Drought expanding rapidly, now covers 63% of U.S.
Angela Bowman, Staff Writer
July 27,2012
It was more of the same triple-digit temperatures and moisture-starved reports from the Midwest last week, prompting the USDA?s Drought Monitor to show the largest one-week jump in extreme drought growth during the report?s
12-year history.
Nationally, drought conditions have grown for the 10th consecutive week. More than 63 percent of the contiguous United States is now considered in moderate to exceptional drought. Specifically, 1,369 counties across 31 states have been declared drought-disaster areas.
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Many states saw dramatic changes in drought conditions. Illinois, now at 70 percent in extreme to exceptional drought, climbed 62 percentage points from 8 percent last week. Nebraska also showed a striking uptick in these brutal drought conditions, jumping from 5 percent to 64 percent...
