"Record-breaking triple-digit temperatures were prolonging a devastating drought that has been baking the South and the dry spell could extend into next year and beyond, climate experts said on Thursday."

"'Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse... we are seeing expansion of this drought. This drought will continue to persist and likely intensify,' said climatologist Mark Svoboda, with the University of Nebraska's National Drought Mitigation Center.

The drought is edging its way to the east even as it intensifies in the southern states, according to a weekly report released Thursday by a consortium of state and federal climatologists dubbed the U.S. Drought Monitor."

Carey Gillam reports for Reuters September 2, 2011. [2]

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"Heat Kills More Than 124,000 Fish in Texas Lake" (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram) [3]