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 141920
DGTBRO
TXC047-061-215-247-261-427-489-505-142300-

DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
220 PM CDT FRI JUN 14 2013

...BENEFICIAL RAINS OVER THE WESTERN SECTIONS...

...DROUGHT CONDITIONS IMPROVE SLIGHTLY...

SYNOPSIS...

THE COMBINATION OF ABUNDANT TROPICAL MOISTURE, A SERIES OF UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCES AND SEABREEZE BOUNDARY PROVIDED FOR SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER DEEP SOUTH TEXAS AND THE RGV DURING
THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE MONTH. ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
RUMBLING THROUGH, PRODUCED PERIODS OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL.
HEAVIEST RAINS OCCURRED OVER THE WESTERN COUNTIES, MAINLY OVER
ZAPATA COUNTY. RAINFALL AMOUNT OF 3.75 INCHES HAS BEEN REPORTED AT
FALCON DAM FROM THE 1ST THROUGH THE 14TH. RAINFALL ESTIMATES
INDICATED RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES FALLING OVER ZAPATA,
WESTERN STARR AND EXTREME JIM HOGG COUNTY. A FEW AREAS OF HIDALGO,
WILLACY AND CAMERON ALSO RECEIVED BENEFICIAL RAINS, HOWEVER RAINFALL
AMOUNTS WERE MUCH LESS, AVERAGING 1 INCH OR LESS. YEAR TO DATE
RAINFALL ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION REMAINS BELOW NORMAL. TWENTY FOUR
MONTH (MAY 2012-MAY 2013) RAINFALL TOTALS REMAIN AT RECORD LOW.
ACCORDING THE LATEST UNITED STATES DROUGHT MONITOR...RECENT
BENEFICIAL RAINS OVER PORTIONS OF DEEP SOUTH TEXAS HAS ALLOW SOME
IMPROVEMENT IN THE CURRENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS. DROUGHT CONDITIONS
HAD LESSEN TO MODERATE (D1) OVER ZAPATA AND WESTERN JIM HOGG COUNTY,
SEVERE DROUGHT (D2) EXTENDS ACROSS WESTERN STARR, EASTERN JIM HOGG
AND WESTERN BROOKS COUNTY. EXTREME DROUGHT (D3) COVERED THE REST OF
AREA ALL THE WAY TO THE COAST, WITH POCKETS OF EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT
(D4) INDICATED OVER WESTERN HIDALGO AND COASTAL KENEDY COUNTY.
DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO AFFECT AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS, PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE ENTITIES, ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY.

SUMMARY OF IMPACTS...

FIRE DANGER IMPACTS.

RECENT RAINS OVER THE AREA CONTINUE TO ALLOWED FOR SOME GREENING OF
VEGETATION. THE EXPECTED RETURN OF HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL ALLOW
FOR SOME DRYNESS. ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION
CENTER, INCREASING DRY FUEL OVER THE REGION WILL ALLOW FOR A
MODERATE TO HIGH RISK FIRE DANGER GROWTH AND SPREAD OVER DEEP SOUTH
TEXAS AND RIO GRANDE VALLEY. THE LATEST KEETCH BYRAM DROUGHT INDICES
OF 500 TO 600 (KBDI) WERE INDICATED ACROSS THE EASTERN COUNTIES OF
KENEDY, HIDALGO, WILLACY AND CAMERON. KBDI`S OF 400 TO 500 WERE OVER
STARR AND BROOKS COUNTIES AND KBDI`S OF 300 TO 400 OVER INDICATED
ACROSS ZAPATA AND JIM HOGG COUNTIES. COUNTY BURN BANS ARE CURRENTLY
IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF DEEP SOUTH TEXAS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HIDALGO
AND CAMERON COUNTY. RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS
WHEN CONDUCTING ANY OUTSIDE BURNING, AND SHOULD CONTACT COUNTY
OFFICIALS FOR ANY SCHEDULED 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...RECENT RAINS ACROSS PORTIONS OF
THE AREA WERE BENEFICIAL TO FARMERS AND RANCHERS. THE RAINS
REPLENISHED BADLY NEEDED SOIL MOISTURE. DESPITE THE RAINS, SOIL
MOISTURE OVER MUCH OF THE AREA REMAINED SHORT. CITRUS HARVESTING WAS
BEING COMPLETED, GRAIN SORGHUM WAS TURNING COLOR. CANTALOUPE HARVEST
WAS ONGOING IN STARR COUNTY. SOME PASTURES AND HAY FIELDS IMPROVED
DUE TO TIMELY RAINS AND MILD TEMPERATURES. GRASS GROWTH INCREASED
AND PRODUCERS CONTINUED TO CUT HAY.

WATER RESTRICTIONS.

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, 13 IN HIDALGO COUNTY, 5 IN STARR
COUNTY, 3 IN ZAPATA COUNTY AND 2 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 FROM
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...

MONTH TO DATE RAINFALL AT BROWNSVILLE IS 0.48 INCHES OR 0.46 INCHES
BELOW NORMAL. YEAR TO DATE RAINFALL IS 6.08 INCHES OR 2.62 INCHES
BELOW NORMAL.

MONTH TO DATE RAINFALL AT MCALLEN IS 0.84 INCHES OR 0.16 INCHES
BELOW NORMAL. YEAR TO DATE RAINFALL IS 4.26 INCHES OR 3.52 INCHES
BELOW NORMAL.

MONTH TO DATE RAINFALL AT HARLINGEN IS 0.78 INCHES OR 0.06 INCHES
BELOW NORMAL. YEAR TO DATE RAINFALL IS 7.95 INCHES OR 0.81 INCHES
BELOW NORMAL.

PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK...

METEOROLOGICAL OUTLOOK...JUNE 15TH THROUGH JUNE 29TH...MID LEVEL AND
SURFACE RIDGING WILL REBUILD OVER DEEP SOUTH TEXAS FROM JUNE 15TH
THROUGH JUNE 29TH MAINTAINING GENERALLY HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS.
LONGER RANGE MODEL GUIDANCE BRINGS A TROPICAL WAVE INTO THE BAY OF
CAMPECHE FROM JUNE 20TH THROUGH JUNE 23RD. THIS FEATURE WILL LIKELY
REMAIN TOO FAR SOUTH OF DEEP SOUTH TEXAS TO PROVIDE MUCH RELIEF TO
THE ONGOING DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

OVERALL DAILY TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR TO ABOVE AVERAGE THROUGH
JUNE 29TH ACROSS DEEP SOUTH TEXAS. RAIN CHANCES THROUGH JUNE 29TH
WILL BE BELOW AVERAGE.

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.
GENERALLY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES WILL BE EXPECTED FOR DEEP SOUTH
TEXAS THROUGH AUGUST. AT THIS TIME THE POTENTIAL FOR SUBSTANTIAL
WIDESPREAD DROUGHT ENDING RAINFALL THROUGHOUT AUGUST 2013 WILL
REMAIN LOW. ONLY THE IMPACT OF A SUBSTANTIAL TROPICAL SYSTEM LATER
THIS SUMMER WOULD PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT LONG TERM RELIEF FROM THE
ONGOING DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

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.

HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK...

THE FALCON AND AMISTAD RESERVOIRS PROVIDE MUCH OF THE WATER FOR THE
LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY. DUE TO RECENT RAINS OVER THE WATERSHEDS OF
BOTH RESERVOIRS AND A LESSEN DEMAND OF WATER FROM MUNICIPALITIES
AND AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS, LAKE STORAGE LEVELS HAVE REMAIN STEADY
DURING THE RECENT WEEKS. STORAGE LEVELS AT FALCON RESERVOIR REMAINED
AT AROUND 20 PERCENT OF NORMAL CONSERVATION LEVEL. STORAGE LEVELS AT
AMISTAD RESERVOIR WAS HOLDING AT 25 PERCENT OF NORMAL CONSERVATION
LEVEL. COMBINED UNITED STATES OWNERSHIP OF AMISTAD AND FALCON WATER
STORAGE IS CURRENTLY AT 32 PERCENT OF NORMAL CONSERVATION LEVEL,
DOWN FROM 56 PERCENT THIS TIME LAST YEAR. 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
JULY 28, 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 INTER-AGENCY
COORDINATION CENTER, 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
