203
AXUS74 KMAF 301901
DGTMAF
NMC015-025-TXC003-033-043-103-109-115-135-165-173-227-243-301-317-
329-335-371-377-383-389-415-443-461-475-495-231315-
DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
200 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 /100 PM MDT THU MAY 30 2013/
...DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT FOR WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW
MEXICO...
SYNOPSIS...
THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR (USDM)...ISSUED IN PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE
NATIONAL DROUGHT MITIGATION CENTER...USDA...AND NWS ON 28
MAY...SHOWS DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUED TO WORSEN OVER THE PAST
MONTH OR SO IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS. IN SOUTHEAST
NEW MEXICO...NORTHWEST EDDY AND LEA COUNTIES WERE IN EXCEPTIONAL
DROUGHT. THE REST OF THESE COUNTIES WERE IN EXTREME TO MODERATE
DROUGHT. IMPACTS OF EXTREME AND SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS INCLUDE
CROP OR PASTURE LOSSES LIKELY...WATER SHORTAGES COMMON...AND WATER
RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED. IMPACTS OF MODERATE DROUGHT CONDITIONS
INCLUDE SOME DAMAGE TO CROPS AND PASTURES. IN WEST
TEXAS...EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT HAD CREPT INTO THE WESTERN LOW ROLLING
PLAINS...EXTENDING FROM PORTIONS OF GAINES COUNTY EAST THROUGH
SCURRY COUNTY. THE REST OF THE WESTERN LOW ROLLING PLAINS...AND THE
NORTHERN HALF OF THE PERMIAN BASIN WERE IN EXTREME DROUGHT. THE
REST OF WEST TEXAS RANGED FROM SEVERE DROUGHT TO ABNORMALLY DRY.
BREWSTER AND PECOS COUNTY FARED THE BEST...AT ABNORMALLY DRY.
RAINFALL OVER THE PAST MONTH HAS BEEN SCANT...WATER SHORTAGES
REMAIN...AND MANDATORY WATER USE RESTRICTIONS REMAIN IN PLACE IN
SOME LOCATIONS.
SUMMARY OF IMPACTS...
FIRE DANGER IMPACTS.
AS OF 30 MAY...ALL OF WEST TEXAS REMAINS UNDER AN OUTDOOR BURN BAN
EXCEPT DAWSON...ECTOR...MIDLAND...AND REEVES COUNTIES.
THE TEXAS FOREST SERVICE USES THE KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDEX (KBDI)
AS A SYSTEM FOR RELATING CURRENT AND RECENT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO
POTENTIAL OR EXPECTED FIRE BEHAVIOR. IT IS A NUMERICAL INDEX
CALCULATED DAILY. EACH NUMBER IS AN ESTIMATE OF THE AMOUNT OF
PRECIPITATION...IN HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH...NEEDED TO BRING THE SOIL
BACK TO SATURATION. THE INDEX RANGES FROM 0 TO 800...WITH 0
REPRESENTING A SATURATED SOIL AND 800 A COMPLETELY DRY SOIL. AS OF
29 MAY...THE KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDEX SHOWED VALUES RANGING FROM
NEAR 300 IN THE GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS TO NEAR 700 IN THE DAVIS
MOUNTAINS. THE 400 TO 600 RANGE IS TYPICAL OF LATE SUMMER AND
EARLY FALL. IN THIS RANGE...LOWER LITTER AND DUFF LAYERS CONTRIBUTE
TO FIRE INTENSITY AND WILL BURN ACTIVELY. NOTE THAT FIRE DANGER CAN
CHANGE QUICKLY FROM DAY TO DAY AS WINDS AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY VARY.
THE TEXAS FOREST SERVICE ADVISES TO WATCH OUT FOR KEY CRITICAL
WEATHER THRESHOLDS OF WINDS ABOVE 15 MPH AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW
25 PERCENT. WHEN THESE THRESHOLDS ARE MET OR EXCEEDED...FIRE DANGER
WILL BE ELEVATED.
AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS...
ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS CROP WEATHER REPORT ISSUED 29 MAY BY THE
TEXAS A&M AGRICULTURE PROGRAM...IN FAR WEST TEXAS...THE REGION
RECEIVED FROM A TRACE TO OVER 3.5 INCHES OF RAIN.
GENERALLY...CONDITIONS REMAINED HOT...DRY...AND WINDY. COTTON
PRODUCERS CONTINUED PLANTING IN SOME AREAS. IN OTHERS...EARLY
PLANTED COTTON BEGAN TO EMERGE. DUE TO LACK OF MOISTURE...RANCHERS
CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL FEED TO CATTLE OR WERE FURTHER
THINNING HERDS. PECAN GROWERS WERE IRRIGATING AND FERTILIZING
ORCHARDS.
IN THE SOUTH PLAINS...SEVERAL COUNTIES REPORTED RAIN. BORDEN COUNTY
GOT FROM 3 TO 4 INCHES IN MOST AREAS. MITCHELL COUNTY RECEIVED FROM
1.5 TO 2 INCHES...AND SCURRY COUNTY FROM 0.2 TO 4.5 INCHES.
PRODUCERS REMAINED OPTIMISTIC DESPITE DRY CONDITIONS...AND COTTON
PLANTING WAS IN FULL SWING. DRYLAND FARMERS WILL NEED RAIN FOR
CROPS TO EVEN EMERGE. IN MANY AREAS...RANGELAND AND PASTURE STILL
NEEDED A SIGNIFICANT RAIN.
CLIMATE SUMMARY...
RAINFALL FOR THE YEAR IS NEAR-NORMAL FROM A SWATH OF LAND EXTENDING
FROM SOUTHERN LEA COUNTY ALONG THE PECOS RIVER TO FORT
STOCKTON...AND IN ISOLATED POCKETS IN BREWSTER COUNTY. PORTIONS OF
THE WESTERN LOW ROLLING PLAINS ARE ALSO NEAR-NORMAL. EVERYWHERE
ELSE IN WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO IS BELOW NORMAL. EDDY
COUNTY...CULBERSON COUNTY...WEST JEFF DAVIS COUNTY...AND WESTERN
PRESIDIO COUNTY FARED THE WORST...WITH SOME LOCATIONS HAVING
RECEIVED JUST 5 PERCENT OR LESS OF NORMAL SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE
YEAR.
SINCE 1 JANUARY...THE FOLLOWING PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WERE REPORTED:
MIDLAND HAS RECEIVED 1.56 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS 4.11
INCHES.
CARLSBAD HAS HAD 1.01 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS AROUND
3.31 INCHES.
MARFA HAS HAD 1.37 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS AROUND 3.11
INCHES.
FORT STOCKTON HAS HAD 2.87 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS
AROUND 3.81 INCHES.
PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK...
ACCORDING TO THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER...OR CPC...ENSO-NEUTRAL
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH SUMMER.
THE CPC OUTLOOK FOR JUNE THROUGH AUGUST FOR WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST
NEW MEXICO FORECASTS BELOW-NORMAL PRECIPITATION AND ABOVE-NORMAL
TEMPERATURES.
THE LATEST U.S. SEASONAL DROUGHT OUTLOOK...ISSUED 16 MAY BY THE
CPC...INDICATES DROUGHT CONDITIONS LIKELY TO PERSIST OR DEVELOP
ACROSS WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO.
HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY...
RESERVOIR CONDITIONS AS OF 30 MAY:
POOL 24-HR % CONSERVATION
TDY CHG. CAPACITY
LAKE JB THOMAS 2201.32 -0.06 1
LAKE COLORADO CITY 2051.54 -0.02 31
CHAMPION CREEK RESERVOIR 2037.47 -0.01 7
NATURAL DAM SALT LAKE 2447.33 0.00 49
MOSS CREEK LAKE 2325.10 -0.08 52
BRANTLEY RESERVOIR...CARLSBAD 3236.20 -0.03 17
LAKE AVALON - 3N CARLSBAD 3173.45 0.02 32
RED BLUFF DAM 2801.36 -0.03 18
NEXT ISSUANCE DATE...
THIS STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED AS NECESSARY IN RESPONSE TO
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN DROUGHT CONDITIONS.
&&
RELATED WEB SITES...
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CURRENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS MAY BE FOUND
AT THE FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESSES /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
OUR LOCAL DROUGHT WEB PAGE:
HTTP://WWW.SRH.WEATHER.GOV/MAF/VERSION.PHP?PIL=DGTMAF&CWI=1&N=0
U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR: HTTP://WWW.DROUGHT.UNL.EDU/DM/MONITOR.HTML
NOAA DROUGHT PAGE: HTTP://WWW.DROUGHT.NOAA.GOV/
OFFICE OF THE TEXAS STATE CLIMATOLOGIST:
HTTP://WWW.MET.TAMU.EDU/OSC/ NWS...HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/AHPS/
NWS AHPS: HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/AHPS/
USGS: HTTP://WATER.USGS.GOV/
USACE: HTTP://WWW.MVR.USACE.ARMY.MIL/
CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER /CPC/: HTTP://WWW.CPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/
INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION:
HTTP://WWW.IBWC.STATE.GOV
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...
THE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER...THE IBWC...THE USDA...STATE AND
REGIONAL CENTER CLIMATOLOGISTS AND THE NATIONAL DROUGHT MITIGATION
CENTER. INFORMATION FOR THIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN GATHERED FROM NWS
AND FAA OBSERVATION SITES...STATE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
SERVICES...THE USDA...USACE AND USGS.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS...
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS DROUGHT
INFORMATION STATEMENT...PLEASE CONTACT...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
2500 CHALLENGER DRIVE
MIDLAND TEXAS 79706
PHONE: 432.563.5006
$$
DEBERRY
991
AXUS74 KMAF 131802
DGTMAF
NMC015-025-TXC003-033-043-103-109-115-135-165-173-227-243-301-317-
329-335-371-377-383-389-415-443-461-475-495-231315-
DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
1200 PM CDT MON MAY 13 2013 /1100 AM MDT MON MAY 13 2013/
...DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT FOR WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW
MEXICO...
SYNOPSIS...
THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR (USDM)...ISSUED IN PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE
NATIONAL DROUGHT MITIGATION CENTER...USDA...AND NWS ON 7 MAY...SHOWS
DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE OVER THE PAST MONTH OR
SO IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS. IN SOUTHEAST NEW
MEXICO...NORTHWEST EDDY AND LEA COUNTIES HAD WORSENED TO EXCEPTIONAL
DROUGHT. MOST OF THE REST OF THE COUNTIES WERE IN EXTREME TO SEVERE
DROUGHT...AND SOUTHEAST EDDY AND SOUTH LEA COUNTIES WERE IN MODERATE
DROUGHT TO ABNORMALLY DRY. IMPACTS OF EXTREME AND SEVERE DROUGHT
CONDITIONS INCLUDE CROP OR PASTURE LOSSES LIKELY...WATER SHORTAGES
COMMON...AND WATER RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED. IMPACTS OF MODERATE
DROUGHT CONDITIONS INCLUDE SOME DAMAGE TO CROPS AND PASTURES. IN
WEST TEXAS...EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CONDITIONS HAD DEVELOPED IN
PORTIONS OF GLASSCOCK AND HOWARD COUNTIES. MOST OF THE REST OF THE
WESTERN LOW ROLLING PLAINS AND PERMIAN BASIN WERE IN EXTREME
DROUGHT. MOST OF THE REST OF WEST TEXAS WAS IN SEVERE OR MODERATE
DROUGHT. MOST OF LOVING COUNTY AND THE BIG BEND REGION WERE
ABNORMALLY DRY.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE EARLY MAY 2012 THAT EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT
HAS RETURNED TO WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO.
RAINFALL OVER THE PAST 30 DAYS HAS BEEN MEAGER...AND SO WATER
SHORTAGES REMAIN...AND MANDATORY WATER USE RESTRICTIONS REMAIN IN
PLACE IN SOME LOCATIONS.
SUMMARY OF IMPACTS...
FIRE DANGER IMPACTS.
AS OF 10 MAY...ALL OF WEST TEXAS REMAINS UNDER AN OUTDOOR BURN BAN
EXCEPT DAWSON...ECTOR...MIDLAND...AND REEVES COUNTIES.
THE TEXAS FOREST SERVICE USES THE KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDEX (KBDI)
AS A SYSTEM FOR RELATING CURRENT AND RECENT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO
POTENTIAL OR EXPECTED FIRE BEHAVIOR. IT IS A NUMERICAL INDEX
CALCULATED DAILY. EACH NUMBER IS AN ESTIMATE OF THE AMOUNT OF
PRECIPITATION...IN HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH...NEEDED TO BRING THE SOIL
BACK TO SATURATION. THE INDEX RANGES FROM 0 TO 800...WITH 0
REPRESENTING A SATURATED SOIL AND 800 A COMPLETELY DRY SOIL. AS OF
12 MAY...THE KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDEX SHOWED VALUES RANGING FROM
NEAR 300 IN THE GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS TO NEAR 700 IN THE DAVIS
MOUNTAINS AND PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO PLAINS. THE 400
TO 600 RANGE IS TYPICAL OF LATE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL. IN THIS
RANGE...LOWER LITTER AND DUFF LAYERS CONTRIBUTE TO FIRE INTENSITY
AND WILL BURN ACTIVELY. NOTE THAT FIRE DANGER CAN CHANGE QUICKLY
FROM DAY TO DAY AS WINDS AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY VARY. THE TEXAS
FOREST SERVICE ADVISES TO WATCH OUT FOR KEY CRITICAL WEATHER
THRESHOLDS OF WINDS ABOVE 15 MPH AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW 25
PERCENT. WHEN THESE THRESHOLDS ARE MET OR EXCEEDED...FIRE DANGER
WILL BE ELEVATED.
AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS...
ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS CROP WEATHER REPORT ISSUED 7 MAY BY THE TEXAS
A&M AGRICULTURE PROGRAM...IN FAR WEST TEXAS...A COLD FRONT BROUGHT
TRACES OF MOISTURE TO PARTS OF THE AREA. ON 3 MAY...MOST OF THE
AREA RECORDED LIGHT FREEZING CONDITIONS. THE AREA IS ON ALERT FOR
WILDFIRE DUE TO DRY CONDITIONS AND HIGH WINDS. LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS
CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL FEED FOR CATTLE. SOME RANCHERS
WERE STARTING TO SELL CATTLE DUE TO LACK OF GRAZING. PASTURES
CONTINUED BE STRESSED DUE TO THE DROUGHT.
IN THE SOUTH PLAINS...MITCHELL COUNTY WAS LUCKY TO RECEIVE SOME
RAIN...THOUGH ACCUMULATIONS WERE IN THE TENTHS OF AN INCH. OTHER
COUNTIES REMAINED DRY. ANOTHER COLD FRONT BARRELED THROUGH THE
REGION 2-3 MAY...WITH DAMAGING WINDS OF UP TO 60 MPH...FOLLOWED BY
YET ANOTHER HARD FREEZE ON THE MORNING OF 3 MAY. WITH ALL THE LATE
FREEZES...MOST OF THE WHEAT IN THE DISTRICT WILL BE CUT FOR HAY
RATHER THAN HARVESTED. PRODUCERS CONTINUED TO PREPARE FOR SPRING
PLANTING...AND MOST ARE PRE-WATERING FIELDS. SOME PRODUCERS
EXPECTED TO BEGIN PLANTING COTTON WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. THOUGH
SOIL TEMPERATURES WERE LOW...A COUPLE OF PRODUCERS PLANTED EARLY TO
ENSURE THE PRE-WATERING MOISTURE WAS NOT LOST. HOWEVER...WITH THE
FREEZES STILL OCCURRING...SOME WERE WAITING FOR THE SOIL TEMPERATURE
TO BECOME WARMER AND STAY CONSISTENT BEFORE PLANTING. RANGELAND AND
PASTURES STILL NEEDED RAIN. LIVESTOCK REMAINED MOSTLY IN FAIR
CONDITION...BUT SOME HERDS WERE BEING CULLED DUE TO THE CONTINUING
DROUGHT. STOCK-TANK WATER LEVELS WERE LOW.
CLIMATE SUMMARY...
RAINFALL FOR THE YEAR IS NEAR-NORMAL FROM A SWATH OF LAND EXTENDING
FROM SOUTHERN LEA COUNTY ALONG THE PECOS RIVER TO FORT
STOCKTON...AND IN ISOLATED POCKETS IN BREWSTER COUNTY. EVERYWHERE
ELSE IN WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO IS BELOW NORMAL. EDDY
COUNTY...CULBERSON COUNTY...WEST JEFF DAVIS COUNTY...AND WESTERN
PRESIDIO COUNTY FARED THE WORST...WITH SOME LOCATIONS HAVING
RECEIVED JUST 5 PERCENT OR LESS OF NORMAL SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE
YEAR.
SINCE 1 JANUARY...THE FOLLOWING PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WERE REPORTED:
MIDLAND HAS RECEIVED 1.54 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS 2.98
INCHES.
CARLSBAD HAS HAD 0.90 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS AROUND
2.39 INCHES.
MARFA HAS HAD 1.17 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS AROUND 2.41
INCHES.
FORT STOCKTON HAS HAD 2.43 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS
AROUND 2.73 INCHES.
PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK...
ACCORDING TO THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER...OR CPC...ENSO-NEUTRAL
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH SUMMER.
THE CPC OUTLOOK FOR MAY THROUGH JULY FOR WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST
NEW MEXICO FORECASTS BELOW-NORMAL TO NORMAL PRECIPITATION AND
ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPERATURES.
THE LATEST U.S. SEASONAL DROUGHT OUTLOOK...ISSUED 2 MAY BY THE
CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER...INDICATES DROUGHT CONDITIONS LIKELY TO
PERSIST OR DEVELOP ACROSS WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO.
HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY...
RESERVOIR CONDITIONS AS OF 13 MAY:
POOL 24-HR % CONSERVATION
TDY CHG. CAPACITY
LAKE JB THOMAS 2201.17 0.00 1
LAKE COLORADO CITY 2051.62 -0.02 32
CHAMPION CREEK RESERVOIR 2037.30 -0.02 10
NATURAL DAM SALT LAKE 2447.33 0.00 49
MOSS CREEK LAKE 2326.58 0.37 58
BRANTLEY RESERVOIR...CARLSBAD 3239.25 -0.02 23
LAKE AVALON - 3N CARLSBAD 3174.68 0.05 51
RED BLUFF DAM 2801.45 -0.01 14
NEXT ISSUANCE DATE...
THIS STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED AS NECESSARY IN RESPONSE TO
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN DROUGHT CONDITIONS.
&&
RELATED WEB SITES...
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CURRENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS MAY BE FOUND
AT THE FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESSES /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
OUR LOCAL DROUGHT WEB PAGE:
HTTP://WWW.SRH.WEATHER.GOV/MAF/VERSION.PHP?PIL=DGTMAF&CWI=1&N=0
U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR: HTTP://WWW.DROUGHT.UNL.EDU/DM/MONITOR.HTML
NOAA DROUGHT PAGE: HTTP://WWW.DROUGHT.NOAA.GOV/
OFFICE OF THE TEXAS STATE CLIMATOLOGIST:
HTTP://WWW.MET.TAMU.EDU/OSC/ NWS...HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/AHPS/
NWS AHPS: HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/AHPS/
USGS: HTTP://WATER.USGS.GOV/
USACE: HTTP://WWW.MVR.USACE.ARMY.MIL/
CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER /CPC/: HTTP://WWW.CPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/
INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION:
HTTP://WWW.IBWC.STATE.GOV
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...
THE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER...THE IBWC...THE USDA...STATE AND
REGIONAL CENTER CLIMATOLOGISTS AND THE NATIONAL DROUGHT MITIGATION
CENTER. INFORMATION FOR THIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN GATHERED FROM NWS
AND FAA OBSERVATION SITES...STATE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
SERVICES...THE USDA...USACE AND USGS.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS...
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS DROUGHT
INFORMATION STATEMENT...PLEASE CONTACT...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
2500 CHALLENGER DRIVE
MIDLAND TEXAS 79706
PHONE: 432.563.5006
$$
DEBERRY
676
AXUS74 KMAF 251700
DGTMAF
NMC015-025-TXC003-033-043-103-109-115-135-165-173-227-243-301-317-
329-335-371-377-383-389-415-443-461-475-495-231315-
DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
1200 PM CDT THU APR 25 2013 /1100 AM MDT THU APR 25 2013/
...DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT FOR WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW
MEXICO...
SYNOPSIS...
THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR (USDM)...ISSUED IN PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE
NATIONAL DROUGHT MITIGATION CENTER...USDA...AND NWS ON 16
APRIL...SHOWS THAT DROUGHT CONDITIONS HAVE SLOWLY CONTINUED TO
DETERIORATE OVER THE PAST MONTH OR SO IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND
WEST TEXAS. IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...EXTREME NORTHWEST EDDY AND
LEA COUNTIES WERE IN EXTREME DROUGHT. MOST OF THE REST OF THE
COUNTIES WERE IN SEVERE DROUGHT...AND SOUTHEAST EDDY AND SOUTH LEA
COUNTIES WERE IN MODERATE DROUGHT TO NO DROUGHT. IMPACTS OF EXTREME
AND SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS INCLUDE CROP OR PASTURE LOSSES
LIKELY...WATER SHORTAGES COMMON...AND WATER RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED.
IMPACTS OF MODERATE DROUGHT CONDITIONS INCLUDE SOME DAMAGE TO CROPS
AND PASTURES. IN WEST TEXAS...EXTREME DROUGHT HAS PERSISTED OR
DEVELOPED IN PORTIONS OF
SCURRY...MITCHELL...GLASSCOCK...REAGAN...AND TERRELL COUNTIES.
WESTERN CULBERSON...JEFF DAVIS...AND NORTHWEST PRESIDIO COUNTIES
WERE IN SEVERE DROUGHT...AS WERE MOST OF THE WESTERN LOW ROLLING
PLAINS...PERMIAN BASIN...AND TERRELL COUNTY. THE REST OF WEST TEXAS
WAS IN MODERATE DROUGHT TO ABNORMALLY DRY.
RAINFALL OVER THE PAST 30 DAYS HAS BEEN MEAGER...AND SO WATER
SHORTAGES REMAIN...AND MANDATORY WATER USE RESTRICTIONS REMAIN IN
PLACE IN SOME LOCATIONS.
SUMMARY OF IMPACTS...
FIRE DANGER IMPACTS.
AS OF 23 APRIL...ALL OF WEST TEXAS REMAINS UNDER AN OUTDOOR BURN BAN
EXCEPT DAWSON...ECTOR...MIDLAND...AND REEVES COUNTIES.
THE TEXAS FOREST SERVICE USES THE KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDEX (KBDI)
AS A SYSTEM FOR RELATING CURRENT AND RECENT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO
POTENTIAL OR EXPECTED FIRE BEHAVIOR. IT IS A NUMERICAL INDEX
CALCULATED DAILY. EACH NUMBER IS AN ESTIMATE OF THE AMOUNT OF
PRECIPITATION...IN HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH...NEEDED TO BRING THE SOIL
BACK TO SATURATION. THE INDEX RANGES FROM 0 TO 800...WITH 0
REPRESENTING A SATURATED SOIL AND 800 A COMPLETELY DRY SOIL. AS OF
24 APRIL...THE KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDEX SHOWED VALUES RANGING FROM
NEAR 300 IN THE GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS TO NEAR 700 IN AREAS FURTHER
EAST. THE 400 TO 600 RANGE IS TYPICAL OF LATE SUMMER AND EARLY
FALL. IN THIS RANGE...LOWER LITTER AND DUFF LAYERS CONTRIBUTE TO
FIRE INTENSITY AND WILL BURN ACTIVELY. NOTE THAT FIRE DANGER CAN
CHANGE QUICKLY FROM DAY TO DAY AS WINDS AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY VARY.
THE TEXAS FOREST SERVICE ADVISES TO WATCH OUT FOR KEY CRITICAL
WEATHER THRESHOLDS OF WINDS ABOVE 15 MPH AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW
25 PERCENT. WHEN THESE THRESHOLDS ARE MET OR EXCEEDED...FIRE DANGER
WILL BE ELEVATED.
AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS...
ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS CROP WEATHER REPORT ISSUED 23 APRIL BY THE
TEXAS A&M AGRICULTURE PROGRAM...IN FAR WEST TEXAS...HIGHS RANGED
FROM THE MID 70S TO UPPER 80S. DRY...WINDY CONDITIONS MEANT
RED-FLAG WARNINGS FOR WILDFIRE REMAINED IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF THE
AREA. PASTURES SUFFERED AS THE DROUGHT BECAME MORE SEVERE.
MESQUITE...SAND SAGE...AND SHIN OAK WERE GREENING UP. ANNUAL WEEDS
AND WILDFLOWERS WERE SPROUTING IN BAR DITCHES AND LOW AREAS. COTTON
GROWERS CONTINUED PLANTING PREPARATIONS.
IN THE SOUTH PLAINS...CONTINUED SEVERE DROUGHT WITH HIGH WINDS AND
THREE LATE SEASON FREEZES DAMAGED DEVELOPING WHEAT. IN SOME
COUNTIES...THE FREEZE DAMAGE WAS SEVERE...WHILE IN OTHERS IT WAS
SURPRISINGLY BEEN LESS THAN EXPECTED. MOST WHEAT WILL EITHER BE CUT
FOR HAY...GRAZED...OR KILLED...AND PUT IN COTTON OR SORGHUM. SOME
COUNTIES REPORTED RUSSIAN WHEAT APHIDS IN FIELDS. PRODUCERS BEGAN
PRE-PLANT IRRIGATION ALONG WITH FERTILIZER AND HERBICIDE
APPLICATIONS. TEMPERATURES WERE ALL ACROSS THE BOARD WITH HIGHS ONE
DAY IN THE 90S AND LOWS THE NEXT INTO THE 20S. THERE WAS NO
MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION. RANGELAND AND PASTURES WERE IN FAIR
CONDITION...AS WERE LIVESTOCK WITH SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING ON COOL/COLD
DAYS.
CLIMATE SUMMARY...
RAINFALL FOR THE YEAR IS AT OR ABOVE NORMAL FROM A SWATH OF LAND
EXTENDING FROM SOUTHERN LEA COUNTY ALONG THE PECOS RIVER TO FORT
STOCKTON...AND IN ISOLATED POCKETS IN BREWSTER COUNTY. EVERYWHERE
ELSE IN WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO IS BELOW NORMAL. EDDY
COUNTY...CULBERSON COUNTY...WEST JEFF DAVIS COUNTY...AND WESTERN
PRESIDIO COUNTY FARED THE WORST...WITH SOME LOCATIONS HAVING
RECEIVED JUST 5 PERCENT OR LESS OF NORMAL SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE
YEAR.
SINCE 1 JANUARY...THE FOLLOWING PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WERE REPORTED:
MIDLAND HAS RECEIVED 1.53 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS 2.38
INCHES.
CARLSBAD HAS HAD 0.90 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS AROUND
1.85 INCHES.
MARFA HAS HAD 0.77 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS AROUND 1.80
INCHES.
FORT STOCKTON HAS HAD 2.19 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS
AROUND 2.44 INCHES.
PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK...
ACCORDING TO THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER...OR CPC...ENSO-NEUTRAL
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH SUMMER.
THE CPC OUTLOOK FOR APRIL THROUGH JUNE FOR WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST
NEW MEXICO FORECASTS BELOW-NORMAL TO NORMAL PRECIPITATION AND
ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPERATURES.
THE LATEST U.S. SEASONAL DROUGHT OUTLOOK...ISSUED 21 MARCH BY THE
CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER...INDICATES DROUGHT CONDITIONS LIKELY TO
PERSIST OR INTENSIFY ACROSS WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO.
HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY...
RESERVOIR CONDITIONS AS OF 22 MARCH:
POOL 24-HR % CONSERVATION
TDY CHG. CAPACITY
LAKE JB THOMAS 2201.44 -0.02 1
LAKE COLORADO CITY 2051.88 -0.02 33
CHAMPION CREEK RESERVOIR 2037.58 -0.01 10
NATURAL DAM SALT LAKE 2447.33 0.00 49
MOSS CREEK LAKE 2322.81 0.42 45
BRANTLEY RES...CARLSBAD 3239.79 -0.19 25
LAKE AVALON - 3N CARLSBAD 3173.57 -0.11 34
RED BLUFF DAM 2801.68 0.00 14
NEXT ISSUANCE DATE...
THIS STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED AS NECESSARY IN RESPONSE TO
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN DROUGHT CONDITIONS.
&&
RELATED WEB SITES...
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CURRENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS MAY BE FOUND
AT THE FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESSES /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
OUR LOCAL DROUGHT WEB PAGE:
HTTP://WWW.SRH.WEATHER.GOV/MAF/VERSION.PHP?PIL=DGTMAF&CWI=1&N=0
U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR: HTTP://WWW.DROUGHT.UNL.EDU/DM/MONITOR.HTML
NOAA DROUGHT PAGE: HTTP://WWW.DROUGHT.NOAA.GOV/
OFFICE OF THE TEXAS STATE CLIMATOLOGIST:
HTTP://WWW.MET.TAMU.EDU/OSC/ NWS...HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/AHPS/
NWS AHPS: HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/AHPS/
USGS: HTTP://WATER.USGS.GOV/
USACE: HTTP://WWW.MVR.USACE.ARMY.MIL/
CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER /CPC/: HTTP://WWW.CPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/
INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION:
HTTP://WWW.IBWC.STATE.GOV
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...
THE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER...THE IBWC...THE USDA...STATE AND
REGIONAL CENTER CLIMATOLOGISTS AND THE NATIONAL DROUGHT MITIGATION
CENTER. INFORMATION FOR THIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN GATHERED FROM NWS
AND FAA OBSERVATION SITES...STATE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
SERVICES...THE USDA...USACE AND USGS.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS...
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS DROUGHT
INFORMATION STATEMENT...PLEASE CONTACT...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
2500 CHALLENGER DRIVE
MIDLAND TEXAS 79706
PHONE: 432.563.5006
$$
DEBERRY
