2012 Midwest Drought in the United States

Abstract

The 2012 North American drought may be the costliest and one of the most widespread natural disasters in U.S. history [USDA Economic Research Service (USDA-ERS) 2012]. While several states across the United States were experiencing drought conditions to varying degrees of severity, the Midwest and Northern Plains were perhaps the most affected. The drought severely impacted agricultural activities across the United States, particularly corn and soybean crops, prompting federal agencies including U.S. Department of Agriculture to declare disaster areas (USDA 2012b) and to provide assistance to those affected by this calamity. This paper utilizes existing and new techniques to provide insights into the severity of the 2012 Midwest drought and its impacts over the region.