DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1059 PM CDT THU AUG 13 2009
...DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT...
...MODERATE RAINFALL BRINGS MINOR DROUGHT RELIEF...
...EXTREME TO EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS
PERSIST OVER PARTS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS...
...ANGLETON 20 INCHES BELOW NORMAL SINCE JANUARY 1 2008...
...PALACIOS OVER 20 INCHES BELOW NORMAL SINCE SEPTEMBER 1 2008...
SYNOPSIS...
THE FIRST 11 DAYS OF AUGUST BROUGHT MORE ARID MISERY TO SOUTHEAST
TEXAS. RAINFALL WAS PRIMARILY CONFINED TO THE NORTHEAST PORTION OF
THE REGION...GENERALLY EAST OF A CROCKETT TO LIVINGSTON LINE. A WEAK
BOUNDARY SNUCK INTO SOUTHEAST TEXAS ON AUGUST 11TH AND SERVED AS A
FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORMS. THE BOUNDARY LINGERED ACROSS THE REGION ON
THE 12TH AND BROUGHT ANOTHER ROUND OF STORMS TO THE REGION. DAYTIME
HEATING COUPLED WITH ABUNDANT MOISTURE BROUGHT MORE RAIN ON THE
13TH. THE RAIN EVEN DRIFTED FAR ENOUGH SOUTH TO BRING WELCOME RAIN
TO THE PARCHED AREAS IN JACKSON...MATAGORDA...WHARTON AND COLORADO
COUNTIES. COLUMBUS RECEIVED 2.00 INCHES OF RAIN ON WEDNESDAY AND
EDNA RECEIVED 1.96 INCHES. BOTH OF THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN VERY
DRY SINCE MAY 1 2009.
EDNA COLUMBUS EL CAMPO
MAY 0.96 1.96 1.76
JUNE 0.16 0.10 0.32
JULY 2.24 0.70 2.68
AUG 12 1.96 2.00 1.40
BELOW IS A TABLE WITH RAINFALL AND RAINFALL DEFICITS (THROUGH AUGUST
13TH) FOR A FEW SITES ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS. PLEASE NOTE THE APRIL
RAINFALL COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE MONTHS. COLLEGE STATION
RECEIVED ABOVE NORMAL RAINFALL IN JULY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE APRIL
BUT ALL THE OTHER PRIMARY CLIMATE SITES STILL SUFFERED BELOW NORMAL
RAINFALL. GALVESTON AND ANGLETON ARE NOW SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT ANNUAL
RAINFALL DEFICITS. CONDITIONS DETERIORATE SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE
SOUTHWEST HALF OF THE HOUSTON/GALVESTON COUNTY WARNING AREA.
ANGLETON IS NOW OVER 20 INCHES BELOW THEIR NORMAL RAINFALL FOR THE YEAR
AND HAS YET TO HAVE A MONTH WITH ABOVE NORMAL RAINFALL THIS YEAR. IN
FACT...THE LAST TIME ANGLETON RECEIVED ABOVE NORMAL RAINFALL WAS
SEPTEMBER OF 2008. ANGLETON IS SUFFERING A RAINFALL DEFICIT OF 28.43
INCHES SINCE OCTOBER 1 2008. FURTHER DOWN THE COAST...PALACIOS IS
SUFFERING A SIMILAR FATE. SINCE SEPTEMBER 1 2008...RAINFALL AT
PALACIOS HAS BEEN A PALTRY 20.22. THIS IS 22.06 INCHES BELOW NORMAL
OR ROUGHLY 48 PERCENT OF THE EXPECTED RAINFALL.
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 2.84 -0.34 89.3 PERCENT
AUG 0.84 -0.61 57.9 PERCENT
TOTAL 20.80 -7.95 72.3 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 3.62 -0.74 83.0 PERCENT
AUG 1.44 -0.28 83.7 PERCENT
TOTAL 26.79 -5.15 83.8 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 2.42 +0.50 126.0 PERCENT
AUG 0.01 -0.91 1.0 PERCENT
TOTAL 16.40 -7.02 70.0 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 2.72 -0.73 78.8 PERCENT
AUG 0.01 -1.51 0.6 PERCENT
TOTAL 13.59 -11.13 55.0 PERCENT
ANGLETON (ASOS)
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 2.73 -1.04
AUG 0.11 -0.57
TOTAL 10.21 -21.81
PALACIOS
MONTH RAIN DEP
SEP 0.85 -5.73
OCT 1.82 -3.19
NOV 6.14 +2.75
DEC 0.74 -2.34
JAN 0.15 -3.03
FEB 0.72 -1.73
MAR 2.07 -0.63
APR 2.02 -0.78
MAY 5.69 +1.14
JUN 0.02 -4.29
JUL TRACE -3.99
AUG 0.05 -0.91
TOTAL 20.27 -22.66
AS OF AUGUST 11 2009...THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR INDICATED THAT
CONDITIONS HAVE IMPROVED OVER THE EAST-NORTHEAST PORTION OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO IMPROVEMENT IN DROUGHT
CONDITIONS OVER THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF THE REGION.
U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR CLASSIFICATIONS
EXCEPTIONAL EXTREME SEVERE MODERATE
JACKSON BRAZORIA GALVESTON NE HARRIS
MATAGORDA FORT BEND WALKER MONTGOMERY
COLORADO BRAZOS TRINITY SAN JACINTO
WHARTON WASHINGTON LIBERTY
BURLESON AUSTIN
MADISON
GRIMES
WALLER
SW HARRIS
HOUSTON
POLK COUNTY IS ABNORMALLY DRY DUE TO AN ANNUAL RAINFALL DEFICIT.
RECENT RAINS HAVE REDUCED THE DEFICIT SIGNIFICANTLY. THE LAST TWO
DAYS (AUG 11 AND AUG 12) HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY KIND WITH SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING EACH AFTERNOON. ANNUAL RAINFALL DEFICITS
ARE EXTREME OVER A LARGE PORTION OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THE RECENT RAIN
HAS BEEN VERY WELCOME AND HELPFUL BUT THERE IS A LONG WAY TO GO
BEFORE RAINFALL RETURNS TO NORMAL LEVELS AND DROUGHT CONDITIONS EASE.
BELOW IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EACH DROUGHT CLASSIFICATION:
D4 EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT - EXCEPTIONAL OR WIDESPREAD CROP/PASTURE LOSS
A SHORTAGE OF WATER IN RESERVOIRS AND STREAMS CREATING
A WATER EMERGENCY.
D3 EXTREME DROUGHT - MAJOR CROP OR PASTURE LOSSES. WIDESPREAD WATER
SHORTAGES AND RESTRICTIONS.
D2 SEVERE DROUGHT - CROP OR PASTURE LOSSES LIKELY. SOME WATER
SHORTAGES COMMON AND SOME WATER RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED.
D1 MODERATE DROUGHT - SOME DAMAGE TO CROPS AND PASTURES. RESERVOIRS OR
WELLS LOW. VOLUNTARY WATER RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED.
D0 ABNORMALLY DRY - SHORT TERM DRYNESS. PLANT GROWTH SLOWS. MINOR
WATER DEFICITS.
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 MODERATELY DRY SOIL CONDITIONS OVER THE EXTREME EAST
AND NORTHEAST WITH SEVERELY DRY SOIL CONDITIONS OVER THE SOUTHWEST
PORTION OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THE AUGUST 11TH TEXAS A & M TEXAS CROP
AND WEATHER REPORT INDICATED THAT RECENT RAINS HAVE HELPED SOME
PASTURES RECOVER BUT ADDITIONAL RAIN WAS NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN
GROWTH. LIVESTOCK WERE DOING CONSIDERABLY BETTER AND POND LEVELS HAD
RISEN OVER EASTERN AND NORTHEASTERN PARTS OF THE REGION.
FOR MORE INFORMATION...SEE HTTP://AGNEWS.TAMU.EDU (ALL LOWER CASE).
HYDROLOGIC IMPACTS...
RIVER LEVELS HAVE REMAINED NEAR NORMAL LEVELS OVER THE NORTHERN AND
EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE REGION. AREA RESERVOIRS WERE NEAR CAPACITY
OVER THE EAST AND WELL BELOW NORMAL OVER THE WEST.
WATERSHED CAPACITY
LAKE LIVINGSTON 100.0 PERCENT
LAKE CONROE 94.1 PERCENT
HOUSTON COUNTY LAKE 89.2 PERCENT
LAKE HOUSTON 100.0 PERCENT
LAKE SOMERVILLE 75.8 PERCENT
LAKE TEXANA 59.0 PERCENT
FIRE DANGER IMPACTS...
RECENT RAINS IN LATE JULY HAVE REDUCED THE FIRE WEATHER THREAT BUT
THE AREA HAS BEGUN TO DRY AGAIN. A MODERATE TO HIGH FIRE DANGER
PERSISTS OVER THE SOUTHWEST HALF OF THE AREA. DUE TO HEAVIER RAIN
OVER THE NORTHEAST HALF OF THE REGION...THE BURN BAN PREVIOUSLY IN
EFFECT FOR POLK COUNTY HAS BEEN LIFTED. HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY
VALUES WILL ALLOW FOR SOME RECOVERY AT NIGHT BUT EXTREME DAYTIME
TEMPERATURES...AVERAGING 3 TO 4 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL WILL INCREASE
THE FIRE WEATHER THREAT.
AS OF AUGUST 13TH...RECENT RAINS HAVE HELPED TO IMPROVE THE
KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDICES OVER PARTS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. KBDI
VALUES REMAINED NEAR CRITICAL VALUES OVER FAR WESTERN COUNTIES DUE
TO TEMPERATURES ABOVE 100 DEGREES AND THE LACK OF RAINFALL. BELOW IS
A TABLE WITH KBDI VALUES (08/04/2009):
700-800 600-700 500-600 400-500
AUSTIN BRAZORIA JACKSON WHARTON GALVESTON
JACKSON COLORADO TRINITY POLK
WASHINGTON BRAZOS
BURLESON MADISON
GRIMES HOUSTON
WALKER SAN JACINTO
MONTGOMERY HARRIS
LIBERTY CHAMBERS
WALLER FORT BEND
(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 AUGUST 13 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...SAN JACINTO... WHARTON...
WALLER...MONTGOMERY...WALLER...AUSTIN...WASHINGTON...GRIMES...
JACKSON... TRINITY...FORT BEND...GALVESTON AND COLORADO COUNTIES.
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...
WEAK UPPER LEVEL RIDGING OVER THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES WILL
EXTEND INTO SOUTHEAST TEXAS OVER THE WEEKEND. DIURNALLY DRIVEN
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
A WEAK INVERTED TROUGH WILL APPROACH DEEP SOUTH TEXAS ON SUNDAY.
SLIGHTLY DEEPER MOISTURE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THIS FEATURE WILL BRING
ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE REGION SUNDAY AND
MONDAY. THE APPROACH OF A LONG WAVE TROUGH WILL BRING ADDITIONAL
RAIN CHANCES FOR MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. IS IT A DROUGHT BUSTER? PROBABLY
NOT. WILL IT ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE SHORT TERM DROUGHT EFFECTS? FIRST
GUESS IS PROBABLY YES.
THE NEXT DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED ON OR AROUND
AUGUST 20 2009.
$$
CR
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