Devastating 'Dust Bowl' Explained

Scientific American reports on the cause of the devastating eight-year drought that plagued the central U.S. in the 1930s.

1 minute read

April 6, 2004, 11:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen

"Previous research had demonstrated a link between some droughts and peculiar patterns of sea surface temperatures in different parts of the world. Schubert and his colleagues used a computer climate model to analyze conditions during the past 100 years. They found that ocean temperatures, particularly in the tropics, heavily influenced the dry conditions experienced in North America. In the early 1930s, the waters of the tropical Pacific were cooler than normal, and those of the tropical Atlantic were warmer than normal."

Thanks to Chris Steins

FULL STORY: Forces behind Devastating 'Dust Bowl' Drought Explained

Friday, March 19, 2004 in Scientific American

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