WEATHER THAT AFFECTS AGRICULTURE: Your food, clothing and shelter

DROUGHT A drought is defined as a long period without rain. The Dustbowl occurred between – Caused by a drought and poor farming practices Kansas Farm House, 1932

TORNADOS AND EXTREME WINDS Tornados are violent windstorms that form funnel clouds which are destructive. Extreme Winds are wind storms that have high speeds. – Crops may not be harvestable after extreme winds storms or tornados

EXTEME TEMPATURES FREEZING – Frost is solid water vapor that forms crystals that can vary in many forms Tomatoes are a plant that cannot survive being exposed to frost A plant that can survive a frost are radishes EXTERME HEAT – High temperatures that begin at 100 degrees Fahrenheit / 38 degrees Celsius Causes plants to wither, burn up, and die

FLOODING When there is to much rain, streams and rivers may overflow, which is known as flooding When there is to much water – Crops may die from too much water – Crops maybe ruined and no longer usable to feed animals or people

LIGHTNING Lighting is produced by electrical charges in the air and usually accompanies a thunderstorm Lightning may cause – Fires – Electricity going to go out Most farms have electrical generators that run on fuel to produce electricity in cast of power loss

HURRICANE Hurricanes are tropical storms that are formed over the ocean and have high winds that cause lots of damage when they make land (landfall) Three main crops that are in the path of hurricanes and may be damaged are – Cotton – Pineapple – Sugarcane

AFFECTS ON PRODUCERS (FARMERS) Farmers – Destroyed crops and livestock means no income – Repairing of farm buildings (expense) – Reshaping of land (expense) – Buying new supplies (expense)

AFFECTS ON CONSUMERS (YOU) You – Shortage of crops and livestock means higher food prices at the grocery store Possible Environmental concerns – Soil erosion – Reduced water quality – Reduced air quality