U.S. Drought Expands

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
DROUGHT
CROP DISASTERS
NIGHTMARE SCENARIO 03
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Extreme and Exceptional Drought Levels Expand in the U.S.

About 50.17 percent of Contiguous U.S. is covered by Drought Levels D0 – D4 (Abnormally Dry – Exceptional Drought) compared with 48.46 percent a week ago.

Source: US Drought Monitor.

California: Drought conditions expanded in California leaving the entire state in moderate to exceptional drought this week for the first time since U.S. Drought Monitor began collecting data 15 years ago.

• Nearly 77 percent of the state faces Extreme to Exceptional drought, compared with 0.0 percent last year.

• More than 96 percent of the Golden State faces severe to exceptional drought, compared with only 30 percent 12 months ago.

• About 25 percent of California is experiencing exceptional drought, compared with 0.0 percent a year ago.

Oklahoma: Extreme drought level has expanded by 10 percent across the Sooner State, mainly in the northwest, since last week.

• About 93 percent of the state is currently experiencing D0 – D4 drought levels.
• Nearly 15 percent of the state is facing exceptional drought, compared with 5.5 percent a year ago.

Crop Disasters

Drought Disaster Declared for Crops in 9 States Posted on April 24, 2014

The U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA has designated 315 counties across nine states as crop disaster areas due to the worsening drought, in five separate designations.

Those States are Texas (252 counties), Oklahoma (21), New Mexico (16), Nevada (6), Louisiana (2), Idaho (9), Arkansas (2), Arizona (1) and Utah (6).

Drought Destroys Texas Crops

The U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA has designated 249 counties (98% of all counties) in the Lone Star State as crop disaster areas due to the worsening drought.

Drought Disasters 2014

Beginning January 10, 2014 USDA has declared at least 1,377 counties across 21 states as crop disaster areas. Most of those designations are due to drought.

• Those states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah.

Related Links

• Drought Destroys Texas Crops April 24, 2014
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index