extreme Drought persists in Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas

• Extreme Drought persists in parts of Minnesota and Iowa

• 53% of Midwest still in the Moderate to Exceptional range – substantial improvements across the east

• 2012 remains the worst agricultural drought since 1988

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

U.S. Drought Intensifies in the Plains

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,219 Days Left 

[November 9, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,219 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Middle America: Persistent hot and dry conditions hurting winter wheat crop

Abnormally Dry to Exceptional Drought conditions continue to affect 72.52 percent of the contiguous US as Exceptional Drought level widens, US Drought Monitor reported.

U.S. Drought Map, November 6, 2012. Released by US Drought Monitor on November 8, 2012.

U.S. Soil Moisture – Daily Soil Moisture Anomaly – USDA/NOAA

Drought Disaster Spreads  to 2,709 Counties Across the U.S.

USDA has designated additional counties in North Dakota and Montana as Drought Disaster Areas.  A total of 2,709 Counties across the country are currently designated as Drought Disaster Areas. The total includes 2,266 primary and 443 contiguous counties.

U.S. Drought Disaster Map.  This USDA map is incomplete because it does NOT show all 2,709 counties across the country that are currently designated as Drought Disaster Areas. For a recent update see List of Designated Drought Disaster Counties (PDF, 581KB)

CONTINUED…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!

U.S. Drought: 54 Additional Counties Declared Drought Disaster Areas

USDA designates 2,699 counties drought disaster areas

The drought disaster count increases to 2,699 counties [includes 2,260 primary, and 439 contiguous counties] from 2,645 counties previous week.

Drought Disaster Map.  The above map provided by USDA is incomplete. For a recent list of drought disaster areas see List of Designated Drought Disaster Counties (PDF, 579KB)

U.S. Drought Map

U.S. Drought Map, October 30, 2012. Released by US Drought Monitor on November 1, 2012.

Drought Links

• U.S. Counties Declared Disaster Areas October 25, 2012
• U.S. drought retreats fractionally, expected to persist through winter October 19, 2012
• U.S. Crop Disaster Losses Spreads to 2,673 Counties October 18, 2012
  
• Drought Disaster Spreads to 2,423 U.S. Counties October 12, 2012
• U.S. Drought: Little Change! October 4, 2012

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!

U.S. Counties Declared Disaster Areas

Dozens of counties across 13 states designated agricultural disaster areas

USDA has designated 151 additional counties (includes both primary and contiguous designations and some duplications) across 13 states as agricultural disaster areas. All but 9 of the designations were due to drought and excessive heat.

The states are Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Vermont and Utah.

• USDA has now designated a total of 2,645 counties as agricultural disaster areas thus far in 2012 [includes 2,206  counties listed as primary and 439 as contiguous disaster areas.] The designations extend across the lower 48, Hawaii and D.C.

[NOTE: The disaster list represents 85 percent of all 3,143 counties and county-equivalents in the U.S.]

DROUGHT DISASTER MAP. All Drought Disaster Incidents as of 10/24/2012- Map provided by USDA Farm Service Agency Production, Emergencies and Compliance Division.

• See also: List of Designated Drought Disaster Counties (PDF, 574KB)

Additional Drought Information

• Drought is expected to persist into winter across most of Rockies, Great Plains and Midwest.
• More than two-thirds of winter wheat is currently in drought
• Up to 55% of crops are in poor to very poor conditions

U.S. Drought Map, October 23, 2012. Released by US Drought Monitor on October 23, 2012.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!

Aditional U.S. Counties Declared Disaster Areas

U.S. Drought Update

U.S. drought retreats fractionally, expected to persist through winter

Abnormally Dry to Exceptional Drought conditions (D0 to D4 drought levels on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale) now cover 74.98 percent of Continental United States, down from 76.72 percent last week, due to multiple storm system moving across the country.

U.S. Drought Map

U.S. Drought Map, October 16, 2012. Released by US Drought Monitor on October 18, 2012.

“The large majority” of the drought is expected to persist, however, and spread westward, said deputy director of NOAA.

“We even see drought expanding westward … into Montana, Idaho and part of Oregon and Washington.” He said.

Forecasters at NOAA also predict a dryer-than-usual and warmer winter.

“The main issues facing the U.S. going into this (winter) outlook period stem from persistent heat and drought,” chief of climate monitoring at NCDC told Reuters. “It is likely that 2012 will be the warmest of the 118-year record for the contiguous United States.”

2012 Drought Disaster Update

USDA has designated 2,673 counties as agricultural disaster areas. The designations, which extend across 47 states and D.C., include 2,234 counties listed as primary and 439 as contiguous disaster areas, as of October 17, 2012.

Total All Crop Approved Designations Disaster Incidents as of 10/17/2012- USDA Farm Service Agency Production, Emergencies and Compliance Division.   NOTE: The above map does NOT appear to have been fully updated.

CONTINUED…

U.S. Crop Disaster Losses Spreads to 2,673 Counties

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,241 Days Left 

[October 18, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. 

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,241 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

.

WARNING: The United States is now one major disaster away from the onset of large scale collapse!

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

U.S. Drought Disaster Plagues 2,673 Counties across 47 States and DC

USDA has designated 2,673 counties as agricultural disaster areas. The designations, which extend across 47 states and D.C., include 2,234 counties listed as primary and 439 as contiguous disaster areas, as of October 17, 2012. 

[NOTE: The disaster list represents 85 percent of all 3,143 counties and county-equivalents in the U.S.]

List of of the states included in the USDA disaster designations:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and District of Columbia.

Total All Crop Approved Designations Disaster Incidents as of 10/17/2012- USDA Farm Service Agency Production, Emergencies and Compliance Division. NOTE: The above map does NOT appear to have been updated.

• See also: List of Designated Drought Disaster Counties (PDF, 574KB)

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!

Drought Disaster Spreads to 2,423 U.S. Counties

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,251 Days Left

[October 12, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. 

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,251 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

U.S. Drought Continues Worsening

U.S. areas covered by various drought levels increased by about 1 percent since last week. D0 to D4 drought levels now cover 76.72 percent of Contiguous United States. 

U.S. Drought Map, October 9, 2012. Released by US Drought Monitor on October 11, 2012.

2012 Drought Disaster Update

USDA has declared 2,423 counties across the country as [primary and contiguous] agricultural disaster areas so far this year.

U.S. Drought Disaster Designation Map as of October 10, 2012.

See also: List of Designated Drought Disaster Counties

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!

U.S. Drought: Little Change!

U.S. drought areas change less than 1 percent since a week ago

As of October 2, 2012, Abnormally Dry to Exceptional Drought levels (drought conditions D0 – D4 on the US Drought Monitor chart) covered 75.90% of Contiguous U.S. compared with 76.59% a week ago, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

U.S. Drought Map, October 2, 2012. 

Previous Drought Maps

• U.S. Drought Intensifies Posted  September 27, 2012
• U.S. Drought Disaster Grows Posted September 21, 2012
• U.S. Drought Persists Posted  September 13, 2012

Drought – Recent Links

• U.S. Disaster Areas Expand as Drought Deepens Posted August 1, 2012
• Extreme and Exceptional Drought Spread Across Midwest, South Posted August 2, 2012
• Wildfires Destroy Oklahoma Town Posted August 5, 2012

• Watching Events Unfold, Frame by Frame, Exactly as Forecast Posted July 20, 2012
• Deadly Heat Continues to Devour U.S. Crops Posted July 19, 2012

• Drought Continues to Plague Two-Thirds of Continental U.S. Posted July 17, 2012
• Largest Ever U.S. Disaster Continues Unfolding July 14, 2012
• Drought 2012 Posted on January 8, 2012
• Drought and deluge 

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!

U.S. Drought Persists

Drought conditions in contiguous U.S. spread, intensify by about 1 percent

About four-fifth of the contiguous United States still faces drought conditions in spite of marginal relief from rains generated by TS ISAAC.

As of September 11, 2012, Abnormally Dry to Exceptional Drought levels (drought conditions D0 – D4 on the US Drought Monitor chart) covered 78.53% of Contiguous U.S., 80.57% of Hawaii, 29.28% of Alaska and 33.34% of Puerto Rico, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

U.S. Drought Map, September 11, 2012.  

Related Links

• U.S. Drought Disaster Plagues Additional Counties in 19 States Posted  September 6, 2012
• Drought and Deluge Disasters Declared Posted  September 1, 2012
• U.S. Disaster Impact Leaps 24 Folds Posted August 1, 2012
• Disaster Declared for 142 U.S. Counties Posted August 23, 2012

Drought – Recent Links

• U.S. Disaster Areas Expand as Drought Deepens Posted August 1, 2012
• Extreme and Exceptional Drought Spread Across Midwest, South Posted August 2, 2012
• Wildfires Destroy Oklahoma Town Posted August 5, 2012

• Watching Events Unfold, Frame by Frame, Exactly as Forecast Posted July 20, 2012
• Deadly Heat Continues to Devour U.S. Crops Posted July 19, 2012

• Drought Continues to Plague Two-Thirds of Continental U.S. Posted July 17, 2012
• Largest Ever U.S. Disaster Continues Unfolding July 14, 2012
• Drought 2012 Posted on January 8, 2012
• Drought and deluge 

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Global Warning

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!

U.S. Drought Disaster Plagues Additional Counties in 19 States

Hundreds of additional counties across 19 states declared disaster areas

About 400 additional counties* across 19 states have been declared agricultural disaster areas, mostly due to the ongoing drought, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The disasters have occurred in the following states:

• California, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wyoming.

[NOTE: The above figure includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.  Duplications have occurred due to multiple disaster designations.]

U.S. Drought Disaster Map, September 5, 2012. Source: USDA. Edited for brevity by FIRE-EARTH.

U.S. Drought Map, September 4, 2012.

As of September 4, 2012, Abnormally Dry to Exceptional Drought levels (drought conditions D0 – D4 on the US Drought Montor chart) covered 77.69% of Contiguous U.S., 80.57% of Hawaii, 29.28% of Alaska and 33.34% of Puerto Rico, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Related Links

• Drought and Deluge Disasters Declared Posted  September 1, 2012

• U.S. Disaster Impact Leaps 24 Folds Posted August 1, 2012
• Disaster Declared for 142 U.S. Counties Posted August 23, 2012

Drought – Recent Links

• U.S. Disaster Areas Expand as Drought Deepens Posted August 1, 2012
• Extreme and Exceptional Drought Spread Across Midwest, South Posted August 2, 2012
• Wildfires Destroy Oklahoma Town Posted August 5, 2012

• Watching Events Unfold, Frame by Frame, Exactly as Forecast Posted July 20, 2012
• Deadly Heat Continues to Devour U.S. Crops Posted July 19, 2012

• Drought Continues to Plague Two-Thirds of Continental U.S. Posted July 17, 2012
• Largest Ever U.S. Disaster Continues Unfolding July 14, 2012
• Drought 2012 Posted on January 8, 2012
• Drought and deluge 

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Global Warning

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!