les O'fieldstream WUblog

Weather Haiku: Drought

Posted by: ofieldstream, 23:33 GMT le 12 août 2012

Drought Haiku

Much of the midwest United States swelters and thirsts under the oppression of the worst drought since the Dust Bowl Era of the 1930's! Fires rage, streams, lakes, ponds and swamps dry up as weeks go by without rain. Occasional showers pass through a few areas, and while this is welcome relief, it - in no way slakes the thirst of the land. The crops of corn, soybeans and livestock not only suffer, they are systematically destroyed.

Modern civilization is an amazingly advanced collection of technology and derived knowledge. We do some truly amazing things. Yet, in the face of the natural world - and it's more fickle member: weather - no amount of technology has been able to overcome the rudimentary elements of Mother Nature. We can barely predict; doing so only if the weather remains template consistent; let alone control. That is yet only in the realm of science fiction. Yet, if one thing is learned about weather, it is the inconsistency of weather.

Many are asking, "Is this [the hot weather and drought] because of global climate change?" The naysayers tell the questioning crowd, "It's nothing more than a natural cycle. We've seen them before and we've made it through. We'll weather this one, too."

Sounds good and there is a grain of truth in the statement.

These spikes/anomalies/weather variances have occurred before. As well, there are definitely cyclical components to weather events. But mankind has never just 'made it through' a weather alteration/variance/anomaly/spike. Something - or somethings - always fall subject to unexpected change. Often times it is the change that alters entire lifestyles. Not always for the better. Think potato famine in Ireland; or droughts in Africa; or even our own Dust Bowl Era. None of these occurred without seriously painful changes.

Drought Haiku
Dry land, tinder rage,
Dreams sear in summer broil: pain
Desiccated hope.

Drought is manifested as land - forced to offer up changes. Once fertile areas become - if not desert - then near-desert. Water sources/ways/impoundments change and so do the life forms found within/near/dependent for their existence along their shores.

The land deals change. It has no choice. Wildlife either adjust or perish or move on to new areas that will support them. Adaptation, is a slow process, so in the interim many animals and plants are lost; extirpated from the affected area. Humans, though we have a bit more flexibility, we, too are not invincible in the face of weather disruptions.

The land suffers future changes. In the face of an extended and severe drought much of the land becomes useless for what it once provided. It's future and the future of any life depending on it, also changes. When the land changes, the weather itself changes in response. And thus a vicious cycle of pain-filled alteration begins. The last work in this is not pretty.

So, did we (humanity) have a hand in this? Can mankind be blamed for what the earth and its inhabitants are being exposed to today? Can man actually have an overall changing effect upon the surface of the earth? If so, does this 'effect-range' proctor an affect vast enough to actually change the weather? Have we erred in our assessments of human involvement? On the side of pride: regardless of the side of the table? All of these questions are hotly debated and are very much in need of answers: soon!

To err is most certainly human. But to do so deliberately, that my friend ...is colossal stupidity.
Sam Stovepipe, Sage of Gar Island, Journal #6; Slogging Through It, 1946

This is a fundamental question. Many argue their position-answer. But, as always, nature will have the last, and final, answer. That one bit of truth, you can take to the grave: the other sure thing in life.

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Categories: Temperature Extreme Climate Change Drought Politics

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1. LakeWorthFinn 08:09 GMT le 26 septembre 2012
Great Haiku and food for thought... PS. You can buzz me now, pilot came out :) Member Since: 6 octobre 2005 Posts: 66 Comments: 6963

2. whitewabit (Mod) 20:12 GMT le 27 septembre 2012
Les .. Very thought provoking blog .. as you said Mother Nature will be the deciding eliment in the end .. One of the things that many people seem to discount is the alarming rate of the rise in ocean height .. In only a few years at the current rate the world will start losing many of the smaller atolls in the Pacific.. there is alarm there but the rest of the world seems it doesn't want to be bothered with such facts ... Member Since: 17 août 2005 Posts: 324 Comments: 24125

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