DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 625 PM CDT THU JUL 09 2009 ...DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT... ...UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPERATURES PERSIST OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS... ...ANOTHER 5 TO 7 DAYS WITH LITTLE OR NO RAIN... SYNOPSIS... STRONG UPPER LEVEL RIDING HAS REMAIN VIRTUALLY LOCKED OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS SINCE EARLY MAY. THE CENTER OF THE HIGH HAS SHIFTED WEST AND THEN SHIFTED EAST BUT HAS ALWAYS BEEN CLOSE ENOUGH TO SOUTHEAST TEXAS TO PROVIDE SUBSIDENCE...RECORD WARMTH AND LIMITED RAINFALL. SOUTHEAST TEXAS DID RECEIVE VERY WELCOME RAINFALL ON TUESDAY JULY 7TH BUT THE AMOUNTS AND DURATION WERE NOT SUFFICIENT TO END THE LATE SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER DROUGHT. THE DROUGHT HAS BEEN MADE MORE INTENSE BY THE UNSEASONABLY WARM (HOT) TEMPERATURES THAT HAVE PLAGUED THE REGION. THE FIRST WEEK OF JULY HAS AVERAGED 2 TO 3 DEGREES WARMER THAN NORMAL ALONG THE COAST AND A MIND BLOWING 5 TO 6 DEGREES WARMER THAN NORMAL INLAND. THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR THE FIRST EIGHT DAYS OF JULY IN COLLEGE STATION WAS 89.8 DEGREES. THIS IS 0.9 DEGREES WARMER THAN THE FIRST EIGHT DAYS OF 1980. IN HOUSTON... JULY 2009 IS AVERAGING 88.2 DEGREES WHICH IS ONLY 0.5 DEGREES COOLER THAN THE SCORCHING HOT JULY 1980. HOW DRY HAS IT BEEN? COLLEGE STATION HAS NOW GONE A STAGGERING 45 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WITHOUT MEASUREABLE RAIN. THIS IS THE 7TH LONGEST STRETCH OF DAYS WITHOUT MEASUREABLE RAIN IN RECORDED HISTORY. EARLIER THIS SUMMER HOUSTON WENT 31 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WITHOUT MEASUREABLE RAIN. BELOW IS A LIST OF THE LONGEST STRETCH OF DAYS WITHOUT MEASUREABLE RAIN FOR COLLEGE STATION: COLLEGE STATION CONSECUTIVE DAYS ENDING DATE 56 08/20/1993 55 10/09/2005 51 07/25/1934 49 08/23/1948 47 11/04/1952 46 08/07/2000 45 07/08/2009 (AND COUNTING) HERE ARE THE DRIEST MAY 1 THROUGH JULY 8 FOR OUR THREE PRIMARY CLIMATE SITES: MAY 1 THROUGH JULY 8 RAIN TOTALS HOUSTON COLLEGE STATION GALVESTON 1.02 IN 1931 0.19 IN 1998 0.23 IN 2000 2.13 IN 2009 0.52 IN 1934 0.67 IN 1934 2.60 IN 1901 1.41 IN 2009 0.77 IN 2009 3.14 IN 1932 1.74 IN 1925 1.30 IN 1937 3.17 IN 1998 1.98 IN 1917 1.40 IN 1901 ALL THREE PRIMARY CLIMATE SITES ARE SUFFERING EITHER THEIR SECOND OR THIRD DRIEST PERIOD ON RECORD. COLLEGE STATION ONLY RECEIVED A TRACE OF RAIN IN JUNE WHICH TIED FOR THE DRIEST JUNE IN RECORDED HISTORY. 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. MAY AND JUNE ARE TYPICALLY TWO OF THE WETTEST MONTHS OF THE YEAR SO THIS EXTENDED DROUGHT IS OF GREAT CONCERN. BELOW IS A TABLE WITH RAINFALL AND RAINFALL DEFICITS (THROUGH JULY 8TH) 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 +0.38 134.5 PERCENT TOTAL 18.60 -6.62 73.7 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 -0.34 77.9 PERCENT TOTAL 22.93 -4.47 83.7 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 -0.67 0.0 PERCENT TOTAL 13.97 -7.28 65.7 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 -0.78 25.0 PERCENT TOTAL 11.12 -9.37 53.5 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 0.24 -0.44 TOTAL 7.61 -20.85 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 JULY 7 2009...THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR INDICATED THAT EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS WERE AFFECTING PARTS OF JACKSON... BURLESON...COLORADO...MATAGORDA AND WHARTON COUNTIES. EXTREME DROUGHT CONDITIONS WERE AFFECTING PARTS OF BRAZOS...GRIMES... MADISON...WALLER...WASHINGTON...HARRIS AND FORT BEND COUNTIES. SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS WERE AFFECTING PARTS OF TRINITY... HOUSTON...WALKER...MONTGOMERY...LIBERTY...CHAMBERS...GALVESTON AND SAN JACINTO COUNTIES. THE NEXT 5 TO 7 DAYS DON`T LOOK PROMISING FOR RAIN SO DROUGHT CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY WORSEN. 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 96 PERCENT HOUSTON COUNTY LAKE 93 PERCENT LAKE HOUSTON 100 PERCENT LAKE SOMERVILLE 80 PERCENT LAKE TEXANA 64 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 9TH...RECENT RAINS HAVE HELP TO IMPROVE THE KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDICES OVER PARTS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THE KBDI WILL INCREASE THIS WEEKEND AS TEMPERATURE SOAR TO NEAR 100 DEGREES AND RAIN CHANCES DECLINE. BELOW IS A TABLE WITH KBDI VALUES (07/09/2009): 600-700 500-600 400-500 MATAGORDA WHARTON BRAZORIA GALVESTON HARRIS WALLER MONTGOMERY FORT BEND AUSTIN WASHINGTON COLORADO BURLESON BRAZOS SAN JACINTO GRIMES MADISON CHAMBERS WALKER HOUSTON TRINITY POLK LIBERTY 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 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...TRINITY...FORT BEND...GALVESTON AND COLORADO COUNTIES. CONDITIONS CONTINUE WILL DETERIORATE EVEN FURTHER THIS WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK. 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 GRADUALLY STRENGTHEN AND REMAIN ANCHORED OVER NORTHWEST TEXAS. THIS WILL PROVIDE UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPERATURES AND WILL SHUNT WEATHER SYSTEMS TO THE EAST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THERE IS A SLIGHT POSSIBILITY THAT THE RIDGE COULD SHIFT FAR ENOUGH TO THE WEST TO ALLOW A FEW STORMS TO CLIP THE EASTERN HALF OF THE REGION THIS WEEKEND. THE OVERALL TREND IS FOR THE HEAT TO CONTINUE AND THE DROUGHT TO WORSEN. FOR THOSE WHO RECEIVED RAIN THIS WEEK...CONSIDER YOURSELVES LUCKY. FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT RECEIVE RAIN...IT APPEARS THAT ANOTHER 5 TO 7 DAYS WILL PASS WITHOUT RAIN. THE NEXT DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT WILL BE BE ISSUED ON OR AROUND JULY 16 2009. $$