Posted: Thu Aug 9 2001
Meteorologist Says Drought Results From Lack Of Rain.

There's a reason for the recent drought throughout the western US, says University of Oklahoma Meteorologist Dr. Bill Grant.

"I've been studying drought conditions for over 20 years, and the preliminary data seems to indicate that there is a direct correlation between the lack of rain and drought conditions" Grant said in an interview yesterday.

"Please keep in mind that this interim report is based on incomplete data. I expect that I will need a lot more federal grant money in order to complete the study and prove this tentative connection."

When asked if his conclusion might be an anomaly of local weather patterns, Dr. Grant scoffed. "It started out as a local study, but since I started receiving federal grants, my research has taken me all around the globe. I've looked at the French Riviera, Italy, Thailand, Japan, Australia, and Hawaii in an effort to further my understanding of these weather patterns."

He continued: "For example, my research found that much of Southeast Asia receives a lot of rain during just a few months of the year. The natives even have a name for it; many of call it a 'monsoon'. In order to determine if this was a recent phenomenon, I spent time with dozens of Thai girls that I met in local establishments. They all said that 'monsoons' had been an annual occurrence as long as they could remember."

"The desert in Australia also was a good location for my research" Dr. Grant said. "It so happens that the Great Australian Desert rarely receives rain, and it's just a 2 hour drive from the Hilton in Sidney. The island of Hawaii also gave an interesting contrast. Kona is almost rain free, but it rains almost every day in Hilo."

"Because travel to Hawaii is less expensive than going to Australia - I had to watch my budget - the majority of my field work was conducted there. In fact, that's where I first stumbled upon the possible correlation between the amount of rain and drought. My research assistant Heidi and I often fly to Hawaii to spend a week or two studying this phenomenon."

Asked when he expected the study to be completed, Dr. Grant replied: "I'm 42, and I don't think it can be completed before I retire. I've dedicated my life to this research, and it's only fair that I should receive the money to complete the project. I've sacrificed a lot because I think this project is worth it. I even went through a bitter divorce because of the extensive travel this project entailed."

"I've only received $13 million thus far" said Dr. Grant. "I've spent the past month submitting proposals to increase the funding for this vital project. With an increase of just $250,000 per year, I could bring Gina and Kim with me. With 3 eager assistants, I'm sure this research could be completed much sooner."