Okla. governor calls for prayer to end heat wave

It is relentless, dangerous and gripping the country. A major heat wave this weekend has prompted officials in 17 states to issue heat warnings and advisories.

On a temperature map of the nation Sunday, you'll find several large areas in the 90s and a patch that had highs above 100 degrees.

CBS News

At least two hot weather-related deaths have been reported, and forecasters say the high heat is expected to spread over the next few days.

CBS News correspondent Cynthia Bowers reports that it's been so hot for so long in Oklahoma, the governor called for a statewide day of prayer in hope of some divine intervention

"I think if we have a lot of people praying, it moves the heart of God," Gov. Mary Fallin says.

For 47 straight days, temperatures in Oklahoma City have topped 90 degrees. There has only been one day below 100 so far this month, and it's expected to top the century mark through at least next Friday.

This summer's searing heat is setting new records. This month alone high temperatures have been tied or broken over 800 times.

Six cities not only broke records for a single day, but set all time highs since records have been kept: Tallahassee, Fla. - 105 on June 15; Amarillo, Texas - 111 on June 26; Borger, Texas - 113 on June 26; Dalhart, Texas - 110 on June 26; Childress, Texas - 117 on June 26; and Gage, Okla. - 113.

"Never in my life have I seen it this dry," says Michael Bostick, a Louisiana farmer.

Extremely dry weather is blamed on fires that have already burned nearly 5 million acres in the southwest so far this summer. This is the driest start to the year ever in New Mexico.

Aniyah davis, 7, kisses her cousin William Respes, 1, as they play in water from a garden hose to beat the midday summer heat Tuesday, July 12, 2011, in Philadelphia.

/ AP Photo

The U.S. Drought Monitor released Thursday showed 29 percent of the country in drought, and 12 percent of the country in exceptional drought, the largest extent on record.

Three quarters of Texas is in exceptional drought. Forty percent of Oklahoma is there as well - a 10 percent increase in just one week.

All this means tough times for plants and animals .

"It's a tough year for all crops involved, and ultimately there will probably be some producers that don't survive for another year," says Jeremy Ross, with the University of Arkansas Agricultural Extension Service.

One shelter in Texas has been overrun with young deer rescued because hungry mothers can't feed their young.

Gail Barnes with the South Plains Wildlife Rehab Center says: "They were brought in because their mothers can't find food to eat and can't produce milk."

Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli says there is a really big area of high pressure which keeps expanding across the U.S and keeps temperatures high. As we head through the upcoming week, all that heat is gonna be moving eastward, which means New York, Washington, D.C., and North Carolina can expect temperatures near 100 degrees. That said, it looks like the high pressure system should break in about a week or so.

[karlschneider]

http://www.godisimaginary.com/i7.htm

[duwaynea]

What irony. The "red" states are run by right wingers that deny the science of global warming -- and the "red" states are the ones being baked. And what do the idiot governors do? Why, they hold a "prayer meeting," of course. But the irony doesn't end there. The Republicon Party is the antithesis of what Jesus taught, and these guys are praying to Jesus.

So we have the antichrist Republicsons praying to Jesus to end a heat wave that is a precursor to "normal" weather patterns that will result from policies that are a direct result of political positions they espouse.

[Proton360]

CBS, please, when you report on people, especially political leaders, offering supernatural explanations or solutions for extreme weather phenomena, also interview a scientist. For example, NPR did a great interview with Martin Hoerling from the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration last week:

http://www.npr.org/2011/07/23/138635455/will-global-warming-cause-more-extreme-weather

The Yale Forum on Climate Change and the Media has a "rapid response" Web site designed to connect reporters on a deadline with scientists.

http://www.yaleclimatemediaforum.org/2011/02/rapid-response-team-pairs-scientists-and-media/

Good luck!

[Toddwest]

You do things like jail people for growing and using hemp, which God created for all to use for medicine, personal use AND for industry; and you support laws which rape the land and give the resources to corrupt companies and politicos; yet now your state fries and you pray to God for relief? hahaha! nada.

[cbs_bull]

Hope those religious nuts not to ask the 'Higher Father' for another unnecessary war .... They will enjoy an even hotter place in Hell with Muslim extremists ...

[lami987]

We can pray till doomsday comes but nothing will happen unless we do something about it. Science predicted many years ago of global warming. But some industries and industry paid politicians are doing everything they can to stop us from doing anything to improve the situations because that might hurt their status quo.

[soonermarv]

Mary needs to pray that she doesn't have extramarital sex with one of her Highway Patrol security details like she did when she was Lt. Governor. Just another family values Republican to the rescue.

[Bojax39]

"Okla. governor calls for prayer to end heat wave"

Yeah, Gov. Good luck with that. And while you're at it, pray we get leaders who have moved beyond praying to the elements for surcease.

[1American]

Matthew 10:33
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

[runningfree9]

so if any crackpot says he's the son of god and that he will deny you to his father if you deny him should be believed?

[greenetd1]

Sometime in the 1990's we were having a drought in Louisiana. Our governor, Rick Foster, called for the people of the state to pray for rain. We got it--in the form of a flood. So, folks, DO PRAY, but be SPECIFIC about what you are asking for. God will hear and answer if our prayers are coupled with righteous actions.