A drought lasting years in North America is entirely feasible, and not just because of a nuclear war. The Dust Bowl of the 1930's is the most well known one, but the drought of the 1950's might be a better example as its causes were entirely natural.
From 1950 to 1956 drought plagued the Great Plains and Southwestern United States. Temperatures were hot and rain was scarce, and in In Texas rainfall decreased by 40% between 1949 and 1951 according to the National Climatic Data Center and in some places crop yields fell by half. Widespread period of drought between 1962 and 1966 also hit much of the Northeastern United States. This Northeastern drought occurred in a period when temperatures were lower than average, but the rain disappeared. With precipitation at abnormal lows, water conservation kicked into gear in New York City.
More to the time period the drought of 1987 to 1989 affected 36% of the United States, but it managed to become the costliest drought in US history with estimates for the cost were pegged at $39 billion. The impact was worst in the northern Great Plains, though the West Coast and Northwest were also hit. Most memorably, perhaps, were the forest fires that accompanied the drought with almost 800,000 acres of Yellowstone National Park burned prompting the first complete closure of the park in history.
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07-28-2014, 10:00 PM
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