DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1050 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2009
...DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT...
...EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS EXPAND
OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS...
...COLLEGE STATION SUFFERS 52 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WITHOUT
MEASURABLE RAIN...
...RAIN CHANCES INCREASING THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...
SYNOPSIS...
IT IS NO SECRET THAT THAT SOUTHEAST TEXAS HAS BEEN SUFFERING THROUGH
ONE THE DRIEST PERIODS IN RECORDED HISTORY. BUT JUST HOW DRY HAS IT
BEEN? THE LAST TIME COLLEGE STATION RECEIVED MEASURABLE RAIN WAS ON
MAY 24TH. IT HAS BEEN OVER SEVEN WEEKS SINCE EASTERWOOD FIELD HAS
HAD RAIN ACCUMULATE IN A RAIN GAGE. OVER SEVEN WEEKS!!!
COLLEGE STATION
CONSECUTIVE DAYS ENDING DATE
56 08/20/1993
55 10/09/2005
52 07/15/2009 (AND COUNTING)
51 07/25/1934
49 08/23/1948
COLLEGE STATION ONLY RECEIVED A TRACE OF RAIN IN JUNE WHICH TIED FOR
THE DRIEST JUNE IN RECORDED HISTORY. HOUSTON HAD IT`S FOURTH DRIEST
JUNE ON RECORD AND GALVESTON RECORDED IT`S NINTH DRIEST JUNE ON
RECORD. COMMUNITIES ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS THAT RECEIVED ZERO
RAINFALL IN JUNE INCLUDE BELLVILLE... BRENHAM...FREEPORT...HOUSTON
BARKER...KATY...MATAGORDA...TOMBALL AND WASHINGTON STATE PARK.
ANGLETON...BAY CITY AND EDNA HAVE YET TO RECEIVE 10 INCHES OF RAIN
THIS YEAR. IN FACT...ANGLETON HAS YET TO RECEIVE 8 INCHES OF RAIN SO
FAR THIS YEAR. MAY AND JUNE ARE TYPICALLY TWO OF THE WETTEST MONTHS
OF THE YEAR SO THIS EXTENDED DROUGHT IS OF GREAT CONCERN.
HERE ARE THE DRIEST MAY 1 THROUGH JULY 15 FOR OUR THREE PRIMARY
CLIMATE SITES:
MAY 1 THROUGH JULY 15 RAIN TOTALS
HOUSTON COLLEGE STATION GALVESTON
1.93 IN 1931 0.52 IN 1934 0.77 IN 2009
2.13 IN 2009 0.66 IN 1998 1.71 IN 1897
3.18 IN 1915 1.43 IN 2009 1.90 IN 1956
3.21 IN 1901 2.17 IN 1925 2.07 IN 2008
3.43 IN 1932 2.42 IN 1917 2.18 IN 1958
HOW HAS EACH CLIMATE SITE FARED PER MONTH IN 2009? BELOW IS A LIST
OF WHERE EACH MONTH STACKS UP IN THE RECORD BOOKS:
HOUSTON COLLEGE STATION GALVESTON
JAN 6TH DRIEST JAN 16TH DRIEST 4TH DRIEST
FEB 27TH DRIEST FEB 12TH DRIEST 23RD DRIEST
MAR 27TH WETTEST MAR 15TH WETTEST 33RD WETTEST
APR 3RD WETTEST APR 18TH WETTEST 23RD WETTEST
MAY 8TH DRIEST MAY 12TH DRIEST 12TH DRIEST
JUN 4TH DRIEST JUN 1ST DRIEST# 9TH DRIEST
JUL 17TH DRIEST* JUL 1ST DRIEST*# 9TH DRIEST*
# TIES PREVIOUS RECORD
* THROUGH JULY 15TH
BELOW IS A TABLE WITH RAINFALL AND RAINFALL DEFICITS (THROUGH JULY
15TH) FOR A FEW SITES ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS. PLEASE NOTE THE APRIL
RAINFALL COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE MONTHS.
HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT
MONTH RAIN DEP PERCENT OF NORMAL
JAN 0.49 -3.19 13.3 PERCENT
FEB 1.52 -1.46 51.0 PERCENT
MAR 4.08 +0.72 121.4 PERCENT
APR 10.38 +6.78 288.3 PERCENT
MAY 0.38 -4.77 7.5 PERCENT
JUN 0.27 -5.08 5.0 PERCENT
JUL 1.48 -0.23 86.5 PERCENT
TOTAL 18.60 -7.23 72.0 PERCENT
HOUSTON HOBBY AIRPORT
MONTH RAIN DEP PERCENT OF NORMAL
JAN 0.37 -3.88 8.7 PERCENT
FEB 1.18 -1.83 39.2 PERCENT
MAR 2.52 -0.67 70.5 PERCENT
APR 15.61 +12.15 451.1 PERCENT
MAY 0.66 -4.45 12.9 PERCENT
JUN 1.39 -5.45 20.3 PERCENT
JUL 1.20 -1.19 50.2 PERCENT
TOTAL 22.93 -5.32 81.1 PERCENT
COLLEGE STATION
MONTH RAIN DEP PERCENT OF NORMAL
JAN 0.70 -2.62 21.1 PERCENT
FEB 0.68 -1.70 28.6 PERCENT
MAR 5.07 +2.23 158.4 PERCENT
APR 6.11 +2.91 190.9 PERCENT
MAY 1.41 -3.64 27.9 PERCENT
JUN TRACE -3.79 0.0 PERCENT
JUL TRACE -1.03 0.0 PERCENT
TOTAL 13.99 -7.62 64.6 PERCENT
GALVESTON
MONTH RAIN DEP PERCENT OF NORMAL
JAN 0.34 -3.74 8.3 PERCENT
FEB 1.05 -1.56 40.2 PERCENT
MAR 3.73 +0.97 135.1 PERCENT
APR 5.23 +2.67 204.2 PERCENT
MAY 0.19 -3.51 5.1 PERCENT
JUN 0.32 -3.72 7.9 PERCENT
JUL 0.26 -1.44 15.3 PERCENT
TOTAL 11.12 -10.33 51.8 PERCENT
ANGLETON
MONTH RAIN DEP
JAN 0.25 -4.51
FEB 0.43 -4.33
MAR 1.57 -3.19
APR 3.40 -0.37
MAY 1.10 -3.66
JUN 0.62 -4.14
JUL 0.33 -0.70
TOTAL 7.70 -21.11
THE DROUGHT HAS BEEN MADE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE HARSH DUE TO EXCESSIVE
HEAT THAT HAS PLAGUED SOUTHEAST TEXAS SINCE EARLY JUNE. THE AVERAGE
HIGH TEMPERATURE AT COLLEGE THROUGH JULY 15TH HAS BEEN 101.9
DEGREES. ONLY TWO DAYS HAVE YET TO REACH THE CENTURY MARK THIS
MONTH. THE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE IN HOUSTON HAS BEEN 98.5
DEGREES. AT HOBBY AIRPORT...THE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE IN JULY HAS
BEEN 98.0 DEGREES. THE NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURE IN HOUSTON IN JULY IS
93.6 DEGREES AND IN COLLEGE STATION IS 95.6 DEGREES
AS OF JULY 14 2009...THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR INDICATED THAT
CONDITIONS HAVE DETERIORATED ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS. EXCEPTIONAL
DROUGHT CONDITIONS EXPANDED EASTWARD AND EXTENDED UP THE COAST.
U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR CLASSIFICATIONS
EXCEPTIONAL EXTREME SEVERE MODERATE
JACKSON HARRIS HOUSTON
MATAGORDA WALLER TRINITY
BRAZORIA MADISON SAN JACINTO
MATAGORDA GALVESTON POLK
FORT BEND WALKER LIBERTY
WHARTON CHAMBERS
COLORADO
WASHINGTON
BRAZOS
BURLESON
GRIMES
AUSTIN
FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION...SEE EITHER (ALL LINKS IN LOWER CASE)
HTTP://WWW.DROUGHT.UNL.EDU/DM/DM_STATE.HTM?TX.S OR FOR THE ENTIRE
COUNTRY SEE...HTTP://WWW.DROUGHT.UNL.EDU/DM/MONITOR.HTML.
AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS...
THE LATEST SOIL MOISTURE ANOMALY GRAPHIC FROM THE CLIMATE PREDICTION
CENTER SHOWS EXCESSIVELY DRY SOIL CONDITIONS OVER ALL OF SOUTHEAST
TEXAS. THE JULY 7TH TEXAS A & M TEXAS CROP AND WEATHER REPORT
INDICATED THAT CATTLE PRODUCERS WERE AGGRESSIVELY CULLING COW HERDS
AND MARKETING CALVES EARLY. THE CONDITION OF CORN AND SORGHUM
CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE. POND LEVELS CONTINUE TO DROP. FOR MORE
INFORMATION...SEE HTTP://AGNEWS.TAMU.EDU (ALL LOWER CASE).
HYDROLOGIC IMPACTS...
RECENT RAINFALL HAS HELPED TO REPLENISH LAKE LIVINGSTON AND LAKE
HOUSTON BUT DRIER CONDITIONS OVER CENTRAL TEXAS HAS ALLOWED LAKE
LEVELS TO DROP AT LAKE SOMERVILLE AND LAKE TEXANA.
WATERSHED CAPACITY
LAKE LIVINGSTON 100 PERCENT
LAKE CONROE 95 PERCENT
HOUSTON COUNTY LAKE 92 PERCENT
LAKE HOUSTON 100 PERCENT
LAKE SOMERVILLE 79 PERCENT
LAKE TEXANA 63 PERCENT
FIRE DANGER IMPACTS...
A HIGH FIRE DANGER EXISTS OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS. HIGH RELATIVE
HUMIDITY VALUES WILL ALLOW FOR SOME RECOVERY AT NIGHT BUT EXTREME
DAYTIME TEMPERATURES...AVERAGING 4 TO 6 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL WILL
INCREASE THE FIRE WEATHER THREAT. DRY GROUND FUELS WILL ALSO
INCREASE THE THREAT FOR WILD FIRES.
AS OF JULY 15TH...RAINS FROM LAST WEEK HAVE HELPED TO IMPROVE THE
KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDICES OVER PARTS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. KBDI
VALUES DETERIORATED OVER FAR WESTERN COUNTIES DUE TO TEMPERATURES
ABOVE 100 DEGREES AND THE LACK OF RAINFALL. BELOW IS A TABLE WITH
KBDI VALUES (07/15/2009):
700-800 600-700 500-600
SAN JACINTO HOUSTON GALVESTON
LIBERTY TRINITY
BRAZORIA POLK
BURLESON MONTGOMERY
WASHINGTON
JACKSON
WHARTON
COLORADO
AUSTIN
WALLER
MADISON
GRIMES
CHAMBERS
HARRIS
FORT BEND
MATAGORDA
BRAZOS
WALKER
(SEE THE LINK...ALL LOWER CASE HTTP://WEBGIS.TAMU.EDU/TFS/
KBDI_DAILY/ KBDICOUNTY.PNG).
RESTRICTIONS/ACTIONS...
ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS FOREST SERVICE WEB SITE ON JULY 16 2009...
(HTTP://TFSFRP.TAMU.EDU/WILDFIRES/DECBAN.PNG)...A BURN BAN IS IN
EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:
MADISON...WALKER...LIBERTY...CHAMBERS...MATAGORDA...HOUSTON...
BRAZORIA...HARRIS...AUSTIN...BRAZOS...POLK...SAN JACINTO...
WHARTON... MONTGOMERY...WALLER...AUSTIN...WASHINGTON...GRIMES...
JACKSON...TRINITY...FORT BEND...GALVESTON AND COLORADO COUNTIES.
WATER RESTRICTIONS ARE IN EFFECT FOR SOME COMMUNITIES INCLUDING
PEARLAND...THE WOODLANDS...CONROE...BAYOU VISTA...LEAGUE CITY...
SUGARLAND AND LA MARQUE.
RESIDENTS SHOULD REMAIN VIGILANT WHEN DOING ANY OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
WHICH INVOLVE FIRE OR SPARKS...BY MAKING SURE WATER IS QUICKLY
AVAILABLE IF AN UNWANTED FIRE OR SMOLDERING BEGIN. FINALLY...
MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DISCARD LIGHTED CIGARETTES FROM THEIR VEHICLES.
OUTLOOK...
SOME CHANGES ARE ON THE WAY BEGINNING AS EARLY AS THIS AFTERNOON AND
CONTINUING INTO THE WEEKEND. THE UPPER RIDGE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS
EXTENDED DRY PERIOD WILL SHIFT WEST AS AN UPPER TROUGH OVER THE
EASTERN UNITED STATES DEEPENS. THE UPPER TROUGH SHOULD GET CLOSE
ENOUGH TO SOUTHEAST TEXAS TO ALLOW SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP NEAR THE COAST TODAY AND FRIDAY AND FURTHER
INLAND FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A WEAK BOUNDARY WILL ENTER THE
REGION ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PROVIDING A LOW LEVEL FOCUS FOR
ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION OVER THE WEEKEND. SOME LONG RANGE MODELS
ARE PROJECTING 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS
BY NEXT TUESDAY.
THE NEXT DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT WILL BE BE ISSUED ON OR AROUND
JULY 24 2009.
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