By Janet Raloff
Before last fall’s hurricane season deluged the southeastern United States with water, water, and more water, meteorological news had focused on the paucity of rain. Persistent droughts had been parching most of the eastern half of the country, racking up huge economic and environmental impacts.
For instance, farmers in Maryland, which had its second-driest year in recorded history, suffered losses valued at $100 million. Despite an Indiana ban on open burning, almost 1,000 uncontrolled fires ravaged that drought-stricken state. In portions of Vermont, up to 90 percent of the frogs succumbed to the dry spell. Roots on tens of thousands of New York trees lost their anchoring grip, causing them to topple over during autumn storms.