DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
535 AM CST THU MAR 10 2011
...DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT...
...NORTHWESTERN PARTS OF THE REGION STILL ENDURING
EXTREME DROUGHT CONDITIONS...
...SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS EXPAND SOUTHWARD...
SYNOPSIS...
A COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY MARCH 5TH BROUGHT SOME MUCH NEEDED RAIN TO
SOUTHEAST TEXAS BUT THE AMOUNTS WERE GENERALLY LIGHT OVER INTERIOR
PORTIONS OF THE REGION WITH HEAVY RAIN ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST.
ANOTHER RAIN EVENT ON MARCH 8TH BROUGHT LIGHT RAINFALL AMOUNTS TO
MAINLY THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE REGION.
THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY WAS VERY DRY WITH MOST OF THE CLIMATE SITES
ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS REPORTING LESS THAN AN INCH OF RAIN FOR THE
MONTH. COLLEGE STATION REPORTED IT`S TENTH DRIEST FEBRUARY ON
RECORD. HOUSTON RECORDED IT`S EIGHT DRIEST FEBRAURY...HOUSTON HOBBY
AIRPORT RECORDED IT`S SECOND DRIEST FEBRUARY. GALVESTON...WITH
RECORDS GOING BACK TO 1875...HAD IT`S 13TH DRIEST FEBRUARY.
HERE ARE SOME RAINFALL TOTALS FOR THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS FOR SOME
LOCATIONS ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS:
LOCATION AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB TOTAL
BELLVILLE 1.31 3.22 0.00 1.28 0.98 2.75 0.76 10.30
NORMALS 3.10 3.53 3.70 3.76 3.16 3.33 2.48 23.06
DEPARTURE -1.79 -0.31 -3.70 -2.48 -2.18 -0.58 -1.72 -12.76
BRENHAM 0.59 6.24 0.03 1.42 1.28 4.15 0.81 14.52
NORMALS 3.14 4.83 4.48 4.17 3.29 3.41 2.78 26.10
DEPARTURE -2.55 +1.41 -4.45 -2.75 -2.01 +0.74 -1.97 -11.58
COL STATION 0.33 5.81 T 0.90 0.81 2.99 0.61 11.45
NORMALS 2.63 3.91 4.22 3.18 3.23 3.32 2.38 22.87
DEPARTURE -2.30 +1.90 -4.22 -2.28 -2.42 -0.33 -1.77 -11.42
COLUMBUS 0.23 5.09 0.00 2.59 1.30 3.51 0.64 13.36
NORMALS 3.07 3.92 4.16 3.99 3.21 3.61 2.84 24.80
DEPARTURE -2.84 +1.17 -4.16 -1.40 -1.91 -0.10 -2.20 -11.44
CONROE 1.79 2.83 T 5.33 1.49 4.04 0.61 16.09
NORMALS 3.73 4.46 4.70 4.79 4.37 4.21 2.97 29.23
DEPARTURE -1.94 -1.63 -4.70 +0.54 -2.88 -0.17 -2.36 -13.14
CROCKETT 3.33 2.80 0.85 3.43 1.12 5.29 0.70 17.52
NORMALS 2.81 4.12 4.22 3.93 4.02 4.00 3.10 26.20
DEPARTURE +0.52 -1.32 -3.37 -0.50 -2.90 +1.29 -2.40 - 8.68
DANEVANG 3.96 7.04 0.00 2.40 4.28 3.62 0.37 22.01
NORMALS 3.83 5.62 4.56 3.68 3.08 3.23 2.67 26.67
DEPARTURE +0.13 +1.42 -4.56 -1.28 +1.20 +0.39 -2.30 - 4.66
HOU HOBBY 1.40 6.63 0.07 4.75 5.84 4.10 0.34 23.13
NORMALS 4.54 5.62 5.26 4.54 3.78 4.25 3.01 31.00
DEPARTURE -3.14 +1.01 -5.19 +0.21 +2.06 -0.15 -2.67 - 7.87
HOU IAH 1.02 4.81 0.02 2.71 3.04 5.05 0.69 17.34
NORMALS 3.83 4.33 4.50 4.19 3.69 3.68 2.98 27.20
DEPARTURE -2.81 +0.48 -4.48 -1.48 -0.65 +1.37 -2.29 - 9.90
HUNTSVILLE 0.18 2.58 0.58 2.01 1.23 3.62 0.37 10.57
NORMALS 3.69 4.73 4.32 4.87 4.10 4.28 3.14 29.13
DEPARTURE -3.51 -2.15 -3.74 -2.86 -2.87 -0.66 -2.77 -18.56
LIVINGSTON 0.44 3.33 0.14 3.23 1.38 3.73 0.89 13.14
NORMALS 3.41 4.73 3.82 4.76 4.92 4.64 3.47 29.75
DEPARTURE -2.97 -1.40 -3.68 -1.53 -3.54 -0.91 -2.58 -16.61
KATY 2.32 3.66 0.00 2.01 1.73 4.76 0.05 14.53
NORMALS 3.09 4.45 4.00 4.41 3.67 3.34 2.59 25.55
DEPARTURE -0.77 -0.79 -4.00 -2.40 -1.94 +1.42 -2.54 -11.02
MADISONVILLE 0.18 4.68 0.21 1.05 1.09 2.89 0.81 10.91
NORMALS 2.95 4.20 4.41 4.01 3.62 3.81 2.83 25.83
DEPARTURE -2.77 +0.48 -4.20 -2.96 -2.53 -0.92 -2.02 -14.92
MIDWAY 3.88 2.27 0.19 1.18 2.36 5.80 NA 15.68
NORMALS 2.14 4.32 4.17 4.08 3.82 2.92 2.81
DEPARTURE +1.74 -2.05 -3.98 -2.90 -1.46 +2.88
NEW CANEY 0.82 4.93 0.00 6.18 2.71 6.42 0.96 22.02
NORMALS 3.14 4.84 4.57 4.83 4.40 4.22 3.31 29.31
DEPARTURE -2.32 +0.09 -4.57 +1.35 -1.69 +2.20 -2.35 - 7.29
SOMERVILLE 0.44 3.73 0.03 0.88 0.80 2.77 0.41 9.06
NORMALS 2.43 3.59 4.33 3.63 3.14 2.93 2.53 22.58
DEPARTURE -1.99 +0.14 -4.30 -2.75 -2.34 -0.16 -2.12 -13.52
TOMBALL 0.70 3.10 T 3.28 1.00 2.52 0.30 10.90
NORMALS 3.73 4.75 4.02 5.11 3.89 3.85 3.33 28.68
DEPARTURE -3.03 -1.65 -4.02 -1.83 -2.89 -1.33 -3.03 -17.78
W COLUMBIA 3.84 10.74 0.00 3.02 1.58 4.22 NA 23.40
HERE ARE SOME MARCH RAINFALL TOTALS (THROUGH MARCH 10) AND THE
DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL (ASSUMING NO RAIN ON 03/10):
LOCATION MARCH DEP
ANAHUAC 0.90 -0.12
BELLVILLE 0.84 -0.06
BRENHAM 0.58 -0.33
COL STATION 0.49 -0.41
COLUMBUS 0.38 -0.54
CONROE 0.18 -0.73
CROCKETT 0.16 -0.94
DANEVANG 0.00 -0.99
GALVESTON 2.59 +1.87
HOU HOBBY 0.22 -0.78
HOU IAH 0.09 -0.96
HUNTSVILLE T -1.10
LIVINGSTON 0.22 -0.99
KATY 0.17 -0.73
MADISONVILLE 0.38 -0.64
MIDWAY NA NA
NEW CANEY 0.42 -0.84
PALACIOS 0.33 -0.56
RICHMOND 0.18 -0.78
SUGARLAND 0.08 -0.92
SOMERVILLE 0.06 -0.84
TOMBALL 0.28 -0.72
AS OF MARCH 8TH 2011...THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR SHOWED MUCH OF THE
NORTHERN THIRD OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS IN EXTREME DROUGHT OR D-3. SEVERE
DROUGHT CONDITIONS HAVE EXPANDED SOUTH AND NOW COVER MUCH OF THE
REGION NORTH OF INTERSTATE 10 AND WEST OF OF U.S. HIGHWAY 59.
BELOW IS A LIST OF COUNTIES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE CLASSIFICATION AS
DESIGNATED BY THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR AS OF MARCH 8TH:
D-3 D-2 D-1
EXTREME SEVERE MODERATE
DROUGHT DROUGHT DROUGHT
BRAZOS AUSTIN CHAMBERS
BURLESON COLORADO BRAZORIA
GRIMES FORT BEND GALVESTON
HOUSTON LIBERTY HARRIS
MADISON MONTGOMERY JACKSON
POLK WALLER MATAGORDA
SAN JACINTO WASHINGTON
TRINITY
WALKER
WASHINGTON
U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR CLASSIFICATIONS
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.
CLIMATE SUMMARY...
CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN QUITE DRY SINCE OCTOBER 2008. THE OVERALL TREND
FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS WILL BE DRIER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS
THROUGH SPRING AND WARMER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES THIS SUMMER.
SUMMARY OF IMPACTS...
AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS...
SOIL MOISTURE LEVELS WERE LOW WHICH MADE LAND PREPARATION FOR SPRING
PLANTINGS DIFFICULT. ROW CROP PRODUCERS BEGAN PLANTING CORN...
SORGHUM AND SUNFLOWERS. RYEGRASS AND CLOVER WERE GROWING WELL.
LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS WERE SUPPLEMENTING CATTLE WITH HAY AND PROTEIN.
LIVESTOCK PONDS WERE LOW. FRUIT TREES HAVE BROKEN BUD AND STARTED TO
BLOOM.
FOR MORE INFORMATION...SEE HTTP://AGNEWS.TAMU.EDU (ALL LOWER CASE).
FIRE DANGER IMPACTS...
100 HOUR FUEL MOISTURE WAS LESS THAN 50 PERCENT WEST OF A TRINITY TO
FREEPORT LINE. THE MOISTURE CONTENT IN 1000 HOUR DEAD FUEL WAS LESS
THAN 20 PERCENT WEST OF A LIVINGSTON TO MONT BELVIEU TO BAY CITY
LINE LINE AND LESS THAN 18 PERCENT WEST OF A CROCKETT TO HUNTSVILLE
TO COLUMBUS LINE. THE DAILY FIRE MAP AND FIVE DAY AVERAGES SHOW A
LOW TO MODERATE RISK FOR FIRE DANGER ACROSS MOST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPERATURES AND LESS THAN NORMAL RAINFALL HAS
HELPED TO RAISE KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDICES ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
VALUES BETWEEN 700 AND 800 ARE CRITICAL AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE
KBDI VALUES IN BURLESON COUNTY NOW EXCEED 600. THE 8 TO 14 DAY
PRECIPITATION OUTLOOK SHOWS CONDITIONS TO REMAIN WARM AND DRY SO THE
KBDI VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO DETERIORATE THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE
MONTH. BELOW IS A TABLE WITH KBDI VALUES (3/09/2011):
600-700 500-600 400-300 300-200
BURLESON AUSTIN HOUSTON BRAZORIA
BRAZOS JACKSON FORT BEND
COLORADO MONTGOMERY HARRIS
GRIMES TRINITY LIBERTY
MADISON WALLER MATAGORDA
WALKER WHARTON POLK
WASHINGTON SAN JACINTO
(SEE THE LINK...ALL LOWER CASE HTTP://WEBGIS.TAMU.EDU/TFS/
KBDI_DAILY/ KBDICOUNTY.PNG).
RESTRICTIONS/ACTIONS...
BURN BANS ARE MAKING A STRONG COMEBACK DUE TO DRY GROUND FUELS. SAN
JACINTO AND TRINTIY COUNTIES HAVE NOW ISSUED BURN BANS. CHAMBERS
COUNTY DROPPED ITS BURN BAN DUE TO RECENT HEAVY RAINS. WHARTON
COUNTY WILL DROP ITS BURN BAN LATER TODAY (THURSDAY MARCH 10TH) AND
REEVALUATE CONDITIONS NEXT MONDAY.
ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS FOREST SERVICE WEB SITE ON MARCH 9 2011...
(HTTP://TFSFRP.TAMU.EDU/WILDFIRES/ DECBAN.PNG)...A BURN BAN IS IN
EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:
AUSTIN...BRAZOS...BURLESON...COLORADO...GRIMES...JACKSON...
LIBERTY...MADISON...SAN JACINTO...TRINITY...WALKER...WALLER...
WASHINGTON AND WHARTON.
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.
HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK...
RIVER LEVELS HAVE BEGUN TO FALL AND AREA RESERVOIRS LOCATED IN THE
WESTERN HALF OF THE REGION HAVE BEGUN TO DROP.
WATERSHED CAPACITY
LAKE LIVINGSTON 100.0 PERCENT
LAKE CONROE 93.4 PERCENT
HOUSTON COUNTY LAKE 97.9 PERCENT
LAKE HOUSTON 100.0 PERCENT
LAKE SOMERVILLE 85.9 PERCENT
LAKE TEXANA 77.2 PERCENT
WATER RESTRICTIONS...NONE AT THIS TIME.
PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING DRY WEATHER TO SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH
SATURDAY. MOISTURE WILL DEEPEN LATE SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AND A FEW
SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON SUNDAY. A WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE
WILL MOVE ACROSS EAST TEXAS ON MONDAY. THIS FEATURE COULD BRING SOME
LIGHT RAIN TO THE REGION. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER THE NEXT WEEK ARE
EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW A TENTH OF AN INCH.
THE SEASONAL DROUGHT OUTLOOK ISSUED MARCH 3 2011 VALID FOR THE
PERIOD OF MARCH...APRIL AND MAY SHOWS DROUGHT CONDITIONS TO PERSIST
OR POSSIBLY INTENSIFY.
THE NEXT DROUGHT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED ON OR AROUND MARCH 17 2011.
$$
CR
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