Huffington Magazine Issue 11 | Page 10

DANIEL ACKER/BLOOMBERG VIA GETTY IMAGES Enter Scorched Earth As drought grips the Midwest, the U.S. continues to set grim weather records—with July hotter than any month previously observed. More than 1,000 counties in 26 states are being named natural-disaster areas, the biggest such declaration ever by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The result is devastating, and chilling. This cracked, dry ground is actually a pond in Crossville, Illinois. MOVING IMAGE HUFFINGTON 08.26.12