30.04.2026, 22:36
Drought has affected more than half of the United States
Source: OREANDA-NEWS
OREANDA-NEWS More than half of the United States, from Oregon to Florida and north to Washington, is suffering from drought. The Washington Post writes about the environmental disaster.
A precipitation deficit of at least 20 percent is observed in 30 states of the country. Nine states are completely covered by drought — Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. 99 percent are Florida and Arkansas, and 90 percent are Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Kentucky, Louisiana and Maryland. The current drought is only 2 percentage points below the scale of the largest in the 21st century — the most ambitious drought was recorded in 2012.
In the driest state, Utah, precipitation has decreased by 59 percent since October. Against the background of a shortage of precipitation and a sharp warming in March, the snow cover in the state decreased sharply. A similar situation is observed in Colorado, where the volume of snow in the mountains has reached a historic minimum. In Florida, drought has affected 23 percent of the territory, such a weather situation is attributed to the influence of the La Nina phenomenon.
Among the global consequences of the drought, climatologists cite record low river and stream runoff, restrictions on water use, increased risk of forest fires, and reduction of pastures and acreage for row crops. Hurricane damage only makes the situation worse, as debris and fallen trees only add fuel. If the rainy season gets late this year, the drought situation will worsen. The rains are expected to start in mid-May.
Earlier, Champagne winemakers complained of record frost damage. The cold weather has destroyed 40 percent of the buds in local vineyards, but it is still unknown whether this will affect crop volumes.
A precipitation deficit of at least 20 percent is observed in 30 states of the country. Nine states are completely covered by drought — Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. 99 percent are Florida and Arkansas, and 90 percent are Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Kentucky, Louisiana and Maryland. The current drought is only 2 percentage points below the scale of the largest in the 21st century — the most ambitious drought was recorded in 2012.
In the driest state, Utah, precipitation has decreased by 59 percent since October. Against the background of a shortage of precipitation and a sharp warming in March, the snow cover in the state decreased sharply. A similar situation is observed in Colorado, where the volume of snow in the mountains has reached a historic minimum. In Florida, drought has affected 23 percent of the territory, such a weather situation is attributed to the influence of the La Nina phenomenon.
Among the global consequences of the drought, climatologists cite record low river and stream runoff, restrictions on water use, increased risk of forest fires, and reduction of pastures and acreage for row crops. Hurricane damage only makes the situation worse, as debris and fallen trees only add fuel. If the rainy season gets late this year, the drought situation will worsen. The rains are expected to start in mid-May.
Earlier, Champagne winemakers complained of record frost damage. The cold weather has destroyed 40 percent of the buds in local vineyards, but it is still unknown whether this will affect crop volumes.
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