You know that opening montage in Soylent Green that hints at the crop failures that led to Soylent Green being people?
The Lawrence, Kan., newspaper says AccuWeather believes the coming summer may bring conditions similar to those present during the 1930s Dust Bowl years.
This article sort of buries the lead -- it covers the drought but fails to explain the effects of rising oil prices on fertilizer prices.
Summer forecast doesn't hold water
Plains likely to see drought, service says
By Eric Weslander (Contact)
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
A dire weather forecast issued Monday calls for a hot, dry summer across the Plains reminiscent of the 1930s -- the era of the devastating Dust Bowl drought.
The Pennsylvania-based forecasting service AccuWeather.com predicts a high-pressure system will be parked across the central United States much of the summer. The system would lead to scorching-hot days and prevent moisture from coming into the region -- something that in turn causes even higher temperatures.
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The forecast said it was possible that temperatures in some states would challenge the seemingly untouchable heat records set during the 1930s. But Mary Knapp, Kansas' state climatologist, is skeptical.
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The lakebed at the Hodgeman County State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area near Jetmore is nearly dry.
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Still, this winter was the fourth driest in state history.
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Bill Wood, Douglas County's agriculture agent for K-State Research and Extension, said the lack of moisture in the soil was causing local farmers to brace themselves for the possibility of poor crop yields.
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At Baldwin Feed Co., 1600 High St., owner Steve Wilson has recently heard a few customers make reference to the Dust Bowl days. But overall, it's not the greatest topic of concern.
"They're probably still more concerned with high fertilizer prices," he said.