National Weather Service Text Product Display

Drought Information Statement
Issued by NWS Brownsville, TX
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5

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AXUS74 KBRO 171341
DGTBRO
TXC047-061-215-247-261-427-489-505-171800-

DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
840 AM CDT FRI MAY 17 2013

...RECENT RAINS BRING SOME RELIEF...

...SEVERE TO EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUE...

...RIO GRANDE VALLEY STILL FACING WATER SHORTAGES...

SYNOPSIS...

THE COMBINATION OF ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND A SERIES OF UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCES MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN MEXICO AND DEEP SOUTH
TEXAS ALLOW FOR BENEFICIAL RAINS ACROSS THE REGION. AREAS OF SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTED THE AREA ON THE 11TH AND CONTINUED
THROUGH THE 15TH. RAIN ACTIVITY ENDED AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM TREKKED NORTHEAST, ALLOWING DRIER AIR TO FILTER INTO
SOUTH TEXAS. MUCH OF THE AREA RECEIVED RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2
INCHES DURING THE PERIOD, WITH HEAVIER AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES
OCCURRING OVER PORTIONS OF ZAPATA, JIM HOGG, COASTAL KENEDY AND
COASTAL WILLACY COUNTIES. THE MUCH AWAITED RAINS PROVIDED SOME
RELIEF TO ONGOING EXTREME TO EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS. THE
RAINS REPLENISHED BADLY NEEDED SOIL MOISTURE AND WERE WELCOME BY
FARMERS, RANCHERS AND MUNICIPALITIES. DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF THE
RECENT RAINS AND A LESSEN DEMAND ON WATER FROM LOCAL RESERVOIRS,
STORAGE LEVELS AT FALCON RESERVOIR IMPROVED SLIGHTLY. HOWEVER, DUE
TO THE PROLONG DROUGHT, LAKE LEVELS AT BOTH FALCON AND AMISTAD
CONTINUE EXTREMELY LOW. CITIES IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY ALONG WITH
AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS, INCLUDING IRRIGATION DISTRICTS STILL ARE
FACING WATER SHORTAGES THIS SUMMER. ACCORDING THE LATEST UNITED
STATES DROUGHT MONITOR...DESPITE RECENT RAINS DROUGHT CONDITIONS
ACROSS DEEP SOUTH TEXAS AND RIO GRANDE VALLEY IMPROVED SLIGHTLY.
DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS ZAPATA AND JIM HOGG COUNTY WERE LESSEN ONE
CATEGORY FROM EXTREME TO SEVERE. EXTREME DROUGHT (D3) CONDITIONS NOW
EXTEND ACROSS MUCH OF STARR, BROOKS, WILLACY, SOUTHEASTERN HIDALGO
AND CAMERON COUNTY. EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT (D4) CONTINUES ACROSS MUCH
OF HIDALGO AND KENEDY COUNTY. DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO AFFECT
AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES, ECOLOGY AND
HYDROLOGY.

SUMMARY OF IMPACTS...

FIRE DANGER IMPACTS.

RECENT RAINS PROVIDED SOME SOAKING OF DRY FUELS, COOLER TEMPERATURES
AND GREENING OF VEGETATION ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND DEEP
SOUTH TEXAS. ACCORDING TO TEXAS A&M FOREST SERVICE, FIRE DANGER
ACROSS THE INLAND AREAS IS CONSIDERED LOW, WITH MODERATE RISK ALONG
THE COASTAL COUNTIES. THE LATEST KEETCH BYRAM DROUGHT INDICES OF 300
TO 400 (KBDI) WERE INDICATED ACROSS ZAPATA AND JIM HOGG COUNTIES.
KBDI VALUES OF 400 TO 500 WERE INDICATED ACROSS STARR, WILLACY AND
CAMERON. KBDI VALUES OF 500 TO 600 WERE ACROSS BROOKS, KENEDY AND
HIDALGO COUNTIES. COUNTY BURN BANS ARE CURRENTLY IN EFFECT FOR ALL
OF DEEP SOUTH TEXAS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HIDALGO COUNTY. RESIDENTS
OF HIDALGO COUNTY ARE CURRENTLY REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR BURNING
PERMITS, RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO CONTACT COUNTY OFFICIALS. RESIDENTS
ARE URGED TO TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS WHEN CONDUCTING ANY OUTSIDE
BURNING. RESIDENTS ARE ALSO REMINDED THAT FIRE DANGER CAN CHANGE
QUICKLY FROM ONE DAY TO ANOTHER AS WINDS AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY
VALUES VARY.

AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS.

ACCORDING TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND TEXAS
AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE AGENTS...RAIN OCCURRING OVER THE AREA
DURING THE WEEK PROVIDED MUCH NEEDED SOIL MOISTURE, HOWEVER SOIL
MOISTURE CONDITIONS REMAINED SHORT TO VERY SHORT OVER THE AREA.
RECENT RAINS WERE HELPFUL FOR VEGETABLES, SUGAR CANE AND CITRUS.
RAINFALL RECEIVED WAS TOO LATE TO SAVE MOST COTTON CROP. THE SOAKING
RAINS ALLOWED RIO GRANDE VALLEY IRRIGATION DISTRICTS MORE TIME
BEFORE THE POSSIBILITY OF RUNNING DRY. APRIL AND MAY RAINFALL CUT
FARMERS NEED TO DIP INTO THEIR LAST ALLOCATIONS OF AGRICULTURAL
WATER, EXTENDING SOME DISTRICTS WATER SUPPLIES FOR ABOUT A MONTH. IN
CAMERON COUNTY, EARLY PLANTED COTTON CROPS WERE BLOOMING, GRAIN
SORGHUM WAS IN THE GOOD CONDITION, CORN WAS SILKING. IN STARR,
IRRIGATED ROW CROPS IMPROVED AND VEGETABLE HARVESTING WAS ONGOING.

WATER RESTRICTIONS.

A NUMBER OF CITIES IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY CONTINUE VOLUNTARY OR
MANDATORY WATER RESTRICTIONS. ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS COMMISSION OF
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (TCEQ)...THERE ARE CURRENTLY 7 PUBLIC WATER
SUPPLY ENTITIES IN CAMERON COUNTY, 12 IN HIDALGO COUNTY, 5 IN STARR
COUNTY, 3 IN ZAPATA COUNTY AND 1 IN WILLACY COUNTY. THE PROLONGED
DROUGHT CONDITIONS HAVE PUT A STRAIN ON WATER SUPPLIES FOR ALL
USERS. RECENT RAINS PROVIDED SOME RELIEF FOR WATER DEMANDS ON SOME
IRRIGATION DISTRICTS. DUE TO THE INTERCONNECTED NATURE OF THE
VALLEY`S WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, CITIES AND INDUSTRIAL WATER
USERS WILL HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME ACQUIRING WATER WHEN IRRIGATION
WATER IS EXHAUSTED. THIS SITUATION IS A CONCERN FOR RESIDENTS
OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY. ALL WATER USERS ARE EXTREMELY URGED TO
CONSERVE WATER.

CLIMATE...
MONTHLY RAINFALL TO DATE AT BROWNSVILLE IS 0.42 INCHES OR 0.87
INCHES BELOW NORMAL. YEAR TO DATE RAINFALL IS 5.28 INCHES OR 1.13
INCHES BELOW NORMAL. AT HARLINGEN MONTHLY RAINFALL TO DATE IS 1.64
INCHES OR 0.45 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL. YEAR TO DATE RAINFALL IS 6.95
INCHES OR 0.33 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL. AT MCALLEN MONTHLY RAINFALL TO
DATE IS 0.94 INCHES OR 0.21 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. YEAR TO DATE
RAINFALL IS 3.26 INCHES OR 2.42 INCHES BELOW NORMAL.

PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK...

METEOROLOGICAL OUTLOOK...MAY 18TH THROUGH JUNE 1ST...MID LEVEL AND
SURFACE RIDGING WILL PREVAIL OVER DEEP SOUTH TEXAS THROUGH THE END
OF THE MONTH MAINTAINING WARM AND GENERALLY RAIN FREE WEATHER. ANY
RAINFALL THAT OCCURS OVER DEEP SOUTH TEXAS THROUGH JUNE 1ST WILL
ONLY PRODUCE ONLY SOME SPOTTY AND VERY SHORT TERM RELIEF FROM THE
ONGOING DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

OVERALL DAILY TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR TO ABOVE AVERAGE THROUGH
JUNE 1ST.

THE LONG RANGE CLIMATE OUTLOOK FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS THROUGH AUGUST
2013...DERIVED FROM GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND
THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER...INDICATES THAT ENSO NEUTRAL
CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN THROUGH SUMMER 2013.
AS A RESULT OF THIS...GENERALLY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES WILL BE
EXPECTED FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS THROUGH AUGUST. ALSO WITH THE
PERSISTENCE OF THE ENSO NEUTRAL CONDITIONS IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN...
THE POTENTIAL FOR SUBSTANTIAL WIDESPREAD DROUGHT ENDING RAINFALL
THROUGHOUT AUGUST 2013 WILL REMAIN LOW.

ANY RAINFALL THAT AFFECTS DEEP SOUTH TEXAS THROUGH AUGUST 2013 WILL
LIKELY PROVIDE ONLY SOME SHORT TERM RELIEF FROM THE ONGOING DROUGHT
CONDITIONS AFFECTING THE REGION.

AT THIS TIME...ONLY THE IMPACT OF A SUBSTANTIAL TROPICAL SYSTEM
LATER THIS SUMMER WOULD PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT RELIEF FROM THE ONGOING
DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK...

THE FALCON AND AMISTAD RESERVOIRS PROVIDE MUCH OF THE WATER FOR THE
LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY. DUE TO RECENT RAINS AND A LESSEN DEMAND OF
WATER FROM MUNICIPALITIES AND AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS, LAKE STORAGE
LEVELS HAD REMAINED STEADY OR HAD INCREASE DURING THE PAST WEEK.
CURRENTLY AMISTAD RESERVOIR WAS HOLD STEADY AT 24 PERCENT OF NORMAL
CONSERVATION LEVEL. STORAGE LEVELS AT FALCON RESERVOIR INCREASED
FROM 17 TO 19 PERCENT OF NORMAL CONSERVATION. RESIDENTS, INCLUDING
GROWERS AND RANCHERS OF THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY ARE STRONGLY
URGED TO CONTINUE TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY STEPS TO CONSERVE WATER.

NEXT ISSUANCE DATE...

THE NEXT COMPLETE UPDATE FOR THIS PRODUCT WILL ISSUED AROUND FRIDAY
MAY 31, 2013.

&&

RELATED WEB SITES...

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...AND THE LATEST WEATHER FORECAST FOR
DEEP SOUTH TEXAS...VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/RGV. YOU
MAY ALSO VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLIMATE PREDICTION
CENTER WEBSITE AT WWW.CPC.NOAA.GOV AND GET THE LATEST INFORMATION ON
RESERVOIR LEVELS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER
COMMISSION AT WWW.IBWC.GOV.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...

THE DROUGHT MONITOR IS A MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT INVOLVING NOAA`S
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER...THE
USDA...STATE AND REGIONAL CENTER CLIMATOLOGISTS AND THE NATIONAL
DROUGHT MITIGATION CENTER. INFORMATION FOR THIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN
GATHERED FROM NWS AND FAA OBSERVATION SITES...THE USDA...STATE
AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE DISTRICT AGENTS, TEXAS FOREST SERVICE,
STATE AND FEDERAL WILDLIFE DEPARTMENTS, TEXAS COMMISSION ON
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (TCEQ) AND IBWC.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS...

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS DROUGHT INFORMATION
STATEMENT...PLEASE CONTACT...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
20 SOUTH VERMILLION ROAD
BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS 78521
PHONE: 956-504-1432
EMAIL: SR-BRO.WEBMASTER@NOAA.GOV

$$

A. VEGA/T. SPEECE
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office
