Texas, 2011

Drought in Texas, April 1 to 30, 2011

April 1 to 30, 2011 · NWS LUB · 24 events in 24 counties and zones

The extended dry period which began over west Texas during the 2010 autumn persisted through April, and resulted in a rapid intesification of drought over the South Plains. During the first week of April, Severe (D2) expanded northward over all of the South Plains and extreme southern Texas Panhandle while Extreme (D3) drought expanded to include the extreme southeastern Panhandle, the…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 24 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
$5.0 million
Events
24

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 LUB wrote it up.

The extended dry period which began over west Texas during the 2010 autumn persisted through April, and resulted in a rapid intesification of drought over the South Plains. During the first week of April, Severe (D2) expanded northward over all of the South Plains and extreme southern Texas Panhandle while Extreme (D3) drought expanded to include the extreme southeastern Panhandle, the southwestern South Plains, and all of the Low Rolling Plains.

Rainfall since November 2010 ranged from under a tenth of an inch at Plains (Yoakum County) to close to two inches at Friona (Parmer County), Plainview (Hale County), Tulia (Swisher County) and Guthrie (King County)...while most other locations across the South Plains experienced around one inch of rain during the seven-month period. These totals were two to six inches below climatological normal values. In addition, temperatures during the month of April averaged 5 to 8 degrees above normal. Keetch-Byram Drought Index values ranged between 600 and 700 across the region by the end of April.

Through April, impacts of the deepening drought were most evident in an unprecedented level of wildfire activity across the state. Mutliple long-lived and massive wildfires occurred across the state during the month, including several that persisted for upwards of two weeks in duration and totaling nearly 2 million acres statewide. During April, agricultural impacts were additionally worsening. Local experts estimated that winter wheat crops sustained a 60 percent loss. South Plains cotton farmers delayed planting through the month of April due to the drought's impact. It was evident that if rain did not increase during the late spring and early summer, cotton crops (the area's main economy) would suffer tremendous adverse impacts.

Economic losses due to drought through April were estimated near $5 million, and were predominately a result of failed winter wheat.

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 Lubbock, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 31, 10:55 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 10:55 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
1155 PM CDT THU MAR 31 2011

.AVIATION...
VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED NEXT 24 HOURS.

&&

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
AMARILLO TX/

SHORT TERM...
WEAK COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO SAG SOUTH OVER THE SOUTH PLAINS.
HOWEVER...A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH WILL DIG INTO THE REGION THIS
EVENING...SHIFTING WINDS TO SOUTHERLY FOR MOST OF THE OVERNIGHT
HOURS. AS THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE CONTINUES TO SHIFT EAST. THE
WARMING TREND WILL CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.

LONG TERM...
NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE LONG TERM PACKAGE. THE FOCUS OF THE
FORECAST REMAINS THE WEEKEND INTO MONDAY. STILL EXPECTING THE
SURFACE LOW TO APPROACH THE REGION SATURDAY. THE DRYLINE
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LOW LOOKS TO SET UP NEAR THE NM STATE LINE.
THUS...MOST OF THE REGION SHOULD BE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE
DRYLINE...IN THE MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW. THEREFORE CONTINUED THE
TREND OF UNDERCUTTING THE GUIDANCE FOR LOCATIONS EXPECTED TO BE
EAST OF THE DRYLINE. HOWEVER...WITH 850MB TEMPS BETWEEN 20 AND
30C...IF THIS DRYLINE MIXES FURTHER EAST...MUCH OF THE REGION
COULD BE NEAR 90 AND RECORD HIGHS. AS THE LOW MOVES TO THE LEE
SIDE OF THE ROCKIES...LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL BECOME MORE WESTERLY AND
SOUTHWESTERLY. AS A RESULT...SUNDAY LOOKS TO BE THE WARMEST DAY OF
THE NEXT WEEK. ACROSS THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA...WINDS
COULD EVEN APPROACH WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA. HOWEVER...THERE
REMAINS UNCERTAINTY AS CONSIDERABLE HIGH LEVEL CLOUD COVER COULD
INHIBIT MAXIMUM MIXING. ELEVATED OR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS APPEAR PROBABLE ACROSS THE REGION ON SUNDAY.

GFS CONTINUES TO BE THE SLOWEST MODEL WITH THE FRONT. THE ECMWF
SHOWS THE COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE REGION EARLY IN THE DAY ON
MONDAY...WHILE THE GFS DEPICTS THE FRONT MOVING THROUGH ON MONDAY
EVENING. AGREE WITH PREVIOUS THINKING THAT DEPTH OF THE COLD AIR
WOULD FAVOR THE FASTER ECMWF SOLUTION. STILL LOOKS LIKE THE SOUTH
PLAINS SHOULD BE IN THE PRIME LOCATION FOR THE DRYSLOT...AND WITH
THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVING ACROSS THE PANHANDLES...DO NOT
EXPECT MUCH IN THE WAY OF PRECIP MONDAY OR MONDAY NIGHT.

THE PROGRESSIVE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH THE
WEEK AS AN UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE RIDGE QUICKLY SLIDES EAST OVER
THE HIGH PLAINS BY WEDNESDAY...BRINGING A QUICK WARM UP BY MID WEEK.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
FRIONA        40  79  40  87  47 /   0   0   0   0   0
TULIA         41  78  40  83  48 /   0   0   0   0   0
PLAINVIEW     41  79  42  86  49 /   0   0   0   0   0
LEVELLAND     43  82  43  92  49 /   0   0   0   0   0
LUBBOCK       44  82  45  91  52 /   0   0   0   0   0
DENVER CITY   45  84  46  93  52 /   0   0   0   0   0
BROWNFIELD    43  83  44  93  50 /   0   0   0   0   0
CHILDRESS     43  81  45  82  52 /   0   0  10   0   0
SPUR          44  83  44  87  52 /   0   0  10  10  10
ASPERMONT     47  84  46  87  55 /   0   0  10  10  10

&&

.LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

99/99/26
Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 31, 1:59 PM CST, 10 hours 1 minute before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
259 PM CDT THU MAR 31 2011

TXZ021>044-012000-
PARMER-CASTRO-SWISHER-BRISCOE-HALL-CHILDRESS-BAILEY-LAMB-HALE-
FLOYD-MOTLEY-COTTLE-COCHRAN-HOCKLEY-LUBBOCK-CROSBY-DICKENS-KING-
YOAKUM-TERRY-LYNN-GARZA-KENT-STONEWALL-
259 PM CDT THU MAR 31 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE EXTREME SOUTHERN TEXAS
PANHANDLE...SOUTH PLAINS AND ROLLING PLAINS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THE COMBINATION OF RECORD HEAT THIS WEEKEND ACROSS PORTIONS OF
THE SOUTH PLAINS AND VERY BREEZY CONDITIONS WILL CREATE PERIODS OF
ELEVATED TO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER. BLOWING DUST WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE ON THE CAPROCK SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

24 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Childress

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Childress forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.529, -100.208 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hall

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Hall forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.531, -100.681 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Briscoe

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Briscoe forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.530, -101.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cottle

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Cottle forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.078, -100.279 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Motley

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Motley forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.074, -100.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Dickens

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Dickens forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.617, -100.779 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, King

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
King forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.617, -100.256 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Stonewall

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Stonewall forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.179, -100.253 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Kent

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Kent forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.181, -100.778 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Garza

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Garza forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.180, -101.298 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lynn

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lynn forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.177, -101.816 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Terry

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Terry forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.174, -102.335 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Yoakum

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Yoakum forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.173, -102.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cochran

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Cochran forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.604, -102.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Bailey

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Bailey forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.069, -102.830 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Swisher

When
April 5, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Swisher forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.530, -101.735 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hale

When
April 5, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Hale forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.071, -101.827 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Floyd

When
April 5, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Floyd forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.072, -101.303 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Crosby

When
April 5, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Crosby forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.615, -101.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lubbock

When
April 5, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lubbock forecast zone
Crop damage
$5.0 million
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.610, -101.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hockley

When
April 5, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Hockley forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.608, -102.343 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lamb

When
April 5, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lamb forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.069, -102.352 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Parmer

When
April 5, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Parmer forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.530, -102.784 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Castro

When
April 5, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Castro forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.530, -102.262 (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 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 2011

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: 303056, 303057, 303058, 303059, 303060, 303061, 303062, 303064, 303065, 303066, 303067, 303068, 303069, 303070, 303071, 303072, 303074, 303075, 303076, 303077, 303078, 303079, 303080, 303082.