February 22, 2013
Drought and Deluge in the Lower 48
Last summer’s drought, one of the worst in a century, has continued through the winter. This chart shows the proportion of what is now the contiguous U.S. in various stages of drought over 118 years of record-keeping. Roll mouse over individual months to see what percentage of the lower 48 was in drought.
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The drought of 1988 destroyed at least half the crops on the Great Plains and was one of the costliest U.S. natural disasters.
Large, intense regional droughts that migrated across the country.
The West saw persistent drought in the first half of the decade.
The West saw persistent drought in the first half of the decade.
Years of persistent drought. At its worst, most of the country was involved.
Hardest hit: the South, the Plains, Texas and New Mexico.
Hardest hit: the South, the Plains, Texas and New Mexico.
Four waves of very intense drought spreading over huge expanses of the country,
then retreating about a year later. Known as the Dust Bowl days.
then retreating about a year later. Known as the Dust Bowl days.
During January, 56 percent of the contiguous U.S. was in moderate to extreme drought, the highest January level since 1955.