Understanding the U.S. Drought and Heatwave: Five Good Visuals

As the drought drags on, these graphics and interactives explain what’s happening

1. “Drought’s Footprint”The New York Times

In June, more than half of the U.S. was experiencing moderate to extreme drought. How does that compare to other years? The Times’ graphic lays it out.

2. “Dried Out: Confronting the Texas Drought” — NPR, KUT and KUHF

The drought began in Texas in October of last year. Watch it grow over time, and explore a timeline that explains the root causes of the drought and how communities are responding.

3. “Flash Drought in U.S. Explained in 14 Seconds”Climate Central

Watch an animation showing the spread of the drought, from Texas and Georgia in March, to most of the Midwest and West by June.

4. Drought Impact Reporter — The National Drought Mitigation Center

This is “the nation’s first comprehensive database of drought impacts.” Submit reports of how the drought affects you, and search for drought impacts by state, whether they’re to agriculture, industry, public health or wildlife.

5. “Historic heat wave in hindsight: Hottest on record in Washington D.C., hotter than 1930”Washington Post

From the Post’s weather blog, a local, numbers-heavy analysis of the heatwave that hit Washington. With stats like “Longest period at or above 100: 7 hours on July 7 (tie with July 6, 2010 and July 21, 1930),” it’s like a Guinness Book of World Records for D.C.’s summer, and holds my usually California-focused attention.

Understanding the U.S. Drought and Heatwave: Five Good Visuals 1 February,2018Molly Samuel

One thought on “Understanding the U.S. Drought and Heatwave: Five Good Visuals”

  1. again and again… I write to ask if anyone is paying attention to the sky — chem trails, weather modification, aerosol sprays, etc. those long grid lines of chemicals coming out of unmarked planes… there is a conference to address this in LA August 17-19 and a new film coming out “Why in the World Are They Spraying.”   See the You Tube Trailer.  How much are the commodities traders making at this time!!!  housing all over again.  First it was our homes,. now our food -manipulated by man…. let’s connect some dots here.

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Author

Molly Samuel

Molly Samuel joined KQED as an intern in 2007, and since then has worked here as a reporter, producer, director and blogger. Before becoming KQED Science’s Multimedia Producer, she was a producer for Climate Watch. Molly has also reported for NPR, KALW and High Country News, and has produced audio stories for The Encyclopedia of Life and the Oakland Museum of California. She was a fellow with the Middlebury Fellowships in Environmental Journalism and a journalist-in-residence at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center. Molly has a degree in Ancient Greek from Oberlin College and is a co-founder of the record label True Panther Sounds.

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