Texas Remains In Drought

Despite rains, drought still had a hold on much of Texas. According to the June 4 U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 87% of the state was still suffering from moderate, severe, extreme or exceptional drought. The areas with the worse drought conditions remained the Panhandle, parts of the South Plains, South and the Southwest regions.

Many parts of the state received rain since the monitor’s June 4 report, and more recent reports from AgriLife Extension county agents reflect the effects of the added moisture. But the rain was by no means equally distributed. In the Panhandle, for example, agents reported the rain in some counties measured in inches, while others got no more than a sprinkle.

The day after high temperatures of 106 degrees were recorded on June 4, Lubbock County was visited by a line of severe thunderstorms and extremely high, damaging winds. The storms brought as much as 2 inches of rain, which helped crops, but winds as high as 84 mph damaged structures, toppled trees and overturned many center pivots. In East Texas, the thunderstorms were more benign, bringing only rain and greening up grass and promoting hay growth.