NASA Explains 'Dust Bowl' Drought

  • Released Thursday, June 24, 2004
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This illustration shows how cooler than normal tropical Pacific Ocean temperatures (blues) and warmer than normal tropical Atlantic Ocean temperatures (red and orange) contributed to a weakened low level jet stream and changed its course.
The jet stream normally flows westward over the Gulf of Mexico and then turns northward pulling up moisture and dumping rain onto the Great Plains. During the 1930s, this low level jet stream weakened, carrying less moisture, and shifted further south. The Great Plains land dried up and dust storms blew across the U.S.

This is the standard definition version Dust Bowl Climate Conceptual animaiton MPEG.

This is the high resolution still illustrating abnormal climate during Dust Bowl in the 1930's.

This is the high resolution still illustrating abnormal climate during Dust Bowl in the 1930's.

This is the high resolution still illustrating the normal climate of the region.

This is the high resolution still illustrating the normal climate of the region.

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

This page was originally published on Thursday, June 24, 2004.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:56 PM EDT.