NOTE: Thanks to the proofreaders who caught my dyslexia ;-). Also added some information from another diary on the importance of heat stress on vegetation (i.e. crops!) and added a few clarifying words in other spots.
The graphic is the headline. I listened in on a webinar sponsored by NOAA and lead by the Midwest and Great Plains Regional Climate Centers, discussing the ongoing drought in the Midwest and Great Plains to see what the experts on the agricultural and economic impacts were saying. We continue to live in interesting climatic times ... and from my atmospheric sciences background, I can tell you that it's unlikely that things will improve soon enough to stop what will become major crop failures over the next few weeks.
Here, have some corn ... :-(
More below.
