Dust Bowl Days 0
Not then.
Now.
This summer, it doesn’t take much for the wind to kick up sand in western Kansas.
A 10 to 15 mph wind will cause the horizon to dim; at 30 to 40 mph, it darkens the sky and visibility is less than a 100 feet.
Much of Morton County is in an exceptional drought, the driest rating, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Already it is drier than the driest years of the Dust Bowl.
Since last September — 10 months ago — Morton County near Elkhart has received 2.99 inches of moisture. The normal average rainfall for that corner of Kansas is about 19 inches.
The Kansas agricultural economy is withering, like the heat.
No doubt laying off more teachers will bring rain.
After all, that seems to be the magical mystical solution these days.
