"A devastating drought deepened over the last week in many areas, spreading through more of the Plains and going into the Midwest as triple-digit temperatures baked already thirsty crops and livestock."
"The Corn Belt states of South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana saw drought develop quickly as the important corn-growing region got only spotty rainfall amid the high heat, according to the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor, produced by a consortium of national climate experts.
Abnormal dryness intensified to moderate drought over the last week, according to the report.
Texas remained the epicenter of unprecedented drought, with climate data showing the state suffering its driest 10 months ever in over a century of data.
Levels of 'extreme' and 'exceptional' drought grew to 94.27 percent of the state from 91.73 percent over the last week, Drought Monitor reported."
Carey Gillam reports for Reuters August 12, 2011.
SEE ALSO:
"Flash Drought" (Mother Jones)
"Southern Heat Strains Power Generation" (Climate Central)
"Crop Yield Raises Risk to Food Cost" (New York Times)
"New Rules and Old Plants May Strain Summer Energy Supplies" (New York Times)
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