2007: A Record-Setting U.S. Drought Year

The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) just issued its September report -- and the West and Southeast continue to scorch:

About 43 percent of the contiguous U.S. fell in the moderate to extreme drought categories (based on the Palmer Drought Index) at the end of September.

Here is the U.S. Drought Monitor (darker = drier):

Here are some of the drought records being set around the country:

* Drought and mild temperatures have pushed Lake Superior's water level to its lowest point on record for this time of year, continuing a downward spiral across the Great Lakes.... [T]he lake has plummeted over the past year and has dipped beneath its long-term average level for a decade -- the longest such period in its known history.
* As of September 25, Pasadena experienced its driest year since records began in 1878.
* North Carolina and Tennessee had the driest year-to-date (January-September) and last 6 months (April-September) on record.
* In fact, the 2007 statewide precipitation rank for North Carolina was driest in 113 years for January-September and for the multi-month seasons April-September through August-September.
* For Tennessee, each multi-month season from November-September through May-September ranked as driest on record.
* In North Carolina and Tennessee, the dryness of recent months has been so persistent and severe that the long-term Palmer Drought Index has reached near-record severity in a short time compared to previous severe droughts.

This kind of brutal drought has severe energy implications:

* The Southeast drought has lowered rivers in Alabama to the point where there is insufficient streamflow to meet the demand of industry, agriculture, municipalities, and natural evaporation.
* Alabama Power, the state's largest utility, has been operating some of its coal plants at significantly reduced levels to avoid raising water temperatures in the Coosa, Black Warrior and Mobile rivers.
* Last month, the Tennessee Valley Authority shut down Brown's Ferry Number 2 nuclear power plant due to inadequate streamflow.
* Alabama Power spokesman Michael Sznajderman said, "Come the latter part of September, if the flows continue to be so low at a number of our hydro facilities ... basically the turbines are going to come out of the water."

Originally published here.

Comments

[lodger]

Why do our leaders, and people, NEVER MENTION that overpopulation might be a problem? We cannot continue to let population grow and expect that "the invisible hand" will magically provide enough energy and water, just because some economics professors in love with the "Chicago School" say so!
We are finding out what the "Chicago School" is really all about-the wealthiest survive every disaster in style, while the rest die of thirst, or worse! Just ask New Orleans!

[TheWesternBreed]

I read this information in, I think, the New York Times. I read that drought was hitting Dixie very hard and that cities like Atlanta might be facing water rationing soon if things don't turn around. I read it all and I thought, and it was a bittersweet moment: "Rush Limbaugh can't help you now, guys."

[GH]

The last 2000 - from NOAA.

"When records of drought for the last two millennia are examined, the major 20th century droughts appear to be relatively mild in comparison with other droughts that occurred within this time frame. Even the 16th century drought appears to be fairly modest, when compared to some early periods of drought."

Indeed, to answer the ponderance, perhaps one should wonder about climate change. I do. I wonder about the big bang, black holes, why Santigo Chile just experienced the coldest summer since the end of the Little Ice Age, and I do more than wonder about man's impact on the earth (pollution, overpopulation, over use, etc), but my gut tell me, as one climatologist suggested, man's impact on the climate of the earth might perhaps be like comparing the thickness of a sheet of linoleum to the hight of the old World Trade Center.

Indeed it is time to clean up the earth. Reduce the impact immediately - start with immigration control here at home, as the Father of Earth Day demanded - stop the massive growth of population, and immediate results will be realized.

[leftcoastindy]

What about LA, we got less than 4 inches of rain this season. (81mm) Lowest in 130 years.

[Wilbur]

It's interesting to note that the drought is most sever in the Deep South Bible Belt, where their Republican Congressional representatives and Republican senators are the most vociferous in denying global warming/climate change and are the ones most likely to oppose any means to combat this planetary threat. Mayhap their "God" is punishing them for their insipid ignorance, arrogance and stupidity.

Either that, or it's all the fault of Bill Clinton.....or Jimmy Carter....or liberals in general.

Wilbur

[GregNewYork]

No Water?

Then just drink Soda!

[CarolinaDem]

None here dare call it 'warming', but the study on global DIMMING, which pinned certain effects on US and European pollution in the l970's and 80's, says that we have caused the 'monsoon layer' of the tropics to stay farther South than has geohistorically been the case. In Africe this produced the droughts of Ethiopia in the l980's. Makes me worry about the fact that this drought is not only without regular rain but coincides with a short series of hurricanes running almost due west 'way South of Jamaica.
Either this is going to continue, and without the tropical storms the Southeast will become semi-arid, or it is going to be part of a disturbed cycle which could bring a record number of hurricanes ashore next year. Geesh.

Point is, given what this means to us, how can anyone fail to be alarmed about a global change in climate?

[seawolf77]

The deniers will stop being deniers when they hit their light switch and nothing happens.

[Wilbur]

Don't bet on it. They'll blame Clinton, Carter or tree-hugging liberals before they admit that mankind is causing climate change. One cannot underestimate the depth of the unyielding ignorance of these naysayers. They make the supporters of the Third Reich look open-minded by comparison.

Wilbur