Heat and drought

[1938 Observer]

Re: Heat and drought

Wonder why it is that North America seems to go from one extreme to another weatherwise? Surely there must be a scientific reason?

Elda

Maybe it's all the "Hot Air" from the presidential election run-up :sly:

[miolchu]

Re: Heat and drought

Wonder why it is that North America seems to go from one extreme to another weatherwise? Surely there must be a scientific reason?

Elda

Perhaps Gordon is onto something.

[Lizzie]

Re: Heat and drought

All hell broke loose in this area yesterday afternoon. My eyes boggled when I looked at the radar and saw cell after cell of violent thunderstorms heading in the direction of the county.Went on for three and half hours. One vicious thunderclap ripped the bark off a tree across the road. Needless to say I almost jumped out of my 'you know what' when it ripped right overhead. When will the pols get their heads out of the sand - or their knickers?

[Lizzie]

Re: Heat and drought

There will be more of this. And empty bellies do react.

CHICAGO, July 17 (Reuters) - U.S. corn production has shrunk 7 percent versus the government's downgraded estimate a week ago, a Reuters poll found on Tuesday, with a worsening drought likely to cause more damage before the month is out.

As the worst drought since 1956 begins to expand to the northern and western Midwest, areas that had previously been spared, analysts are slashing corn yield estimates by the hour. Some analysts are also starting to cut their forecasts on the number of acres that will be harvested as farmers opt to plough under their fields to claim insurance.

What began the season as a potentially record corn crop as farmers planted the biggest area since 1937, may now be the smallest in at least five years. Soybeans, which enter their key pod-setting phase later then corn, are increasingly at risk. The poll of 13 analysts pegged the average estimated corn yield at 137.2 bushels per acre, down 6 percent from USDA's current forecast of 146 bushels.

The USDA dropped its yield estimate by an unprecedented 20 bushels per acre in its report on July 11. Corn production was pegged at 12.077 billion bushels, the smallest in 5 years, down 6.9 percent from USDA's outlook. "We're losing more yield with the additional stress now in the northern areas which up until now had been pretty good," said Shawn McCambridge, analyst for Jefferies Bache.

[FriedaKateM]

Re: Heat and drought

Of course, I live in Indiana, in a very rural area. Last night, my electric went off at least 10 times due to lightning strikes nearby. Luckily I had unplugged the computer, & also the TV & DirecTV system. Even my cats noticed the blackness occurring, & the noise of the thunder.

Elda, to answer your question regarding the United States' weather, the meteorologists/weathermen blame it on two separate things....the El Nino in the Pacific Ocean west of California, & the Jet stream, which often drops down from Canada, etc. Besides which, our country is quite huge, & we can have snow in one state, rain in another, tornadoes in another area, etc. Also, when I was a child, we didn't get the same quantity of news in regard to weather, or anything such as we get now...on TV, radio, computers, cell phones, iPads, and so on. I do remember as a child, walking barefoot on the pavement, a day in summer when I knew it was 106 degrees in Dayton, Ohio, where I lived. Hot feet!! And remember another time, when a girl friend & I thought we'd toughen up our bare feet, by walking on a hot gravel road for a long hike!!!! Kids then did a lot of wild stuff, that my grandkids are NOT ALLOWED to do. All of us "hang in there!" Joan

[FriedaKateM]

Re: Heat and drought

HI to all...I'm much more alert in this cooler weather. It's only 79 degrees F, on my Weather Channel on computer. However, it's usually cooler outside my kitchen window, on thermometer. Okay, just wanted to put in an update:

I heard on the TV news the other evening that it has been confirmed, The month of July has been the Hottest EVER!!! at least here in the States. I have been able to have a few bits of swiss chard from my garden, & yesterday planted some green & wax beans, & some cloves of Elephant Garlic. So, I'm optimistic. My neighbors gave me some sweet corn, & I had it within 20 mins of picking, it was delicious. We've had a few rains, nothing for an all day drenching, though. Thanks for listening. Joan

[Tuirc]

Re: Heat and drought

Reviving this thread with a wee update from the US East coast. We did hav e the blazing hot July with lots of days over 100 degrees. However, to Gordon's point, I am just outside Washington DC so we could be at the epicenter of the heat problem :smile: After July though, it has been much cooler than normal. August is notoriously uncomfortable here, which is why all the Pols leave town in August. An old tradition from before the days of AC.

From an agricultural prospective, we belong to a CSA (community support agriculture) meaning we buy all our produce directly from a local farm, including picking a great deal of it ourselves. What we've seen is early ripening all season long. We just started picking apples. Two weeks early for that. Everything has been extra flavorful and more concentrated. Since we also grow grapes for wine in this area, that should be very good news as long as September doesn't turn soggy like last year. Our biggest problem has been keeping water on everything. The farm has irrigation, so they have been able to keep the crops alive. Corn has be just alright. Although a coworker that lives in Maryland said his CSA had European corn borer infestation. Most CSAs are organic, so these types of pests are very damaging. Well, that's all for the farm report ....lol.

[Alastair]

Re: Heat and drought

My understanding is that irrigation is the key... well irrigated farms have done much better during the high temperatures. I was reading 10 acres enough and enjoyed reading the chapter on their Kitchen Garden at http://www.electricscotland.com/agri.../10acres09.htm

Alastair

[Tuirc]

Re: Heat and drought

I think we've officially broken the drought here. We've had at least some rain 5 of the last 6 days. Things are actually turning green outside again!

[kndge9584]

Re: Heat and drought

Just think of those folk that experienced that heat but had no electricity across a chuck of the eastern states due to that storm. I really don't know how they coped.