Odds Against U.S. Drought Ending Soon, Texas Climatologist Says
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The U.S. needs more than average precipitation to end the worst drought since the 1930s, while normal to below-normal rainfall is forecast, said John Nielsen-Gammon, a state climatologist and a professor at Texas A&M University.
The dry spell means no incentive to expand the U.S. cattle herd, Nielsen-Gammon said in an interview after a presentation at a cattle industry conference in Tampa, Florida. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported last week that the cattle herd as of Jan. 1 was the smallest since 1952 after the drought scorched pastures, raised feed costs and spurred ranchers to cull herds.