Request for Question Clarification by
pafalafa-ga
on
04 Sep 2005 19:02 PDT
iwonderwhy-ga,
Thanks for an interesting question, but I'm not sure the full set of
data that you're looking for is readily available.
The closest I've come is a NOAA listing of major weather events --
including droughts -- that have resulted in damage of $1 billion or
more. The list extends back to 1980, and lists ten major drought
events in that time.
For each drought, a damage estimate figure is given in billions of
dollars (generally due to agricultural losses), along with a figure of
human fatalities related to the drought and heat.
For instance, the drought and heat wave in the summer of 1993 in the
southeast US resulted in $1.3 billion in damage, and 16 deaths.
For several of the droughts, Special Reports were prepared detailing
the drought history and damage. For instance, the same 1993 drought
mentioned above is detailed here:
http://nndc.noaa.gov/?http://ols.nndc.noaa.gov/plolstore/plsql/olstore.prodspecific?prodnum=C00487-PUB-A0001
=====
Southeast Drought/Heat Wave
1) The heat wave and drought in the Southeast, although less costly
than the flooding, has been devastating for many of the area's
farmers. During June-July, much of the area received less than 50% of
normal rainfall along with temperatures 3-6 degrees above normal. The
Southeast as a whole recorded the 2nd driest July on record (since
1895, driest was 1983). Also, the states of Alabama, Georgia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia had their hottest
July on record (since 1895). So far, South Carolina is one of the
hardest hit states, having had its driest June and 6th driest July on
record, resulting in the following losses:
Over 95% of corn crop lost.
Over 70% of soybean crop lost.
Over 50% of wheat crop lost.
Over 25% of tobacco crop lost.
Peach crop production down significantly but not quantified yet.
1.8 million chickens killed by the heat.
2) Much of South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee are
now in the severe to extreme drought category according to the Palmer
Drought Severity Index (PDSI). (The PDSI uses mathematical formulas to
quantify each region's wet or dry spell.) However, due to unusually
wet conditions during the fall of last year through the early spring
of this year, hydrological impacts have thus far been minimal.
3) The death toll from a heat wave is very hard to calculate due to
the occasional inability to determine if a death was truly caused by
the heat. Deaths that are attributed to 'heat stress' are often
included in evaluations. Preliminary reports indicate that the death
toll now exceeds 100 for the Southeast and Northeast combined.
4) The monetary value of crop losses are preliminary and still
climbing, but are currently estimated as $264 million for South
Carolina, $165 million for North Carolina, and $500 million for
Georgia. The overall losses for the Southeast will probably exceed $1
billion, especially if the drought continues well into the fall. So
far, disaster areas have been declared as follows:
South Carolina--all 46 counties.
North Carolina--89 of 100 counties.
Georgia--154 of 159 counties.
5) Some of the temperature records established include (all values in
degrees Fahrenheit):
Asheville, NC (with a 92-year period of record)--25 days in July with
90 degrees or higher, breaking the old record of 18 days.
Several locations in the Southeast reported 90 degrees or higher every
day in July, including Greenville-Spartanburg, SC; Chattanooga, TN;
and Atlanta, GA.
Columbia, SC--17 consecutive days in July of 100 degrees or higher.
Atlanta, GA--7 days of 100 degrees or higher in July.
Augusta, GA--47 of 61 days with 95 degrees or higher, including 21
days with 100 or higher.
=====
and so on.
Would this list -- with it's limited summaries of major droughts back
to 1980 -- meet your needs as an answer to your question?
If not, please let me know what additional information you'd like to have.
Thanks,
pafalafa-ga
