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Midwest in Center of Drought Bullseye

06/15/2012

A climatologist who studies drought conditions says a "bulls eye of dryness" is centered on the nation's midsection. Mark Svoboda is with the National Drought Mitigation Center in Lincoln. (play audio :25   “August out there.”)
Svoboda says there's a misconception that farmers who irrigate their fields are immune to drought. (play audio :27   “full-bore 24/7.”)
Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana have had a significant "dry down" according to Svoboda, because there was little snow fall in the winter and a relatively dry spring. (play audio :12   “and Iowa.”)
The most severe Midwest drought in recent memory happened in 1988 and '89. Normal rainfall for this time of year is about an inch per week, according to Svoboda, and it would require significant rainfall this week to erase the moisture deficit in much of the Midwest. (play audio :11   “or four feet.”)
The National Drought Mitigation Center is based at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.

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