U.S. Drought Monitor Maps
April 30, 2011, Submitted by: Ken Tweet
Drought is obviously a high concern for farmers or anyone attempting to grow their own food. In some cases, irrigation will supplement a lack of adequate rainfall (at a cost), while in other cases this may not be doable in a practical manner.
If looking to relocate, you may want to think twice about drought stricken areas…
In any event, here are a few updated maps showing locations experiencing drought conditions, conditions leading up to today, and forecast drought conditions for the future.
These maps should automatically remain up-to-date. Feel free to bookmark for your reference. I plan to add more of the world soon.
U.S. Short Term Drought Indicator Map
Past 12-weeks Drought Monitor Map Animation
U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook (Forecast) Map
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Water is something that everyone has come to expect, you turn on the faucet and clean water comes out. In drought stricken areas there are times when nothing comes out of the faucet because the water company has no water to transport to your home. Unless you can store water to irrigate your crops, backyard or farm, you depend on a city or county water source to keep your food sources alive during a drought that has dried up ponds, streams, rivers, etc. Relocation into areas plagued by drought should be reconsidered, or plans made to deal with this.
Another consideration for relocation and plans to grow your own food should be how many days each year that you can grow food. The growing season without killer frost should be at least 200 days to give you a buffer in case things do not work out that well. Trust me, living in an area in which there is about 130-140 day growing season just does not cut it, this is too short for anything dependable. This would mean on a growing climate map that at least zone 6 or 7 to 10 would be suitable for a farm or large enough backyard garden to substain your family. This also limits the United States to where someone can relocate. Most of the US is zone 3 to 5. I have considered relocation myself for this reason because you just cannot grow anything for most of the year. I know people that can food like crazy in these zones, but to those that like to grow things it is a long wait each year before you can.
It is unfortunate that most of the states that are considered freer and last frontier type are in frost belts and where it is very difficult to grow anything reliable. I guess there is also those that can hunt and live off the land, but it is not easy in colder regions. Water and temperature should be taken into account with anyone that wants to grow their own food and live off the land during these very perilous times that are fast approaching.
I am not concerned by the drought in the South.
I am concerned by the overall weather picture.
Read this report from Joseph D’Aleo from Weatherbell
http://www.weatherbell.com/jd/?p=1327