Midwest, South Likely to Face Severe Drought

March 14, 2000—Reuters reports that the U.S. government has warmed farmers in the Midwest and South to brace for another summer of drought. Several states are already reporting a decrease of 1-2 feet in average rainfall.

While the eastern seaboard will likely be spared a continuation of last year’s severe conditions, the drought of 1999 is expected to continue in southern states including Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana and Tennessee. The grain belt states of Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and Indiana are also expected to suffer a serious drought.

Scientists are pointing to the La Niña weather pattern as the likely cause on-going drought conditions. La Niña cools the surface of the ocean that in turn causes a drop in rainfall. In keeping with the record-breaking trend of the last three years, this winter was the warmest in the United States since temperature recording began over 100 years ago.