Drought worsens after weeks of slowly improving conditions

In the last four weeks, I’ve been blogging about Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath- flooding, destruction, and the potential hazards of flood water.  Prior to all of this hurricane talk, the focus of this summer’s weather was the drought and high temperatures.  Called “the worst U.S. drought in decades” reports indicate that after a month of improved conditions- the drought “has deepened again.”  Scientists are unsure of an explanation other than “a simple lack of rain.” 

More than half the U.S. has suffered a drought since the summer of 2012; rain had begun to ease the situation beginning in September.  The U.S. Drought Monitor reported as of November 21, 2012 that “60.1 percent of the lower 48 states were in some form of drought.”  The areas of most drought intensity continue to be Texas, the Southwest, the Great Plains, and almost all of Nebraska.  There is apparently no “clear, scientific explanation for why the drought is lingering.”  Nebraska and the Dakotas to the north may see the drought worsen. 

So what does this mean in the big picture? Why should we care?  Well, drought causes damage to crops and vegetation; thus, food prices increase in an ever struggling economy.  Drought also plays a role in the water supply to our communities. 

The NC State University has a website that provides Climate Education for K-12. This site has information and resources concerning all types of climate and I found information linked to drought.  Due to the “reduced amounts of precipitation for an extended period of time can lead to the loss of plant life and crops. Without needed rainfall, crops and animals can suffer serious declines, and food and water shortages can occur.”

Figure A shows the most current picture of drought in the United States.

There are several types of drought:

1) Meteorological drought is a long-term measurement of lower than normal precipitation.

2) Hydrological drought is a lack of water in subsurface and surface terms.  This includes the water supply that is held in streams, lakes, groundwater and other types of reservoirs. Hydrologic droughts tend to develop over an extended time period.

3) Agricultural drought is when there is not enough water to sustain crops. Rainfall deficits during the critical growth periods of a crop (different from crop to crop) can result in large yield losses, or even complete crop loss.

Overfarming techniques and deforestation also have serious consequences. “Overfarming takes all the nutrients out of the soil that the plants/crops need to survive and essentially “kills” or desertifies the land.”  Deforestation causes fewer trees to cover ground; thus, less water vapor is able to saturate the air above the trees in order to form clouds and rain.  The long term consequence of this-  a rainforest could “dry out and absorb less carbon dioxide because of reduced plant growth.”  Ultimately, adding “enormous” amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which I believe is the snowball effect of global warming, extreme weather, and climate change.

Suhr, Jim. (2012, November 22). Drought worsens after weeks of slowly improving conditions. St. Louis: Associated Press.

http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/edu/k12/.droughteffects

How Superstorm Sandy's Floods Can Make You Sick

Standing water may put New York residents in danger of infections.

What exactly is in that floodwater?  Standing water filled streets in New Jersey, New York, and other areas along the coastline.  This stagnant water can create “significant health risks, many of which can worsen with time” according to public health officials.

New York’s Office of Emergency Management cited that flood debris can include broken items such as bottles, animals that carry disease and untreated sewage into waterways.  Other contaminants from urban areas include “motor oil, gasoline, and trash.”  Walking through the water is also dangerous because contaminated water may enter cuts.  Residents were advised to avoid moving water because even levels of just six inches could sweep people off their feet.  Other concerns cited were portions of water which may have been electrified by downed power lines; therefore, Mayor Bloomberg said to avoid contact with floodwater.

Raw sewage from the Hudson River is putting New Yorkers at risk.  It has been recommended that residents boil tap water. This untreated sewage can “introduce bacteria, viruses, and parasites capable of causing a variety of ailments” according to Joan Rose, the Homer Nowlin Chair in Water Research at the University of Michigan. 

Cooler temperatures will also allow pathogens to survive for months.  After Hurricane Katrina, vibrio bacterial infections were a problem because they entered the body through open cuts because of parasites in the water.  “The most concerning urban bacteria is Escherichia coli- also known as E. coli- the organism that most mammals use for digestion.  Floods can spread this bacteria; however, E. coli occurs by drinking contaminated water or consuming food with the bacteria.”  The Union of Concerned Scientists published a report “outlining the risks of urban flooding, highlighting that the occurrence of floods may increase due to global warming.”

Timely cleanup can reduce such health risks related to floodwater.  Sunlight also helps as it “can help neutralize dirty water with ultraviolet light.”  Unfortunately, direct light tends to be blocked by New York’s skyscrapers.

Granted- we don't live in New York City; yet, we live in areas of the midwest that have suffered flooding.  Just last year, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law had to evacuate their home located at the Dakota Dunes for almost five months due to the Missouri River's flooding.  Flooding can happen to  any of us and knowing how to keep our family safe is of the utmost importance.

Stone, D., Shyr, L. (2012, October 30). How Superstorm Sandy’s Floods Can Make You Sick: Standing water may put New York residents in danger of infections. Retrieved: November 3, 2012 from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/10/111030-hurricane-sandy-superstorm-floods-health-science/

 

 

 

Why New York City Is the Worst Place for a Hurricane

This article reports that New York City is the worst possible place for a hurricane.  “Any city would suffer if 500 million tons of seawater were to spin ashore at a hundred miles (160 kilometers) per hour” but it turns out that New York “suffers more than most.”  The category 1 hurricane has caused major flooding of car tunnels, streets, subways, and buildings.  The article cites four reasons why this is so.

Reason #1: The “New York Bight” which is a curved or bend in an open shoreline where Long Island and New Jersey form an upside-down L in the shallows of the Atlantic Ocean.  Hurricane Sandy arrived there and brought with it millions of tons of ocean water.  The water trapped in the legs of the L; thus, causing water to arrive onshore in the southernmost point of New York City located in the vicinity of the Statue of Liberty.  Due to the shallow water and the storm, water levels “reached a record of 13.88 feet.”

Reason #2: High buildings and bridges are highly vulnerable as the many high rises and suspension bridges in New York added to the “vulnerability.”  Due to the high winds, the buildings and bridges were vulnerable days prior to the storm; access to these bridges was cut off for fear of collapse.

Reason #3: New York has many vital underground systems that are prone to flooding and water filled all of the subway tunnels.  Adding to the problem is the fact that the water was saltwater from the ocean “which corrodes the city’s aging pipes and subway tracks.”

Reason #4:  The edge of the city is full of vital facilities due to ten emergency stations, 19 colleges, 23 hospitals, 17 power plants, nearly 500 schools, and 13 wastewater treatment plants along the coast.  Another concern was that the hurricane hit the financial district- Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange.

This article enlightened me about the upside-down L in the shallow waters of the Atlantic Ocean.  I’ve been to NYC and I can see how this flooding could happen.  The city and its subways system are very close to the ocean.  I was fortunate to visit NYC a year and a half ago experienced the subway system firsthand.  We exited the subway, very near the ocean- where we boarded a ferry in order to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  It’s sad to think of NYC in this state of distress.  With time and a lot of hard work, New York will bounce back because of its residents and their loyalty to their city and because it is the city that never sleeps.

Silverman, R. (2012, Nov. 1). Why New York City Is the Worst Place for a Hurricane: Underwater canyon, high buildings, more make city vulnerable.  Retrieved November 1, 2012, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/11/121101-new-york-city-sandy-hurricane-bight-science-environment-nation/