posted 09-09-2002 07:20 AM               

“Yes, we did it”
Russia’s FEMA-style agency produces artificial rain
The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry claimed credit for a light drizzle that cleared the air over the Russian capital Friday, giving residents a break from the thick, acrid smog that engulfed the city. "Yes, we did it," ministry spokesman Viktor Beltsov said proudly.
Full Story Click Here http://www.russiajournal.ru/news/cnews-article.shtml?nd=26841

Senators Tackle Drought, Wildfires (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020904/ap_on_go_co/congress_drought_1
Senators on Wednesday introduced what could be a $5 billion package to help the nation's farmers and ranchers cope with a fierce drought, mounting a campaign-season challenge to President Bush.

Senate Vote on Drought Aid Delayed to Monday (Reuters)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020905/pl_nm/congress_drought_dc_2
The Senate postponed until next week a vote on $5 billion or more in drought aid to U.S. farmers and ranchers because "some Republicans" objected to a prompt vote, Majority Leader Tom Daschle said on Thursday.

Senators want $5 billion drought aid that Bush has opposed (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020905/ap_to_po/congress_drought_2
Senate Democrats are leading an election-season drive to win billions in drought aid for the country's farmers and ranchers — assistance that President Bush opposed last month.

Leaders seek federal relief for drought (Charlotte Observer) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/kr/20020906/lo_krcharlotte/leaders_seek_federal_relief_for_drought
STATESVILLE - City and town leaders from Western and central North Carolina say the state's four-year drought is a natural disaster for urban areas and want the federal government to ease its economic impact. Federal natural-disaster money covers only a drought's financial effect on agriculture.

posted 09-11-2002 08:16 AM               

Russian officials claim credit for rain
The Emergency Situations Ministry said it drew rain clouds to the smog-shrouded capital and created showers by switching on a cube-shaped piece of equipment, 3 feet on each side, that sits atop a ministry building in western Moscow. http://www.msnbc.com/news/804645.asp

posted 09-13-2002 08:25 PM               

Summer of 2002 Hottest Since 1930s

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID
ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON- It isn't the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, but serious drought is afflicting nearly half the country after the hottest summer since then. It has wilted crops and lawns, parched pastureland and forced communities to impose water restrictions.

Moderate to extreme drought affected more than 45 percent of the country during each of the last three months, the National Climatic Data Center reported Friday. Nationwide, the summer - June through August - was the third hottest on record, following only 1936 and 1934, the agency said.

The toll of drought and heat won't be known for some time, but Conrad Lautenbacher, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, estimated that as much as $2.7 trillion of the economy is directly sensitive to weather conditions.

Weather patterns have kept moisture away from the Northeast and Western states and much of the South, while parts of the upper Midwest, particularly Minnesota and the Dakotas, received above normal rainfall.

Among effects:

-The Agriculture Department has opened up conservation lands across the country for hay harvesting or grazing to assist drought-plagued farmers.

-By the end of August, 6 million acres of mostly forest - an area roughly the size of New Hampshire - had been consumed by flames across the United States.

That's double the average annual damage by wildfires, with costs estimated at $1.5 billion so far and large fires still burning in the West.

-In Las Vegas, water wasters can be fined and sent to conservation class. -The city of Golden, Colo., is faced with buying water from Coors Brewing Co., after losing a court fight over rights to a creek.

-In New England, dryness threatens the cranberry crop because the bogs where the berries grow can't be flooded for harvesting. The Climatic Data Center, in Asheville, N.C., reported that the average temperature for the 48 contiguous states this summer was 73.9 degrees Fahrenheit.

That's 1.8 degrees warmer than normal and the third hottest on record.

The report comes just a day after the National Weather Service forecast dry conditions continuing through the winter for much of the country.

Only the South is expected to be wetter than normal. Heavy rainfall eased drought but led to severe flooding in southern and central Texas in early July, with damage estimates as high as $1 billion.

Strong thunderstorms also brought widespread flooding to western Minnesota and North Dakota and resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in crop losses in June.

The 12 months that ended with August were the driest on record for North Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Nevada.

They were the second-driest 12 months in South Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, Delaware and Wyoming. But when grandpa scoffs and says the current dryness is nothing compared to the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s Depression decade, he's right.

The most widespread drought since records started being kept 108 years ago was recorded in July 1934, when 80 percent of the United States was in moderate to extreme drought. Climate experts at the data center noted other more severe droughts have occurred in the past.

Tree rings and other historical data indicate droughts nearly as severe as that of the 1930s many times during the past three centuries. Prolonged severe droughts occurred in 1735-36, 1756-57 and 1863-64.

Seven consecutive summers with persistent severe drought occurred during the period 1818-24, the climate center reported.

It added: "The severity of the 1930s drought was likely surpassed by the drought in the 1570s and 1580s over much of the western U.S. and northern Mexico, which lasted several decades in parts of the southwestern U.S."

This summer was marked by numerous extreme weather events throughout the world, including more than 100 deaths across Europe as heavy rainfall caused devastating floods in the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Russia and Romania.

Monsoon rains led to hundreds of deaths in Bangladesh and northeastern India, and heavy rainfall brought severe flooding to central China.

---

On the Net:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: http://www.noaa.gov

National Climatic Data Center: http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html

--
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nat-gen/2002/sep/13/091306051.html

posted 09-13-2002 10:15 PM            

Dry Conditions Expected in Winter

WASHINGTON -- The government's long-range fall and winter weather outlook offers only limited relief from the drought affecting nearly half of the country, National Weather Service said Thursday.

"While some improvement in the drought is possible, namely across the Southwest and southern and central Plains states, it may not be enough to alleviate dry conditions entirely, particularly in the Northwest, Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and the Ohio Valley," National Weather Service director Jack Kelly said in a statement.

Kelly said forecasters expect drier-than-average conditions in the Pacific Northwest and mid-Atlantic states during fall and drier-than-average conditions in the northern Rockies and the Ohio Valley states during the winter.

It is expected to be wetter-than-average in the southern tier of states during winter and warmer than normal in the northern tier of states.

The outlook incorporates the effects of the El Nino phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean, explained Conrad C. Lautenbacher, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the weather service's parent agency.

But while the El Nino is expected to influence fall and winter weather across the country, it's impact will be less than the very strong 1997-98 version.

El Nino includes a warming of the large area of water in the tropical Pacific, a change which influences wind and weather patterns passing over the area and can have impacts worldwide.

"The El Nino conditions that have persisted for months will be at moderate strength through the end of 2002 and into early 2003," Lautenbacher said.

Sorry, but the direct link to this article is way too long and will make this page too wide. The article appeared here on 9/12:
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-winter-weather

posted 10-20-2002 04:29 PM               

Drought emergency loans available to area farmers (Allentown Morning Call) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/trib/20021016/lo_mcall/drought_emergency_loans_available_to_area_farmers

Record warmth intensified drought, say experts (weather.com) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/wcom/20021014/we_wcom/record_warmth_intensified_drought__say_experts
Record temperatures and a lack of precipitation are cited in a drought plaguing the East Coast. Also: See how the drought revealed a shipwreck.

Storm can't wash away the drought (Philadelphia Daily News and Inquirer) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/kr/20021014/lo_krphiladelphia/storm_can_t_wash_away_the_drought
Last week's slow, dripping rains made for long commutes and bleak days - but they also dealt a blow to the region's stubborn drought.

UN: Afghan Drought Kills Livestock (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021013/ap_on_re_as/afghan_livestock_destroyed_2
A four-year drought in Afghanistan has wiped out over 80 percent of cattle, sheep and goats in the north of the country, contributing significantly to the impoverishment of rural populations there, the United Nations said Sunday.

posted 10-24-2002 12:43 PM               

NON-STOP CHEMTRAILS OVER AUSTRALIA http://www.rumormillnews.net/cgi-bin/config.pl?read=24725
1. This is the third year of American forced chemtrails over Australia.

2. This is the third year that we have drought.

3. The government will not discuss the matter.

4. Radio and newspapers are forbidden to write or speak on this subject.

5. The Green Party is not allowed to talk about it, even though it is the most devastating environmental issue.

6. Newspapers refused to post the endless thousands of letters to the editors about chemtrails.

7. We can see the planes almost daily, all over Australia.

8. They are often painted as our national Qantas Airline planes.

9. If anyone calls the radio station live, talking about chemtrails, he is cut immediately.

10. The Americans are controlling all our news media and many feel helpless.

11. Even small local papers, 'community owned', 'free press', 'independent', are all American controlled.

12. Everyday the government run commercials on radio urging us to solve the problem of the water salinity, and at the same time no one is allowed to talk about the chemtrails which are causing this salinity.

13. This is the worst drought in Australia's history, nearly half of our farmers are out of business, THIS YEAR.

14. The leaders of the farmers associations have been warned to talk as much as they want about the drought,
AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT MENTION A WORD ABOUT CHEMTRAILS.

15. Universities are inundated with requests from the public to approach the government, but they are not allowed to.

16. The chemtrails planes are flying often on opposite direction to normal air traffic, and even children are now spotting them.

17. Chemtrail planes almost always fly two together, often side by side, against international law, as if they are military Jets.

18. Almost every time rain clouds gathering, the planes are returning and are spraying over the clouds, resulting in drought.

19. Instead of talking about our daily chemtrails all over Australia, the media is flooding us with gay and lesbian issues programs. Sometimes, they are really 'philanthropic, and instead of gay discussions, they read to us 50 years old infantile stories, assuming that all of us have
an IQ below 60.

20. One of the most devastating moments in my life, was when a friend told me that she approached our local 'free' 'community radio', and even they refused to mention the chemtrails, even though they all see them daily out of their windows. YES, the Americans control every aspect of our lives.

Last night, we were sure that finally we will have rain as the clouds were so heavy. I woke up in the middle of the night wondering why I do not hear the rain on my tin roof. I was shocked to see and hear the planes overhead spraying chemtrails over the clouds....AGAIN.
It was a massive 'blanket' of straight lines, from horizon to horizon, perfectly straight and parallel lines, just touching each other.
WE DID NOT HAVE A SINGLE DROP OF RAIN LAST NIGHT !

Marco residents may face irrigation restrictions, need rain sensor devices http://www.marconews.com/02/10/marco/d839729a.htm

Worsening drought prompts USDA to declare most of Maryland an agricultural disaster area http://www.sunspot.net/news/local/bal-bz.drought19oct19,0,1787947.story?coll=bal-local-headlines
The U.S. Department of Agriculture declared 21 of Maryland's 23 counties agriculture disaster areas yesterday because of one of the worst droughts in more than a century.

posted 10-27-2002 05:28 PM               

Canada Farmers Shell Out for U.S. Probe of Wheat Board (Reuters) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20021025/wl_canada_nm/canada_wheat_trade_col_1
Canadian farmers already suffering from drought will be C$8 million to C$10 million poorer because of a U.S. government probe into how the Canadian Wheat Board sells grain, the board said Friday.

Fire, drought pose danger to 'threatened' butterfly (Denver Rocky Mountain News) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/kr/20021021/lo_krdenver/fire__drought_pose_danger_to__threatened__butterfly
...But since the dam's demise, it's been wildfire and drought, not floodwaters, that have posed the biggest threats to the fluttering nectar-feeders,...

Economic forecaster: Slow global growth and drought will hurt Australia (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021021/ap_wo_en_po/australia_economy_3
Sluggish world growth and a drought ravaging Australia will end the country's dream economic run and send it into a slowdown in 2004, a respected economic forecaster said Monday.

Drought makes record book (Denver Rocky Mountain News) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/kr/20021023/lo_krdenver/drought_makes_record_book
... than the driest year of the 1930s Dust Bowl and worse than the most severe year in the 1950s drought....

posted 11-19-2002 09:29 AM               

Drought measures quenched by rains (Daily Press, Hampton Roads) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/trib/20021113/lo_dp/drought_measures_quenched_by_rains
Virginia's drought czar lifted restrictions Tuesday on watering lawns and golf courses, refilling swimming pools and residential car washing. However, the drought is far from over and these new freedoms could be temporary. State officials will re-examine the situation this winter.
USDA Outlook Grim in Drought States (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021112/ap_on_bi_ge/crop_report_1
The outlook for corn, soybean and cotton production remains grim as farmers in drought-stricken states near the end of this year's harvest, according to the Agriculture Department's forecast Tuesday.

Drought support deadline refuted (Daily Press, Hampton Roads) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/trib/20021112/lo_dp/drought_support_deadline_refuted
In a drought-stricken summer when little else turned in their favor, Isle of Wight livestock farmers spent extra money on feed and hay because pastures were too burned out to nurture their cattle.

posted 12-02-2002 11:53 AM               

Crops face devastation, warns bureau
December 2 2002

The drought will devastate the nation's summer crops after ravaging winter crops such as wheat, the national forecaster said today.

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) said farmers could expect rice, cotton and sorghum production to be hit hard.

It also said wheat production would drop below the 10 million tonne level, a fall of more than 14 million tonnes on last season.

ABARE executive director Brian Fisher said the nation was facing its worst summer crop since the drought of 1982/83.

"Overall, the area sown to summer crops is forecast to drop by 41 per cent in 2002/03, with grains production forecast to be down 59 per cent to 2 million tonnes," he said in a statement.

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Rice production, centred on the Riverina of southern NSW, is tipped to fall 70 per cent to just 380,000 tonnes.

Cotton, which is largely produced in Queensland and northern NSW, is expected to be down almost 70 per cent to 238,000 tonnes of lint.

ABARE said sorghum, one of the most important feed grains for livestock producers, would also suffer, falling 52 per cent to 855,000 tonnes.

Dr Fisher said the poor summer crop outlook came on top of a terrible winter crop which would result in a 21 million tonne drop in production.

Wheat (9.9 million tonnes), barley (3.2 million tonnes) and canola (600,000 tonnes) would all be well down on long-term averages.

NSW would be the hardest hit state, with wheat production there down 75 per cent to just 2.1 million tonnes.

ABARE said in many cases, farmers had just gone through their driest season in a century.

In some areas, including the upper north of South Australia and the southeast of Western Australia, it would be the driest year on record.

The figures come as federal cabinet considers new measures to help struggling farmers get through the drought.

Last week, Prime Minister John Howard made his first visit to drought-hit areas.