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The Harlan County Reservoir lies parched in drought on August 25, 2012 near Alma, Nebraska. Most of Nebraska remains in extreme or exceptional drought, despite recent lower temperatures and thunderstorms, according to the University of Nebraska's Drought Monitor. The record-breaking drought, which has affected more than half of the continental United States, is expected to drive up food prices by 2013 due to lower crop harvests and the adverse effect on the nation's cattle industry.
It's been three weeks now since the so-called Superstorm hit the east coast. Sandy was blamed for more than 130 deaths and causing approximately $50 billion worth of damage.
The country remains in the grips of another climate calamity : the great drought of 2012. Its damage estimate? $77 billion so far.
Jeff Masters, a meteorologist, and the founder of the website Wunderground. com, thinks drought has the power to do far more damage than most of us understand.