Across the United States, from the leisurely beaches of California to the plain states such as Iowa, an eerie silence overtakes the air as bustling streets stand deserted due to blistering temperatures. From the start, the summer seemed like any other, characteristically hot. July, however, proved to be a month of record-breaking and unforgiving heat that has stayed strong throughout the rest of the season.
Jeff Black, of NBC News, reports that this nationwide drought now covers “nearly 63 percent of the Lower 48 states.”
Possibly the hardest hit by this heat wave is the Midwest and the plain states, most of all Illinois. The “prairie state” has had to endure several weeks with temperatures in the upper-nineties and even breaking the hundreds on multiple occasions.
Not surprisingly, these high temperatures have a deadly result on the local crops. Once vibrant cornfields now sit withered and crumbling, with little to salvage from the pitiful rainfall. Despite the recent sprinkling showers and lower temperatures, the corn will not be making a comeback.
Evan Hall, a sophomore at Millikin University who has helped on his father’s farm all his life, describes this drought as one of the worst he has ever seen.
“Corn, which should average 200 bushels an acre, will this year average 80 to 100 if we’re lucky. My beans haven’t even sprouted in some fields yet. It’s not whether or not we will lose money but how much,” Hall reflects in frustration.
Deborah Zabarenko Reuters, of The Chicago Tribune, points out that the failing crops affect more than just people. They are a major source of food for farmers’ livestock.
“The crops provide the main rations for livestock from dairy cattle to chickens, so soaring grain prices will put upward pressure on consumer staples like milk and cheese, beef, fish and poultry,” Reuters writes.
Obviously, this drought spreads to more than just nature. It also takes a stab at the pocketbooks of Americans all over the country.
Sam Nelson, another reporter for NBC News, states that despite the relief of cooler temperatures, the heat is sure to make a ghastly return in the following weeks.
In order to combat the lack of rainfall, city councils have been implementing water regulations all throughout Illinois in order to conserve the precious resource should worse come to worst. Cities, like Decatur in central Illinois, take the weather very seriously. Recently, the drought has pushed officials to ban not only watering lawns but also football fields as well due to the decreasing water levels at local lakes.
Bunny Thomas, a manager at Coney McKane’s American Eatery in downtown Decatur, informs that businesses in the area are also doing their part to help conserve and feel the hurt of the situation as much as anyone else.
Thomas explains that they use leftover water from customers’ drinks to keep the plants outside watered and remain frugal when it comes to water usage on a daily basis. She supports the water regulations in this trying time.
“Better beforehand than after,” Thomas comments on the restrictions.
The drought puts further strain on the people of Illinois. Venturing outside becomes a dangerous activity when the possibility is high for a heat stroke. Numerous heat advisories have come and gone in the summer months, warning citizens to stay inside unless absolutely necessary.
As the summer months come to a close, and the students return to classes, the temperatures do not waver. The United States has a harsh year ahead, and the future seems uncertain. While the citizens may not be able to change the weather, they can prepare for its adversities. In the end, that is the best we as humans can do.