After months of drought steadily creeping higher across parts of Texas and wildfire risks increasing, there may be some much needed moisture in store.
While drought conditions expanded in the lower Rio Grande Valley, drought was eliminated from the Panhandle and held steady in the eastern Red River Valley, according to the Texas Water Development Board’s Water Weekly Report.
But a pattern of wet weather lies ahead for much of the state following a dry winter, according to State Climatologist Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon.
“We haven’t seen any substantial drought developing except maybe in the Corpus Christi area, but there have been lingering drought conditions in parts of the state from early fall,” Nielsen-Gammon told AgriLife Today.
Records show it was the warmest November through January for the state of Texas since the 1930s.
There has been a mixed outlook of rainfall for Texas since November, he said. Most of West Texas received higher-than-normal rainfall amounts, while North Central Texas and surrounding areas received below-normal rainfall.
Chances of wet weather beginning this weekend could help pacify concerns about wildfires as the state heads into the season when dead foliage and grass can become dangerous fuel for fires when mixed with high winds and a spark.
Nielsen-Gammon expects fairly warmer patterns to prevail and to keep temperatures at or above average.