All posts tagged: Drought

Drought fears in central and southern England as dry April leaves rivers low | Drought

Drought fears in central and southern England as dry April leaves rivers low | Drought

Published by Jenni Sidey

One of the driest Aprils on record for central and southern England has left river levels below normal, raising fears of drought in some areas over the summer. The latest UK hydrological survey – which tracks river and groundwater levels – suggests central and southern England and eastern Scotland will experience notably low river flows over the next three months, raising concerns about water shortages if dry weather persists. Other parts of the UK, however, are likely to fare better with normal to above-normal river flows in the north-west and western Scotland. Rainfall in April was 23% less than average, according to Met Office figures. In parts of East Anglia and the south-east, rainfall was even less. In Shoeburyness in Essex, it was the driest April on record, with only 0.6mm of rain – just 2% of the monthly average. Cambridgeshire – one of the most water-stressed areas in the UK – and Bedfordshire received less than 5% of average rainfall. Met Office forecasts for the rest of May suggest it is likely to be …

Somalia hunger crisis worsens as drought displaces more than 500,000 people | Hunger News

Somalia hunger crisis worsens as drought displaces more than 500,000 people | Hunger News

Published by Sam Flores

Published On 27 Apr 202627 Apr 2026 Across Somalia, communities are suffering through a deepening hunger crisis, driven from their homes by drought and left waiting for critical humanitarian assistance that has not arrived. September’s failed Deyr rains mark the latest blow in a relentless climate crisis, destroying livelihoods, killing livestock, and forcing another year of harvest failure. More than 500,000 people have been displaced so far this year – more than 90 percent of them by drought – in addition to the 3.3 million Somalis already uprooted. Displaced families now face the highest risk of starvation, according to the UN OCHA’s Somalia Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2026. Fatima, 40, has fled five times – three times because of conflict, twice because of drought. Each time she has left behind land, livestock, and the small possessions her family has managed to save. “This is the fifth time I have fled,” she says. “I am still facing the drought and I have nothing to feed my family.” Families have walked for days, eating wild plants …

U.S. Wheat Futs Hit Two-Year High As Wall Street Sounds Alarm Over Drought Shock

U.S. Wheat Futs Hit Two-Year High As Wall Street Sounds Alarm Over Drought Shock

Published by Jenni Sidey

Hard red winter wheat climbed to a two-year high by the end of the week, as our coverage of the drought shock now hitting America’s Breadbasket raises serious alarm bells on commodity desks. The concern is not just reduced crop yields and quality. It is colliding with fertilizer shortages and elevated diesel prices, creating a broader inflationary transmission channel that could work its way through the food supply and translate into higher supermarket prices down the road. Hard red winter wheat rose another 1% on Friday, with gains for the week approaching 6%. Active futures contracts in Chicago are now at their highest level since June 2024. Contracts are up 28% on the year. On Thursday, UBS analysts, led by Jonathan Pingle, told clients that the drought conditions impacting the U.S. agricultural belt rank among the worst in more than 130 years: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Palmer Drought Severity Index hit its highest level for March since records started in 1895, and March was the third-driest month recorded, regardless of time of year, …

Pistons Pound the Magic in Paint and Meet Them at the Rim to End Their Long Home Playoff Win Drought

Pistons Pound the Magic in Paint and Meet Them at the Rim to End Their Long Home Playoff Win Drought

Published by Sam Flores

DETROIT (AP) — Ben Wallace and Rick Mahorn, like proud uncles, watched the Detroit Pistons pound the Orlando Magic in the paint and meet them at the rim in a 98-83 win that tied their first-round series at a game apiece. “I’m sure they appreciated it,” Pistons power forward Isaiah Stewart said. Wallace, a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and Mahorn, an enforcer for the Bad Boys, helped the Pistons win a lot of games that looked like Wednesday night’s slugfest. “I’m willing to lay my body on the line to make those plays for the energy,” Stewart said. Top-seeded Detroit held eighth-seeded Orlando to 33% shooting and season lows in points and field goals. The Pistons forced 19 turnovers and blocked 11 shots. “When we play defense at the level we’re capable of, it triggers everything for us,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “We can be an elite defensive team, a disruptive defense. It’s Pistons basketball. That’s what it looks like. “We had one off night and it came at a bad …

Record US Drought Sparks Worries About Fires, Water Supply and Food Prices

Record US Drought Sparks Worries About Fires, Water Supply and Food Prices

Published by Sam Flores

Drought in the contiguous United States has reached record levels for this time of year, weather data shows. Meteorologists said it’s a bad sign for the upcoming wildfire season, food prices and western water issues. More than 61% of the Lower 48 states is in moderate to exceptional drought — including 97% of the Southeast and two-thirds of the West — according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. It’s the highest levels for this time of year since the drought monitor began in 2000. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s comprehensive Palmer Drought Severity Index not only hit its highest level for March since records started in 1895, but last month was the third-driest month recorded regardless of time of year. It trailed only the famed Dust Bowl months of July and August 1934. Because of record heat, much of the West has had exceptionally low levels of snow in the first few months of the year, which is usually how the region stores water for the summer. A different drought — connected to the jet …

UK’s warm and dry April 1976 was a taste of scorching summer to come | Drought

UK’s warm and dry April 1976 was a taste of scorching summer to come | Drought

Published by Jenni Sidey

The weather in April 1976 was unusually pleasant. The Easter weekend, which fell in the middle of the month, coincided with a warm spell as an area of high pressure drifted towards the UK. Conditions in Scotland were unsettled but the rest of the country enjoyed sunshine and highs of 21C. There was very little rainfall in what is traditionally a showery month, with Plymouth receiving a record low of just 4mm. The 12-month period to April 1976 was the driest ever recorded. The warm, dry conditions were a foretaste of things to come. The summer of 76 was almost unbelievably hot. Grass parched and turned brown, tarmac softened and roads and runways developed ridges and cracked. Railway tracks buckled as the steel rails expanded. The lack of rain became serious, with a prolonged drought resulting in water rationing. In some places, standpipes in the streets replaced the domestic water supply, and water use restrictions forced some schools and business to close. In April, though, everybody expected that normal rain would resume shortly. The warm …

Historians dispute link between drought and rebellion in Roman Britain

Historians dispute link between drought and rebellion in Roman Britain

Published by skeptic

Hadrian’s Wall marked the northern border of Roman territory in ancient Britain HISTORIC ENGLAND/HERITAGE IMAGES/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Researchers are at odds over a claim that droughts helped trigger conflicts in late Roman Britain. Climatologists identified evidence of drought coinciding with unrest and battles, but historians say they have misread key written sources. The dispute highlights the ongoing difficulties researchers face when trying to integrate data on past climates into the historical record. “You see this time and time again,” says Dagomar Degroot, a climate historian at Georgetown University in Washington DC. In a study published last year, a team led by Ulf Büntgen, a geographer at the University of Cambridge, analysed tree ring data from oak trees from southern Britain and northern France to reconstruct the climate between AD 288 and 2009. The researchers identified a series of severe summer droughts in southern Britain between the years 364 and 366. They linked this to the so-called “Barbarian Conspiracy” of 367, when warriors from Britain and Ireland inflicted a series of defeats on the Roman Empire, …

Extreme heats leaves California mountains in a snow drought

Extreme heats leaves California mountains in a snow drought

Published by Sam Flores

California’s snowpack is supposed to reach its peak April 1, but when state surveyors went out Wednesday for their final snow survey of the year near Lake Tahoe, they found only some sparse patches of snow on the bare grass. “We’re calling today’s measurement zero,” said Andy Reising, manager of snow surveys for the California Department of Water Resources. “It came off really fast.” Snow across California’s Sierra Nevada is at just 18% of average — the second smallest since 1950. A month of record-shattering heat thawed the snow and sent runoff coursing into streams and rivers, leaving only minimal water in the mountains as the state heads into dry season. Scientists say this is exactly what climate change looks like, and it’s compounding the water problems of California and other Western states. The early melt reflects a long-term pattern that is becoming more pronounced as temperatures rise. “This particular year is as clear an indication of the influence of climate change as anything we’ve seen,” said Peter Gleick, a leading water scientist and co-founder …

‘Weather whiplash’ warning as England recovers from drought after heavy rain | Science, Climate & Tech News

‘Weather whiplash’ warning as England recovers from drought after heavy rain | Science, Climate & Tech News

Published by skeptic

England has recovered from drought after four months of above average rainfall, but officials are concerned about future dry spells. A wetter-than-normal February saw England receive 170% of the long-term average rainfall, the Environment Agency said. A regular government-led meeting of water stakeholders noted that while wetter than normal months had been positive for water supplies, they had “caused devastating flooding” in many areas. The South West recorded the second-highest December to February winter rainfall since records began in 1871. Image: While England saw above average rain in February, March is drier than normal so far. Pic: PA On Monday, East Anglia became the final area to move back to a “normal” water level status. The Environment Agency said the risk of drought in 2026 was now low, but there was still the possibility of “flash drought”, caused by a sudden combination of very low rainfall and high temperatures – conditions seen in summer 2022. However, officials warned that the country will see increased “weather whiplash”, with rapid swings from droughts to floods as a …

A Financial Drought Is Over For 3 Zodiac Signs Starting On February 21, 2026

A Financial Drought Is Over For 3 Zodiac Signs Starting On February 21, 2026

Published by Jenni Sidey

On February 21, 2026, the financial drought ends for three zodiac signs. During the Waxing Crescent Moon in Aries, we the floodgates to money open up.  This Moon helps us reflect on what we need and what we feel is right. Aries adds that touch of courage and initiative, making our financial journey one that is well fought for. For these astrological signs, knowledge really is power. We made some very interesting choices along the way, and now we’re realizing that we handled things the right way after all. Our financial drought is finally over. Thank goodness! 1. Sagittarius Design: YourTango It’s hard to believe, and yet, it’s true. Your financial drought is finally over! The thing with you is that you kind of always knew it was possible. You knew all along that you could be the magnet that attracts money and abundance. You took the risks, and that’s what built your empire as it stands, right now. Because you’re able to make fast decisions, you can also create the conditions for rapid expansion. …