Drought in Texas, January 1 to 31, 2006

Name: Drought in Texas, January 1 to 31, 2006
Start: 2006-01-01T00:00
End: 2006-01-31T23:59
Location: Texas

January 1 to 31, 2006 · NWS FWD · 46 events in 46 counties and zones

Drought conditions continued across north Texas as precipitation deficits increased. S.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 46 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: $1.0 billion
Events: 46

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 FWD wrote it up.

Drought conditions continued across north Texas as precipitation deficits increased. This month, all of north Texas was classified in either extreme drought (D3) or exceptional drought (D4) as classified by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Every county in north Texas was eligible for federal disaster relief due to the drought. The weather continued to be unseasonable warm. The average high temperature this January was 68.3 degrees, a full 14.2 degrees above normal. This figure broke an 83-year-old record. Wildfires continued to be a major problem in January, with a burn ban in place in every county. A quarter of a million acres burned across Texas in the first half of the month, more than during all of 2005. The ongoing drought combined with strong winds and low humidities to create a volatile fire situation in Texas. On New Year's Day, several devastating wildfires erupted across north Texas. Forty homes were destroyed in Montague County as a 17-mile long fire burned between Ringgold and Nocona. Another grass fire in Johnson County burned 13 buildings and charred 1,800 acres. In Eastland County, a fire encompassing more than 35,000 acres forced the evacuations of several communities and destroyed the city of Kokomo. Thirty-six buildings were lost in the fire. Several firefighters and civilians suffered burns, smoke inhalation, and heat exhaustion due to the fires.Hydrological and agricultural impacts worsened over the past month due to the lack of rainfall. Most water reservoirs across north Texas were 60% to 85% of normal capacity. Several lakes across the region were 10 to 15 feet below normal pool elevation. The North Texas Municipal Water District implemented watering restrictions earlier than normal this year due to the lowering lake levels. Watering restrictions were also in effect on a voluntary basis in some cities. The Texas Cooperative Extension estimated agricultural losses for north Texas to be close to $1 billion in January. Only half of the state's hay crop was fit for harvesting, and hay prices were three to four times their normal price. Many other crops failed to grow at all. Agricultural groups appealed for federal grants to aid the cattle industry. One emergency measure considered by the federal government included providing cash to ranchers to offset high feed costs and losses due to the drought and wildfires. A drought summit was held in San Antonio to discuss the crisis. The drought was also affecting wildlife in north Texas. The Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife reported an overall decline in habitat conditions, and noted that the lack of green plants would affect the survival rate of certain animals.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Fort Worth, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 31, 8:05 PM CST, 3 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 31, 8:05 PM CST, 3 hours 55 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
805 PM CST SAT DEC 31 2005

.DISCUSSION...
UPDATED ZONES AND WIND ADVISORY FOR SUNDAY TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE
CWA...AS WINDS APPEAR TO BE STRONG ENOUGH FOR ALL OF NORTH TEXAS
TO BE INCLUDED. RED FLAG WARNING WAS LEFT AS IS...SINCE RH VALUES
WILL STILL BE ABOVE CRITERIA IN THE FAR EASTERN/SOUTHEASTERN
ZONES. ALSO UPDATED TO TWEAK HOURLY TEMPERATURES AND DEWPOINTS.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DALLAS-FT. WORTH, TX  55  80  49  76 /   0  10   0   0
WACO, TX              57  82  49  76 /   0  10   0   0
PARIS, TX             51  78  48  71 /   0  10   0   0
DENTON, TX            51  80  43  71 /   0  10   0   0
MCKINNEY, TX          51  79  46  71 /   0  10   0   0
DALLAS, TX            56  80  49  73 /   0  10   0   0
TERRELL, TX           54  77  48  72 /   0  10   0   0
CORSICANA, TX         56  80  49  74 /   0  10   0   0
TEMPLE, TX            55  81  46  74 /   0  10   0   0

&&

.FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
RED FLAG WARNING FROM 10 AM SUNDAY TO 7 PM SUNDAY FOR TXZ091-
TXZ092-TXZ093-TXZ094-TXZ100-TXZ101-TXZ102-TXZ103-TXZ104-TXZ105-
TXZ115-TXZ116-TXZ117-TXZ118-TXZ119-TXZ120-TXZ121-TXZ129-TXZ130-
TXZ131-TXZ132-TXZ133-TXZ134-TXZ141-TXZ142-TXZ143-TXZ144-TXZ145-
TXZ146-TXZ156-TXZ157-TXZ158-TXZ159-TXZ160-TXZ161-TXZ174.

WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM SUNDAY TO 7 PM SUNDAY FOR TXZ091-TXZ092-
TXZ093-TXZ094-TXZ095-TXZ100-TXZ101-TXZ102-TXZ103-TXZ104-TXZ105-
TXZ106-TXZ107-TXZ115-TXZ116-TXZ117-TXZ118-TXZ119-TXZ120-TXZ121-
TXZ122-TXZ123-TXZ129-TXZ130-TXZ131-TXZ132-TXZ133-TXZ134-TXZ135-
TXZ141-TXZ142-TXZ143-TXZ144-TXZ145-TXZ146-TXZ147-TXZ148-TXZ156-
TXZ157-TXZ158-TXZ159-TXZ160-TXZ161-TXZ162-TXZ174-TXZ175.

&&

/13

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 31, 3:45 PM CST, 8 hours 15 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
345 PM CST SAT DEC 31 2005

TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-011200-
ANDERSON-BELL-BOSQUE-COLLIN-COMANCHE-COOKE-CORYELL-DALLAS-DELTA-
DENTON-EASTLAND-ELLIS-ERATH-FALLS-FANNIN-FREESTONE-GRAYSON-HAMILTON-
HENDERSON-HILL-HOOD-HOPKINS-HUNT-JACK-JOHNSON-KAUFMAN-LAMAR-LAMPASAS-
LEON-LIMESTONE-MCLENNAN-MILAM-MILLS-MONTAGUE-NAVARRO-PALO PINTO-
PARKER-RAINS-ROBERTSON-ROCKWALL-SOMERVELL-STEPHENS-TARRANT-VAN ZANDT-
WISE-YOUNG-
345 PM CST SAT DEC 31 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...
WITH SOUTH WINDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH...AND VERY DRY CONDITIONS...
THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN ELEVATED GRASS FIRE DANGER.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...
A RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND WEST OF A
BONHAM...CORSICANA...TO CAMERON LINE SUNDAY. A DEEP TROUGH OF
LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTH TEXAS SUNDAY AND RESULT IN
STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS...WARM TEMPERATURES...AND
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES. THESE DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS WILL RESULT
IN A VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER ACROSS MOST OF NORTH TEXAS.

ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL INCREASE THE FIRE DANGER AGAIN ON
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.  A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MAY BE ISSUED EARLY
NEXT WEEK FOR WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

58

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

46 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Stephens

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Stephens forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.736, -98.836 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Palo Pinto

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Palo Pinto forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.753, -98.313 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Parker

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Parker forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.778, -97.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Tarrant

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Tarrant forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.772, -97.291 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Dallas

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Dallas forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.767, -96.778 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Rockwall

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Rockwall forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.898, -96.408 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Kaufman

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Kaufman forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.599, -96.288 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Van Zandt

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Van Zandt forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.564, -95.836 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Eastland

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Eastland forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.327, -98.832 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Comanche

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Comanche forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.948, -98.558 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Erath

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Erath forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.236, -98.218 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hood

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Hood forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.430, -97.832 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Somervell

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Somervell forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.222, -97.774 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Johnson

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Johnson forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.379, -97.366 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Ellis

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Ellis forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.348, -96.794 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Mills

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Mills forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.495, -98.595 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hamilton

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Hamilton forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.705, -98.111 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Bosque

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Bosque forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.900, -97.634 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hill

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Hill forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.991, -97.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Navarro

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Navarro forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.047, -96.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Henderson

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Henderson forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.212, -95.854 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lampasas

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Lampasas forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.196, -98.241 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Coryell

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Coryell forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.391, -97.799 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, McLennan

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: McLennan forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.552, -97.202 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Bell

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Bell forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.038, -97.478 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Falls

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Falls forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.253, -96.936 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Limestone

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Limestone forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.546, -96.580 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Freestone

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Freestone forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.705, -96.149 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Anderson

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Anderson forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.813, -95.653 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Milam

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Milam forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 30.786, -96.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Robertson

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Robertson forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.027, -96.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Leon

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Leon forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.297, -95.996 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Rains

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Rains forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 32.870, -95.793 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Montague

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Montague forecast zone
Crop damage: $1.0 billion
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 33.676, -97.725 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cooke

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Cooke forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 33.639, -97.213 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Grayson

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Grayson forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 33.627, -96.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Fannin

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Fannin forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 33.594, -96.107 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lamar

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Lamar forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 33.667, -95.571 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Young

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Young forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 33.177, -98.688 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Jack

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Jack forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 33.234, -98.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Wise

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Wise forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 33.216, -97.654 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Denton

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Denton forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 33.205, -97.117 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Collin

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Collin forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 33.188, -96.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hunt

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Hunt forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 33.124, -96.085 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Delta

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Delta forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 33.386, -95.672 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hopkins

When: January 1, 12:00 AM CST to January 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Hopkins forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 33.150, -95.564 (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

Every storm in Texas in 2006 Every state in 2006 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, January 2006

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: 5491488, 5491489, 5491490, 5491491, 5491492, 5491493, 5491494, 5491495, 5491496, 5491497, 5491498, 5491499, 5491500, 5491501, 5491502, 5491503, 5491504, 5491505, 5491506, 5491507, 5491508, 5491509, 5491510, 5491511, 5491512, 5491513, 5491514, 5491515, 5491516, 5491517, 5491518, 5491519, 5491520, 5493085, 5493086, 5493087, 5493088, 5493089, 5493090, 5493091, and more.