DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 710 PM CDT SAT JUL 04 2009 ...DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT... ...DROUGHT CONDITIONS INTENSIFY OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS... ...RAIN CHANCES INCREASE NEXT WEEK... SYNOPSIS... A PERSISTENT UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS HAS SHUNTED STORM SYSTEMS TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THE STRONG RIDGE HAS BROUGHT UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPERATURES... EXCEEDING 100 DEGREES AT TIMES. RAINFALL HAS BEEN VIRTUALLY NON-EXISTENT. ON JUNE 24TH AND AGAIN ON THE 26TH...HOUSTON RECORED A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 104 DEGREES WHICH IS THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE. HOUSTON HAS ALREADY RECORDED 10 DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES REACHING OR EXCEEDING 100 DEGREES. THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN SEVEN SUMMERS WITH MORE HUNDRED DEGREE DAYS THAN THE SUMMER OF 2009 (AND IT IS ONLY JULY 4TH). THE SUMMER OF 1980 CONTAINED THE MOST 100 DEGREE DAYS WITH 32 DAYS. COLLEGE STATION AND HUNTSVILLE ALSO RECORDED BRUTALLY HIGH TEMPERATURES ON THE 24TH...REGISTERING 106 DEGREES. COLLEGE STATION HAS ALREADY RECORDED FOURTEEN 100 DEGREE DAYS THIS SUMMER. HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT ENDURED 31 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WITHOUT MEASURABLE RAIN. A THUNDERSTORM ON THE EVENING OF JUNE 25TH ENDED THE DRY STREAK. 0.27 INCHES OF RAIN FELL AT THE AIRPORT. THE DRIEST STRETCH OF WEATHER EVER RECORDED FOR HOUSTON WAS BACK IN 1904. THERE WAS NO MEASURABLE RAIN BETWEEN JANUARY 8 1904 AND FEBRUARY 16 1904 - 40 DAYS! * THIS TIES FOR THE 12TH LONGEST PERIOD WITHOUT MEASURABLE RAIN. THE LAST TIME HOUSTON WENT 31 DAYS WITHOUT RAIN WAS FROM JULY 31 1990 THROUGH AUGUST 30 1990. IN ADDITION TO TEMPERATURE RECORDS...THERE WERE ALSO SOME JUNE RAINFALL RECORDS. COLLEGE STATION TIED FOR IT`S DRIEST JUNE ON RECORD WITH ONLY A TRACE OF RAIN. THIS TIES THE HOT DRY JUNE OF 1998. ONLY 0.27 INCHES OF RAIN FELL AT INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT DURING THE MONTH. THIS WAS THE 4TH DRIEST JUNE IN CITY HISTORY AND IT IS ALSO THE DRIEST MAY/JUNE COMBINATION (0.65 INCHES)IN HOUSTON CITY HISTORY. COLLEGE STATION HAD IT`S THIRD DRIEST MAY/JUNE IN RECORDED HISTORY. BELOW IS A TABLE WITH THE FIVE DRIEST MAY/JUNE RAINFALL TALLIES: MAY/JUNE RAIN TOTALS HOUSTON COLLEGE STATION 0.65 IN 2009 0.11 IN 1998 0.98 IN 1931 0.52 IN 1934 1.78 IN 1915 1.41 IN 2009 1.82 IN 1934 1.74 IN 1925 1.87 IN 1901 1.91 IN 1917 OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS HAVE SUFFERED A SIMILAR FATE. COLLEGE STATION...HUNTSVILLE AND CONROE HAVE NOT RECORDED MEASURABLE RAINFALL DURING JUNE. ANGLETON...BAY CITY AND EDNA HAVE YET TO RECEIVE 10 INCHES OF RAIN THIS YEAR. MAY AND JUNE ARE TYPICALLY TWO OF THE WETTEST MONTHS OF THE YEAR SO THIS ENDURING DROUGHT IS OF GREAT CONCERN. BELOW IS A TABLE WITH RAINFALL AND RAINFALL DEFICITS (THROUGH JULY 4TH) 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 0.00 -0.53 0.0 PERCENT TOTAL 17.12 -7.53 69.5 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 0.00 -0.73 0.0 PERCENT TOTAL 21.73 -4.86 81.7 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 -0.32 0.0 PERCENT TOTAL 13.97 -6.93 66.8 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 0.00 -0.48 0.0 PERCENT TOTAL 10.86 -9.37 53.7 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 0.00 -0.44 TOTAL 7.37 -20.64 HERE IS SOME OF THE RAINFALL DATA FROM OUR NETWORK OF CO-OP OBSERVERS FOR MAY AND JUNE AND THE NORMAL EXPECTED AND THE PERCENT OF NORMAL SINCE MAY 1ST: CITY MAY JUNE NORMAL PERCENT NORMAL MAY/JUNE SINCE MAY 1ST ALVIN 0.68 2.83 10.27 34.2 PERCENT ANAHUAC 1.23 1.71 11.10 26.5 PERCENT BAYTOWN 2.90 0.96 12.12 31.8 PERCENT BELLVILLE 4.06 0.00 9.22 44.0 PERCENT CALDWELL 0.73 0.00 8.49 8.6 PERCENT CLEVELAND 4.11 0.22 11.21 38.6 PERCENT CLODINE 0.27 0.64 10.34 8.8 PERCENT COLUMBUS 1.96 0.10 10.78 19.1 PERCENT CROCKETT 1.03 0.70 9.12 19.0 PERCENT DANEVANG 0.54 0.55 9.91 11.0 PERCENT EL CAMPO 1.76 0.32 FREEPORT 2.53 0.00 8.67 29.2 PERCENT HOUSTON BARKER 1.65 0.00 9.45 17.5 PERCENT HOUSTON HEIGHTS 0.65 0.50 11.86 9.7 PERCENT HOUSTON WESTBURY 0.59 0.45 11.55 9.0 PERCENT KATY 1.13 0.00 8.62 13.1 PERCENT LIBERTY 2.85 1.74 12.68 36.2 PERCENT LIVINGSTON 4.23 0.13 10.74 40.6 PERCENT MATAGORDA 4.79 0.00 8.97 53.4 PERCENT PIERCE 1.07 0.02 9.87 11.0 PERCENT RICHMOND 0.11 1.14 SOMERVILLE DAM 0.77 0.29 WASH STATE PARK 1.69 0.00 8.84 19.1 PERCENT WHARTON 0.92 0.25 9.38 12.5 PERCENT AS OF JUNE 30 2009...THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR INDICATED THAT EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS WERE AFFECTING PARTS OF JACKSON AND BURLESON COUNTIES. EXTREME DROUGHT CONDITIONS WERE AFFECTING PARTS OF MATAGORDA...WHARTON...BRAZOS...GRIMES...COLORADO...MADISON AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES. SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS WERE AFFECTING PARTS OF FORT BEND...BRAZORIA...HARRIS...WALLER...AUSTIN... MONTGOMERY... WALKER...TRINITY AND HOUSTON COUNTIES. MODERATE DROUGHT CONDITIONS WERE IMPACTING PARTS OF POLK...LIBERTY...SAN JACINTO...GALVESTON AND CHAMBERS COUNTIES. 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 TO ABNORMALLY DRY SOIL CONDITIONS OVER ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THE JUNE 30TH TEXAS A & M TEXAS CROP AND WEATHER REPORT INDICATED THAT PASTURES WERE DECLINING...APPEARING AS ALMOST BARE GROUND. DRYLAND CORN WAS BALED AS HAY. CATTLE PRODUCERS WERE SENDING CALVES TO MARKET EARLIER THAN NORMAL TO EASE GRAZING PASTURES. IRRIGATED GRASS FIELD WERE STILL GREEN BUT WITH LIMITED GROWTH. LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL FEED. POND LEVELS CONTINUE TO DROP. FOR MORE INFORMATION...SEE HTTP://AGNEWS.TAMU.EDU (ALL LOWER CASE). HYDROLOGIC IMPACTS... RAINFALL NORTH OF THE REGION HAS ALLOWED RIVERS TO STAY NEAR BANKS. THIS HAS ALLOWED AREA RESERVOIRS TO STAY NEAR CAPACITY. WATERSHED CAPACITY LAKE LIVINGSTON 100 PERCENT LAKE CONROE 96 PERCENT HOUSTON COUNTY LAKE 94 PERCENT LAKE HOUSTON 95 PERCENT LAKE SOMERVILLE 81 PERCENT LAKE TEXANA 66 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 4TH...THE HIGHEST KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDICES (600 TO 700) WERE LOCATED OVER ALMOST ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. ONLY GALVESTON COUNTY HAD A KBDI VALUE LESS THAN 600. CONDITIONS HAVE BECOME CRITICAL ACROSS ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. (SEE THE LINK...ALL LOWER CASE HTTP://WEBGIS.TAMU.EDU/TFS/ KBDI_DAILY/ KBDICOUNTY.PNG). INDICES WILL LIKELY INCREASE THIS WEEK IF BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL CONTINUES. RESTRICTIONS/ACTIONS... ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS FOREST SERVICE WEB SITE ON JUNE 28 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 AND COLORADO COUNTIES. CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE AND EVEN ADDITIONAL LIGHT TO MODERATE RAINFALL WILL NOT PRODUCE MUCH IN THE WAY OF DROUGHT RELIEF. 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... A PERSISTENT AND STRONG UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL AGAIN SHIFT SLIGHTLY WEST. A WEAK SURFACE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST TEXAS ON MONDAY. THIS WILL ALLOW SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP MONDAY AND TUESDAY. A WEAKNESS ALOFT TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK COULD ALSO BRING SOME WELCOME RELIEF FROM THE BOTH THE EXCESSIVE HEAT AND DROUGHT. HOWEVER...THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE THAT HAS PLAGUED SOUTHEAST TEXAS ALL SUMMER HAS STUBBORNLY REFUSED TO BUDGE SO CONFIDENCE IN LONG RANGE FORECASTS SHOULD BE TAKEN WITH A GRAIN OF SALT...OR BETTER YET...TAKEN WITH SOME AIR CONDITIONING AND A VERY TALL AND VERY COLD REFRESHING BEVERAGE. THE NEXT DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT WILL BE BE ISSUED ON OR AROUND JULY 10 2009. $$ CR