Texas, 1998

Drought in Texas, May 20 to 31, 1998

May 20 to 31, 1998 · NWS LCH · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Drought conditions beagn by mid-May, as southeast Texans had gone over six weeks without any significant rainfall. 10 inches of rain for the month.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS LCH wrote it up.

Drought conditions beagn by mid-May, as southeast Texans had gone over six weeks without any significant rainfall. By the end of May, many locations had seen less than 0.10 inches of rain for the month. This was the start of a significant impact on agriculture and forestry resources, but the biggest loses did not occur until June. See June 1998's Storm Data for more complete details on the drought.The other major story during the drought was the smoke and haze from forest fires burning in Mexico and Central America. For over a week (May 12-20th), visibilites were 3 miles or less. People with allergies or respiratory problems, as well as the elderly and very young, were advised to stay indoors during this event.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Hardin

When
May 20, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Hardin forecast zone
Coordinates
30.332, -94.390 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Jasper

When
May 20, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Jasper forecast zone

Drought, Jefferson

When
May 20, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone

Drought, Newton

When
May 20, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Newton forecast zone

Drought, Orange

When
May 20, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Orange forecast zone

Drought, Tyler

When
May 20, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Tyler forecast zone
Coordinates
30.771, -94.377 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought
A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Texas in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, May 1998

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5645727, 5645728, 5645729, 5645730, 5645731, 5645732.