PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1001 AM CST WED JAN 21 2009

...DROUGHT CONDITIONS INCREASING ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

DROUGHT CONDITIONS HAVE WORSENED ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS DURING
JANUARY. THE AREA HAS NOT RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT RAIN SINCE MID
NOVEMBER. SINCE MID NOVEMBER...MOST CLIMATE SITES HAVE RECEIVED
BETWEEN 35 TO 45 PERCENT OF THE NORMALLY EXPECTED RAINFALL. IN
OTHER WORDS...IT`S BEEN DRY. THE LAST TIME HOUSTON AND GALVESTON
RECEIVED AN INCH OF RAIN OR GREATER OCCURRED ON NOVEMBER 12 2008
(1.73 INCHES AND 1.68 INCHES RESPECTIVELY). COLLEGE STATION LAST
RECEIVED AN INCH OF RAIN OR GREATER ON SEPTEMBER 13 2008 (3.28
INCHES). COLLEGE STATION REPORTED 0.80 INCHES OF RAIN IN DECEMBER
WHICH IS THE SIXTH DRIEST DECEMBER ON RECORD. THROUGH JANUARY
20TH...HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT HAS RECEIVED 0.39 INCHES
OF RAIN WHICH IS CURRENTLY THE FIFTH DRIEST JANUARY ON RECORD. NOT
TO BE OUTDONE...GALVESTON IS CURRENTLY SUFFERING THROUGH IT`S
THIRD DRIEST JANUARY IN RECORDED HISTORY WITH ONLY 0.20 INCHES OF
RAIN THUS FAR. THE LACK OF RAIN COUPLED WITH LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY AND HIGHER WIND SPEEDS HAS ALLOWED GRASSES AND OTHER
GROUND FUELS TO DRY INCREASING THE RISK OF GRASS FIRES. THE TEXAS
FOREST SERVICE HAS PLACED AREAS BOUNDED BY AN ANAHUAC TO
COLDSPRING TO ANDERSON TO BRENHAM TO EDNA TO HOUSTON TO ANAHUAC
LINE IN A VERY HIGH RISK FOR FIRE DANGER. A HIGH RISK OF FIRE
DANGER SURROUNDS THIS AREA AND ENCOMPASSES THE REMAINDER OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS. WIDESPREAD MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN IS NOT EXPECTED
THROUGH THE END OF THE MONTH SO DROUGHT CONDITIONS WILL LINGER
INTO AT LEAST EARLY FEBRUARY.

BELOW ARE THE RAINFALL TOTALS FOR A FEW SITES ACROSS SOUTHEAST
TEXAS AND THE RAINFALL DEFICITS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS (JAN
RAINFALL TOTAL AND DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL ARE THROUGH JANUARY
20TH).

LOCATION    NOV   DEP    DEC   DEP    JAN   DEP    TOTAL   DEP
IAH         2.92  -1.27  1.68  -2.01  0.39  -2.01  4.99    -5.29
GLS         3.37  -0.27  1.82  -1.71  0.20  -2.50  5.39    -4.48
CLL         1.35  -1.83  0.80  -2.43  0.68  -1.52  2.83    -5.78
HOU         4.97  +0.43  0.86  -2.92  0.30  -2.47  6.13    -4.96
SGR         2.43  -1.88  1.51  -1.92  0.28   NA    4.22    NA
DWH         4.30  -0.81  1.08  -3.01  0.48   NA    5.86    NA
UTS         1.30  -3.57  0.52  -3.64  0.51   NA    2.33    NA
LBX         4.44  -0.53  0.58  -4.18  0.20   NA    5.22    NA
PSX         6.14  +2.75  0.74  -2.34  0.12   NA    7.00    NA

$$