Extreme Droughts

In August 2008 across the United States, moderate to extreme drought conditions persisted across parts of the Hawaiian Islands and the central and southeastern parts of the continental U.S. Exceptional drought remained over parts of the southern Appalachians. The southern High Plains saw a slight improvement in drought conditions, dropping from extreme to severe (compared to the 12 August 2008 USDM map). As of August 19, 30% of the western U.S., 32% of the South, 16% of the High Plains, 61% of the Southeast, and 25% of the contiguous U.S. were in moderate to exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Drought across Spain is reportedly the worst in more than a decade, while Portugal suffers its worst winter drought since 1917. It is likely that water restrictions will be implemented this summer.

Central and southern parts of Chile suffered from its worst drought in five decades. According to reports, more than a quarter of Chile's 345 municipalities faced water shortages. The government was forced to declare a state of emergency in 30 municipalities.

A dust storm affected Kuwait on the 19th February 2008, significantly reducing visibility and thus disrupting the local air traffic and forcing the closure of the Gulf's main ports. Dust storms are quite rare in the winter, but the lack of rainfall this winter prompted the loose sand to be easily transported by the strong shamal winds.

For the 6-month period from October 2007 to March 2008, an area of serious to severe rainfall deficiencies covered much of the southern half the Northern Territory and some adjacent areas in far western Queensland. There were also some smaller patches near Marree in South Australia with serious to severe deficiencies. Maximum temperatures of one to two degrees above average have worsened the dry conditions.

Rainfall deficiencies for the 24-month period from April 2006 to March 2008 were analysed in southwest WA, Tasmania, southeast Queensland, northern SA and in a band stretching from the Bight coast of SA across much of Victoria and the western slopes and plains of southern NSW. The pattern is very similar to that observed at the end of February, but as March 2008 was wetter than March 2006 in most areas, there was some easing of these two-year deficits. One exception was the Eyre Peninsula and Bight coast of SA which was drier this year so the 24-month deficits intensified. Record-low falls were evident in western WA, on the Eyre Peninsula in SA, near Melbourne and in eastern and northern Tasmania.

The worst of the long-term deficiencies are likely to remain for some time. For example, above to very much average rainfall (deciles 8-10) is needed in the rainfall deficient areas over the next six months just to elevate totals since April 2006 out of the lowest decile.

The deficiencies discussed above have occurred against a backdrop of decade-long rainfall deficits and record high temperatures that have severely stressed water supplies in the east and southwest of the country. Several years of above average rainfall are required to remove the very long-term deficits. Furthermore, the combination of heat and extreme drought during the past five to ten years over the Murray Darling Basin and southeastern Australia is outside the typical range of variability experienced during the previous 100 years."

1864-66 All States affected except Tasmania.

1880-86 Southern and eastern States affected by extreme droughts.

1895-1903 Sheep numbers halved and more than 40 per cent loss of cattle. Most devastating in terms of stock losses.

1911-16 Loss of 19 million sheep and 2 million cattle to extreme drought.

1918-20 Only parts of Western Australia free. 1939-45 Loss of nearly 30 million sheep between 1942 and 1945.1963-68 Widespread and longest drought in arid central Australia:

1958-67. The last two years saw a 40 per cent drop in wheat harvest, a loss of 20 million sheep, and a decrease in farm income of $300-500 million.

1972-73 Mainly in eastern Australia.

1982-83 Total loss estimated in excess of $3000 million. Most intense drought in terms of vast areas affected.

1991-95 Average production by rural industries fell about 10 per cent, resulting in possible $5 billion cost to the Australian economy, $590 million drought relief provided by the Commonwealth Government between September 1992 and December 1995.

2002-07 The current extreme drought in Australia is the worst in 100 hundred years. About 65 percent of Australia's viable agricultural land is currently in drought, with 23,000 farming families on some form of drought relief payments. The Australian government has announced more than A$1 billion in drought aid in the past fortnight, taking government drought support to more than A$3 billion since 2001.

Water storages in the Murray-Darling Basin are even lower than 2006. Murray-Darling Basin is located in the south-east of Australia and covers an area of 1.05 million square kilometres or 14% of Australia. The Murray-Darling is Australia’s longest of river systems and ranked fifteenth in the world.

The Australian government reports that the 2007-08 water availability outlook for the Murray-Darling Basin system is serious and still deteriorating. Inflows received so far in 2007-08 are still well below average and are among the lowest on record

National Association of Retail Grocers of Australia chief executive Ken Henrick says shoppers can expect to pay increased prices for fruit and vegetables from those irrigated areas where water is now scarce, and other food prices will rise.

Enter your search terms Submit search form   Web www.global-greenhouse-warming.com

go from Extreme Droughts back to Extreme Weather