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 ...

.

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 ...

.

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 ...

.

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 ...

.

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!