Drought declared in Rock County
JANESVILLE--Jim Stute hasn’t seen it this dry since 1988, when Rock County farmers lost 50 percent or more of their yield.
“The last rain that year fell on Mother’s Day, and except for small, period rains like the ones we’re getting now, it didn’t rain until September,” said Stute, UW Extension crops and soil specialist.
At 6 a.m. Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association declared drought conditions in Rock County.
In a report issued Monday, the USDA predicted that without rain this week, some acreage would not produce anything.
The report estimated 98 percent of soil in south central Wisconsin was dry or very dry. Wheat harvests are under way, and yields are down significantly.
The severity of the drought is compounded by the lack of snowfall last winter, Stute said.
For a full story, read Friday’s Gazette, read online in the Gazette’s E-Edition or check back at GazetteXtra.com.
Jul 2, 2012 at 11:05 a.m.
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landfill on fire again. hot embers in some trash they said.
Jun 30, 2012 at 3:26 p.m.
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Saw smoke in the sky today over by Wright Rd. West of -maybe Pontiac/Blackbridge area. (no not freedom fest area).
Anybody know what happened?
Jun 30, 2012 at 11:03 a.m.
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Let's see a drought has been declared for Rock county. But it is still ok to have (legal) firework displays. Can someone with the powers to be say Colorado???
Jun 30, 2012 at 9:02 a.m.
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carlitosway
Your snide comment indicates you really have no idea what is going on in Wisconsin.
Jun 30, 2012 at 5:59 a.m.
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It is sad to see yards as they are. As to camera getting any help it will have to be federal as this state will not help ANYONE IN NEED. Well the guy in charge won't.
Jun 29, 2012 at 9:38 p.m.
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My rain dance worked, kinda. It's sprinkling here at this moment. We are at the mercy of the weather and it is not pleasant. We all love nice weather, but we sure could use some cloudy, rainy days. A good thunderstorm would be nice. Past records do not bode well for much rain in July. :(
Jun 29, 2012 at 4:19 p.m.
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Yeah for years I've been telling people about it and they keep calling me a liar. I had a brother who graduated that year from Craig and the snow/cold weather messed plans up a little. You kind of never forget stuff like that but my family did and thinks I'm making it up. That was also the first year I noticed bizarre things occurring with the weather consecutively each year forward. People are so busy putting things behind them they forget odd stuff like in 1988. That was also the first year I started screen printing and collecting weekly weather forecasts by NWS. I was going to create a website which reported the historical inaccuracies but never did in fear of a legal lawsuit.
Jun 29, 2012 at 3:26 p.m.
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Drought observed in Rock County.
Jun 29, 2012 at 2:10 p.m.
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callit it- I would have doubted it too but since we had 85 for a whole week in March nothing suprizes me about WI weather anymore.
NIce clouds that PASSED over us today.
Jun 29, 2012 at 1:49 p.m.
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lose_weight-I admit I doubted your snow in June claim, but a little research shows that on June 10, 1988 a low temperature of 35.1 degrees occurred with melting snow and drizzle.
Jun 29, 2012 at 11:58 a.m.
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Great - then it's full steam ahead for all the fireworks, right? Never let fear and common sense - along with a respect for Nature and the envieinment - stop us from our mandatory and explosive "patriotic" celebrations...some of them even "for Gawd," no less.
WWJD? Party on, no doubt!!!
Jun 29, 2012 at 11:07 a.m.
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Also I remember 1988 that was the same year in June we received snow fall then following day it was 70 degrees.
Jun 29, 2012 at 11:05 a.m.
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I'll tell ya one thing if a fire erupts because of fireworks not be cancelled I'll sure blame someone!
Jun 29, 2012 at 10:33 a.m.
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Llamaboy1: Give them time. They haven't failed yet.
Jun 29, 2012 at 9:54 a.m.
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Ok, so who can figure out how to blame Walker or Obama for this??
Jun 29, 2012 at 8:43 a.m.
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Let's start a lively debate on how this drought is being amplified by our burning of fossil fuels which raises the Earth's surface temperature by the emission of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that traps heat.
I say it is.
Jun 29, 2012 at 8:33 a.m.
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you would think maybe the government would be "seeding" some rain clouds in this dire times.
Jun 29, 2012 at 8 a.m.
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Remember who REALLY puts food on your tables.... Oh, why yes, that would be farmers.
I am not saying anyone has gone there yet, I am just speaking up before it goes there.
Jun 29, 2012 at 6:50 a.m.
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I'm guessing by officially declaring it, the farmer's may get some kind of aid to help them because of the lower yield. But that's just a guess.
Jun 29, 2012 at 6:39 a.m.
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OMG - Did they just figure that out...
Jun 29, 2012 at 6:09 a.m.
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Nothing new.
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