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
900
AXUS74 KMAF 030043
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
1000 AM CDT FRI MAR 22 2013 /900 AM MDT FRI MAR 22 2012/
...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 19
MARCH...SHOWS THAT DROUGHT CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED LITTLE OVER THE
PAST MONTH OR SO IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS. IN
SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...ONLY EXTREME NORTHWEST LEA COUNTY REMAINED 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 DEVELOPED IN EASTERN SCURRY AND
MITCHELL COUNTIES. WESTERN CULBERSON...JEFF DAVIS...AND NORTHWEST
PRESIDIO COUNTIES WERE IN SEVERE DROUGHT...AS WERE PORTIONS OF THE
WESTERN LOW ROLLING PLAINS...EASTERN PERMIAN BASIN...AND EASTERN
TERRELL COUNTY. THE REST OF WEST TEXAS WAS IN MODERATE DROUGHT TO
NO DROUGHT.
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 22 MARCH...ALL OF WEST TEXAS REMAINS UNDER AN OUTDOOR BURN
BAN EXCEPT BREWSTER...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
21 MARCH...THE KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDEX SHOWED VALUES RANGING FROM
NEAR 300 IN THE PERMIAN BASIN AND GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS TO NEAR 600 IN
THE DAVIS MOUNTAINS AND LOWER TRANS PECOS. 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 19 MARCH BY THE
TEXAS A&M AGRICULTURE PROGRAM...IN FAR WEST TEXAS...CONDITIONS WERE
WARM...WINDY AND DRY...WITH THE DANGER OF WILDFIRE HIGH AND BURN
BANS STILL IN PLACE. THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS HAD COOLER
TEMPERATURES...WITH HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 50S AND LOWS DIPPING
INTO THE TEENS. IN OTHER AREAS...HIGHS WERE IN THE 80S. FARMERS
CONTINUED PREPARING FIELDS FOR SPRING PLANTING. ALFALFA GROWERS
BEGAN TAKING THEIR FIRST CUTTING.
IN THE SOUTH PLAINS...THE REGIONS WEATHER WAS WINDY AND MOSTLY
WARM...THOUGH TEMPERATURES FLUCTUATED FROM A LOW OF 24 DEGREES ON
MARCH 11 TO A HIGH OF 88 DEGREES ON MARCH 15. THERE WAS NO RAIN
REPORTED FOR THE MONTH TO DATE. FARMERS CONTINUED PREPARING FIELDS
FOR PLANTING...APPLYING FERTILIZER AND HERBICIDES...AND LISTING
ROWS. WHEAT WAS JOINTING. DRYLAND WHEAT WAS IN FAIR
CONDITION...WITH SOME IRRIGATED FIELDS LOOKING GOOD. CATTLE
REMAINED MOSTLY IN FAIR TO GOOD CONDITION...WITH RANCHERS HAVING TO
PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL FEED ON COLDER DAYS BECAUSE OF LIMITED GRAZING.
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 ALONG THE RIO GRANDE. 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 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 1.66
INCHES.
CARLSBAD HAS HAD 0.86 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS AROUND
1.25 INCHES.
MARFA HAS HAD 0.64 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS AROUND 1.25
INCHES.
FORT STOCKTON HAS HAD 2.19 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION. NORMAL IS
AROUND 1.56 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 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 2202.75 -0.07 1
LAKE COLORADO CITY 2052.50 -0.01 35
CHAMPION CREEK RESERVOIR 2038.17 0.02 11
NATURAL DAM SALT LAKE 2447.34 -0.01 49
MOSS CREEK LAKE 2321.02 -0.09 39
BRANTLEY RES...CARLSBAD 3240.95 0.42 28
LAKE AVALON - 3N CARLSBAD 3175.82 0.01 70
RED BLUFF DAM 2801.79 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
RSS Feeds