posty 2,296 Posted April 27, 2017 It is a good thing that GWB gave Trump the hurricane/rain maker... https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2017/04/27/us-drought-record-low/100971018/ Drought in the U.S. fell to a record low this week, with just 6.1% of the lower 48 states currently experiencing such dry conditions, federal officials announced Thursday. That's the lowest percentage in the 17-year history of the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor report. The previous record low occurred in July 2010, when 7.7% of the contiguous U.S. was in a drought. "Drought has certainly been disappearing at a rapid rate this spring," said meteorologist Brad Rippey of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The five-year drought in California is practically over, with only about 8% of the state currently in drought. The strong El Niño of 2015-16 may have caused the initial decrease last year, he said. "El Niño is historically a 'drought-breaker,' while La Niña is a 'drought-maker.' " A persistent low-pressure area sitting along the west coast of North America this year helped fuel the ongoing wet weather, USDA meteorologist Eric Luebehusen said. Low pressure causes air to rise, which allows clouds and precipitation to form. Those storms and wet weather then typically meander east-northeast across the central U.S., he said. The current record low is in sharp contrast to September 2012, when drought reached a record high 65.5% in the U.S. Prior to the weekly Drought Monitor, the monthly Palmer Drought Severity Index was the primary method for measuring drought in the U.S., according to Rippey. As recently as June 1993, there was no drought in the continental U.S., that index reported. Making direct comparisons between the Drought Monitor and Palmer data are difficult, since the drought categorizations are different and the weekly vs. monthly discrepancy is problematic, he added. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cruzer 1,992 Posted April 27, 2017 Heck, Enron tried to sell Weather futures - I'd believe anything now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
patweisers44 697 Posted April 27, 2017 Heck, Enron tried to sell Weather futures - I'd believe anything now. Weather derivatives still trade on the commodities market. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cruzer 1,992 Posted April 27, 2017 Weather derivatives still trade on the commodities market. Do they really? Wow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mobb_deep 917 Posted April 27, 2017 Most of the drought relief has come via Trump crying about everything on twitard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cruzer 1,992 Posted April 27, 2017 Did Lake Mead fill back up? I know it was dangerously low for a while there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
parrot 789 Posted April 27, 2017 Most of the drought relief has come via Trump crying about everything on twitard. I was just coming to make this joke. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drizzay 645 Posted April 27, 2017 My sump pump has been running every 70 seconds. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SUXBNME 1,324 Posted April 27, 2017 My sump pump has been running every 70 seconds. Tell that b1tch to get back in the kitchen and make you a sammich Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bert 1,091 Posted April 27, 2017 Did Lake Mead fill back up? I know it was dangerously low for a while there. Not yet. There has been a huge build up of snow and when it melts it will raise the level of the lake but it will not fill it back up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites