Pacific North West - Excessive heat warning issued

[Frankenkubota]

Predicting the end to a drought is like predicting a stock market crash. Everybody knows it will happen, but nobody knows when.

The Dust Bowl only lasted a few years, but it was enough to turn my grandparents into climate refugees in the '30s. The flood of refugees at our southern border are in a main part the result of the drought in Central America. A drought cycle wiped out the Anasazi in the SW, and the same thing could happen to Phoenix if the drought drags on. Few records survive, but there is archaeological evidence that the complete collapse of civilization in the 12th century bce was the result of a 200 year "aridification event." The Mongol invasions were triggered by the failure of rains and pasture in Mongolia.

As we say here in the West, "Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting." Drought can trigger the migration of whole populations, as farms and cities become uninhabitable. I don't see anybody leaping to develop new water projects, but the Oglala Aquifer is getting pumped out and an extended drought could wipe out a whole segment of American agriculture.

California tourist town running out of water amid drought

The wells that Mendocino, California, depends on are drying up amid a devastating drought in the state.

news.yahoo.com

i saw the deal on mendacino water shortage, restaurant owner spending $4k/month on trucked in water and his source is......drying up.

your comments re drought in 12th century drove me to the internet. I've known that droughts will force populations to move, Mesa Verde comes to mind. Article said modern droughts are associated with higher temps then in the past.

Just heard about this.......

I think it's Saudi Arabia who started pumping their aquifer dry in the 70s and 80s to grow grain. In 30 years the aquifer lost 80% of its volume so.....

They came over here, bought land in Arizona and are now growing their wheat etc here, pumping the water up from the aquifer under Az. Article said, if you own the land you own the water under it.

We are pumping up their oil and they are pumping up our water.

 

[oosik]

It rained for a short spell yesterday - 0.02". And the heat is decreasing.

 

[cqaigy2]

We got some rain last night and a little this morning. Those weeds are amazing, yesterday brown, today showing a fair amount of green.

I remember working in the onion fields in between College Place and Walla Walla. I still love onions, but really hated sticking my fingers into those rotted onions, the smell stuck to your fingers for days.

 

[repete]

Got 0.00" of rain overnight here. As a volunteer firefighter in my community we went on a possible brush fire just now. Got there and the person was burning a pile of brush and yard trimmings, when told there is a burn ban his response was "I thought it was OK as it rained last night". No, that is called dew, it has not rained in a couple of months...

 

[Molalla1]

Got 0.00" of rain overnight here. As a volunteer firefighter in my community we went on a possible brush fire just now. Got there and the person was burning a pile of brush and yard trimmings, when told there is a burn ban his response was "I thought it was OK as it rained last night". No, that is called dew, it has not rained in a couple of months...

Wow . . . did he get a ticket?

 

[bcp]

Checked the rain gauge a few minutes ago. About 3/8 inch, 25 miles NE of Portland at 1100 ft altitude.

Bruce

 

[Molalla1]

Checked the rain gauge a few minutes ago. About 3/8 inch, 25 miles NE of Portland at 1100 ft altitude.

Bruce

Bruce, I am about 35 miles SE of Portland . . . not a drop here at 600 ft.

 

[bcp]

A very light rain has been going for about 8 hours.

Bruce

 

[Molalla1]

A very light rain has been going for about 8 hours.

Bruce

I hope it comes this way!

 

[goeduck]

Ground was damp this morning, but not measurable. Sure hope we get some rain soon