The Worst Droughts of the 20th Century

The worst drought of the 20th Century happened in

Africa. It lasted 12 years beginning in 1968-1980.

Every 22 years is when the average major drought

happens in the U.S. There was a drought in 1931-

1938 known as the Dust Bowl. The Dust Bowl took up

large areas of the Great Plains. Because of dust

storms, or black blizzards, farmers had to be

moved. Another dangerous drought occurred in

1975-1977. This drought happened because of lack

of snow during the winter. Argentina marks an area

of low rainfall, for a fact Brazil has a very dry

climate. There are two places just north and south

of the equator where there are permanent

droughts. Droughts often happen around West

Africa, South Africa, Brazil, Australia, and India.

These are located between 15 and 20 degrees north and south latitude.

Scientists have tried very hard but unsuccessfully to find a reason for why droughts

happen. There is no definite reason they have, but they have found

that droughts and

sunspots seem to occur every 20 to 22 year intervals in the Western United States.

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