July 27, 2012

So You Think It's a Dry Year?

Portion of a graphic from the New York Times.
In much of the 48 contiguous states, it is. In fact, this year's drought map looks something like 1977 and much like 1954–1955, 1934, and 1936 (in the middle of the "Dirty Thirties"). And 1901 was pretty rough too, as was 1910, the year of the "Big Blowup" in Idaho and western Montana.

Check this graphic from the New York Times science section.

The first drought year that impinged on my consciousness was 1977. Colorado snowfall was low that year—which helped me in my job, which required a lot of driving around the state. But then the next summer I saw my first-ever actual dust storm, somewhere near Fort Morgan.

On the plus side, it finally rained yesterday evening, about 0.4 inches. And more has been falling in the Mushroom Hunting Grounds.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

When are we going to learn that climate change is real,is to a large extent anthropogenic, is happening now, an threatens our childrens' future?

Are we men enough to give up our Escalades and Range Rovers to diminish our carbon footprint?

Chas S. Clifton said...

Gosh, yes, and think of all the Escalades that were on the road in 1934!

It sounds to me, Anonymous 6:51 from suburban St. Louis, that you are more bothered by "conspicuous consumption" than by air pollution.

Darrell said...

AGW is politics, not science, and it's fast becoming religion.