"ScienceDaily (July 5, 2012) — More of the United States is in moderate drought or worse than at any other time in the 12-year history of the U.S. Drought Monitor, officials from the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln said July 5."

Drought monitor shows record-breaking expanse of drought across United States (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120705194136.htm)