Estimates to End the Drought

True, Texas hasn't been completely devoid of rain lately; in fact, in some areas, a few days worth of rain added up to more than the state had seen in months. However, that doesn't mean it's been getting nearly enough. With 88% of the state in a severe drought (a record breaking one actually,) some areas of Texas may need as much as 24 to 28 inches of rain, per month, for the next six months to put a proper end to the drought. At this point, many believe that the best hope for the end of the dry-spell would be a tropical storm to come inland, like Lee did. Shy of that, it's a little hard to fathom just what could offer the Lone-Star State any salvation.

Of course, with three events currently in the tropics to keep an eye on (Tropical Storm Philippe, Post-Tropical Cyclone Ophelia, and Hurricane Hillary) maybe not all is lost for the possibility of  an end in sight.

South-Central States Battling Drought

The south-central states have been suffering a massive drought. Record  summer temperatures and little rain have put three states, being Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma, into such a position that they have lost more than 8 billion dollars through combinations of crop and livestock losses.  In Texas alone, preliminary estimates show the state has lost $5.2 billion dollars, and as shown on the drought map, the vast majority of the state is covered in dark red shading: an indicator of sever and exceptional drought: the highest category there is. Comparably, this area would cover the northeastern portion of the United States from Virginia and Maryland up to Maine.

Kansas and Oklahoma have faired similarly badly, but not to the same extent, with Kansas taking in losses estimated at $1.7 billion, and Oklahoma at $1.6 billion. In fact, as of September 13, it was estimated that 93% of Oklahoma was in extreme to exceptional drought.

((http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/drought-south-central-cost_2011-09-15))

Tropical Storm Lee Evacuations

Today in Wilkes-Barre, PA, emergency precautions are being made to try and help repair the already leaking Floodgates.  With an additional foot and a half of rain predicted before the night is out, 20,000 people have been evacuated from their homes. It is expected that the Susquehanna River, already well beyond stressing the flood gates protecting the town, will smash records tonight, cresting at around 40.8 feet between 2:00 and 3:00 AM. In the event the flood gates do give out, the entire town of Wilkes-Barre will be left completely under water.

Upstream, and along the Shenango River, which feeds into the Susquehanna, the only thing stopping it from doing the same thing to Binghamton, NY, is a flood wall built in the 1930's. There, 16,000 people have been evacuated to flood shelters as well. They'll be spending the night on cots, waiting for the waters to recede, and hoping that their 80-year-old protector can hold out. Rain poured down last night, raising the level of the river visibly by feet over the course of four to six hours, finally stopping at just before daybreak, also crushing records previously set June 28, 2006.

(Written from a program on the Weather Chanel, as well as http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/lee-remnants-strike-northeast_2011-09-07)