U.S. declares drought-stricken states natural disaster area

[frigidmagi]

Yahoo

The United States Department of Agriculture has declared natural disaster areas in more than 1,000 counties and 26 drought-stricken states, making it the largest natural disaster in America ever.

The declaration—which covers roughly half of the country—gives farmers and ranchers devastated by drought access to federal aid, including low-interest emergency loans.

"Agriculture remains a bright spot in our nation's economy," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Wednesday while announcing the assistance program. "We need to be cognizant of the fact that drought and weather conditions have severely impacted farmers around the country."

[Also read: First half of year hottest ever]
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than half the country (56 percent) experienced drought conditions—the largest percentage in the 12-year history of the service. And according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the period from January through June was "the warmest first half of any year on record for the contiguous United States."

The average temperature was 52.9 degrees Fahrenheit, or 4.5 degrees above average, NOAA said on Monday. Twenty-eight states east of the Rockies set temperature records for the six-month period.

A heat wave blistered most of the United States in June, with more than 170 all-time temperature records broken or tied during the month. On June 28 in Norton, Kan., for instance, the temperature reached 118 degrees, an all-time high. On June 26, Red Willow, Neb., set a temperature record of 115 degrees, eclipsing the 114-degree mark set in 1932.

Ow. This is pretty bad.

[Charon]

Yeah, we're feeling it here too.

We haven't gotten significant rain in a month. The grass is all withered and dry enough that I wouldn't doubt they could catch fire.

I live in Buffalo, right next to one of the largest supplies of fresh water in the world.

But this TOTALLY isn't global warming.

[Josh]

At least most of what could burn down here already did.

We even got some rain the past three days, and a bit over the past few months. It's nowhere near as bad as last year, when we went like eight months without any precip, then got a fifteen minute rain to 'break' the drought. Weatherbug was just fucking depressing- check the long range forecast and it's just that yellow sun ball, no hint of clouds. That suuuuuuuucked.