Comparing the 2021 Current Drought to the Peak of the Dust Bowl

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Because of a comment in the Washington Post, I am posting a comparison of the peer-reviewed current Palmer Drought Index to that at the peak of the Dust Bowl.

Current Drought Status

1934 Drought Status

While conditions today may be worse in the immediate Four Corners area, the Dust Bowl drought was far, far worse in the rest of the nation. The commenter mentioned Satanta, Kansas. That area has received generous rain and snow the last two months and there is no drought in southwest Kansas at this time. In 1934, the drought and dust storms in southwest Kansas crushed the agricultural economy. 

This brings us to an important point: If the drought of 1934 was to approximately repeat itself it would be blamed -- probably incorrectly -- on global warming. While human beings affect the climate, the fact is that Mother Nature is quite capable of creating extremes of weather and climate without any help from us. 

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