Dry conditions continued in August of 2013 with most of the region experiencing rainfall deficits between 1 and 2 inches for the month. Extreme / D3 drought was felt over the southern and far western reaches of north Texas during August 2013.
Every event with a place to put it; 41 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS FWD wrote it up.
Dry conditions continued in August of 2013 with most of the region experiencing rainfall deficits between 1 and 2 inches for the month. Extreme / D3 drought was felt over the southern and far western reaches of north Texas during August 2013. Otherwise Severe/D2 drought covered the vast majority of the region due to the below-normal summer rainfall.
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 Jul 31, 10:43 PM CST, 1 hour 17 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 1143 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013 .AVIATION... /06Z TAFS/ CONCERNS...CONVECTION IN EAST TEXAS OVERNIGHT. A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY NEAR THE I-20/I-30 CORRIDORS CONTINUES TO BISECT METROPLEX TAF SITES. LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS WILL PREVAIL OVERNIGHT. DESPITE WEAK FORCING ALONG THE BOUNDARY...A FEW NOCTURNAL SHOWERS/STORMS HAVE DEVELOPED IN EAST TEXAS. CANNOT COMPLETELY RULE OUT CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT FARTHER WEST BEFORE DAYBREAK...BUT CHANCES ARE FAR TOO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE TAFS. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL WEAKEN FURTHER ON THURSDAY...AND SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS WILL RETURN TO METROPLEX TAF SITES THURSDAY AFTERNOON. WITHOUT ANY LOW-LEVEL FOCUS AND RIDGING DOMINATING ALOFT...DO NOT ANTICIPATE ANY CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT NEAR TAF SITES ON THURSDAY. WACO... THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL REMAIN WELL NORTH OF WACO... MAINTAINING LIGHT SOUTHERLY WINDS ACROSS CENTRAL TEXAS. 25 && .UPDATE... THE ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOPED MID TO LATE AFTERNOON DISSIPATED AS SUNSET APPROACHED. THE HIGH RESOLUTION MODELS INDICATE THAT SOME ISOLATED SHOWERS MAY DEVELOP OVERNIGHT SOUTH OF THE I-20 CORRIDOR. GIVEN HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO GET THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON WITH SIGNIFICANT LOW LEVEL HEATING AND SOME CONVERGENCE ALONG THE FRONT... WILL LEAVE SOME 10 PERCENT POPS BUT NOT MENTION SHOWERS IN THE FORECAST. HAVE MADE A FEW MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO THE TOMORROW/S HIGHS MAINLY ALONG THE RED RIVER. 58 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 310 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013/ A WEAK FRONT/WIND SHIFT WILL CONTINUE TO WORK INTO NORTH TEXAS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING AND MAY BE THE FOCUS FOR A FEW SHOWERS OR STORMS. SINCE LARGE SCALE SUBSIDENCE WILL BE ON THE INCREASE TONIGHT DUE TO BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE...WE WILL KEEP ONLY 10 PERCENT POPS MENTIONED THROUGH SUNSET THIS EVENING. AFTER THIS EVENING...RAIN CHANCES WILL BE BLEAK THROUGH NEXT WEEK AS UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE BECOMES ANCHORED OVER THE STATE. THIS MORE TYPICAL AUGUST PATTERN WILL RESULT IN HOT DAYS AND WARM NIGHTS WITH MANY LOCATION REACHING TRIPLE DIGIT HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR CONSECUTIVE DAYS. OVERNIGHT LOWS THE NEXT FEW NIGHTS SHOULD COOL INTO THE MIDDLE 70S WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE METROPLEX AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES. THEREFORE...WE WILL LEAVE THE HEAT ADVISORY IN PLACE THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR TARRANT...DALLAS...DENTON AND COLLIN COUNTY. THE HEAT ADVISORY MAY NEED TO BE EXPANDED FURTHER SOUTH AND EAST AND EXTENDED BY THE END OF THE WEEK IF OVERNIGHT LOWS BEGIN TO WARM UP. LOOKING BEYOND THIS FORECAST PERIOD...THE HEAT SHOULD CONTINUE AS WE HEAD INTO THE SECOND WEEK OF AUGUST SINCE THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE REGION. 79 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DALLAS-FT. WORTH, TX 80 102 80 104 80 / 10 0 5 5 10 WACO, TX 77 101 77 102 77 / 10 0 5 5 5 PARIS, TX 75 98 75 100 76 / 10 5 5 10 10 DENTON, TX 78 102 75 104 77 / 10 0 5 5 10 MCKINNEY, TX 78 100 74 101 75 / 10 0 5 5 10 DALLAS, TX 81 102 80 104 80 / 10 0 5 5 10 TERRELL, TX 77 101 76 100 77 / 10 0 5 5 10 CORSICANA, TX 77 100 76 101 76 / 10 0 5 5 5 TEMPLE, TX 76 101 74 101 75 / 10 0 5 5 5 MINERAL WELLS, TX 77 101 73 104 76 / 10 5 5 5 5 && .FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR TXZ103-104-118-119. && 25/58
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 916 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013 TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-011100- MONTAGUE-COOKE-GRAYSON-FANNIN-LAMAR-YOUNG-JACK-WISE-DENTON-COLLIN- HUNT-DELTA-HOPKINS-STEPHENS-PALO PINTO-PARKER-TARRANT-DALLAS- ROCKWALL-KAUFMAN-VAN ZANDT-RAINS-EASTLAND-ERATH-HOOD-SOMERVELL- JOHNSON-ELLIS-HENDERSON-COMANCHE-MILLS-HAMILTON-BOSQUE-HILL-NAVARRO- FREESTONE-ANDERSON-LAMPASAS-CORYELL-BELL-MCLENNAN-FALLS-LIMESTONE- LEON-MILAM-ROBERTSON- 916 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR DALLAS...TARRANT...DENTON AND COLLIN COUNTIES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE HEAT ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 7 PM THURSDAY EVENING FOR DALLAS...TARRANT...DENTON AND COLLIN COUNTIES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
41 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe/D2 drought conditions were felt over the southwestern corner of Montaque County during August 2013. The rest of the county was in better shape with moderate to abornormally dry conditions in place.
Grayson County spent the first, second and third weeks of August with Severe/D2 drought over the southeastern corner of the county, and Moderate/D1 conditions across the rest of the county. This was one of the drier areas of north Texas in August with the Sherman/Denison airport only recording 0.15 inches of rain. This led to a downgrade to D2/Severe drought for the entire county during the final week of the month.
Severe/D2 drought conditions covered all but the extreme northern portions of Fannin County for August 2013.
Paris received a mere 0.07 inches of rain during the month of August. This led to a downgrade from moderate/severe drought to severe/extreme drought across Lamar County during the final week of the month.
Extreme/D3 drought covered all of Young County for the entire month of August 2013.
Extreme/D3 drought was felt over the western fourth of Jack County, while Severe/D2 drought was in place across the remainder of the county, for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions were in place across Wise county for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions were in place across Denton county for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions were in place across Collin county for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions were in place across Hunt county for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions were in place across Rockwall county for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions were in place across Rains county for all of August 2013.
Severe/D2 conditions in place over Delta County during the first, second and third weeks of August 2013 were downgraded to Extreme/D3 during the final week of the month.
Severe/D2 conditions over Hopkins County were downgraded to extreme/D3 over the northern fourth of the county during the final week of August 2013. D2 conditions remained in place across the rest of the county during that final week.
Extreme/D3 drought conditions covered Stephens County for all of August 2013.
Palo Pinto County spent all of August 2013 with Extreme/D3 drought conditions over the western half of the county, and Severe/D2 conditions over the eastern half.
Severe/D2 drought conditions covered Parker County for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions covered Tarrant County for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions covered Dallas County for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions covered Eastland County for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions covered Erath County for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions covered Hood County for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions covered Somervell County for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions covered Johnson County for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions covered Ellis County for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions covered Kaufman County for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions covered Van Zandt County for all of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Severe/D2 drought conditions covered Henderson County for all of August 2013.
Severe/D2 drought affected the far northern reaches of Comanche County during August of 2013. Conditions were classified as Moderate/D1 across the rest of the County.
Severe/D2 drought conditions over the far northern portions of Bosque County during the first half of August 2013 were expanded to cover the entire county during the third week of the month. These conditions continued county-wide through the end of August.
Severe/D2 drought conditions over the eastern half of Hill County during the first half of August 2013 were expanded to include the entire county during the third week of the month. These conditions continued county-wide through the end of the month.
Extreme/D3 drought conditions covered the heart of Navarro County, while Severe/D2 conditions were in place around the edges of the county. This was the case for all of August of 2013.
Conditions were particularly dry over Mclennan County in August of 2013 with Waco receiving just under a quarter of an inch of rain for the month. Subsequently, moderate to severe (D1-D2) drought conditions over Mclennan County at the beginning of August 2013 were downgraded to severe to extreme (D2-D3) during the second half of the month.
Severe/D2 drought conditions covered all but the far western portions of Bell County during August 2013. By the end of the month, severe drought was expanded to cover all of the county.
Severe/D2 drought conditions in place across Falls County during the first, second and third weeks of August were downgraded to Extreme/D3 across the eastern half of the county by the end of the month.
Severe/D2 conditions over all of Limestone County during the first half of August deteriorated to Extreme/D3 across most of the county around the middle of the month, and remained as such through the end of the month.
Drought conditions were classified as D3/Extreme over all of Freestone County for the entire month of August 2013.
Anderson County spent all of August 2013 with Extreme/D3 conditions over the western third of the county and Severe/D2 conditions over the eastern two-thirds.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, severe/D2 conditions covered all of Milam County for the entire month of August 2013.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, severe/D2 conditions covered all of Robertson County for the entire month of August 2013.
Leon County was split between Extreme/ D3 conditions across the northern half of the county, and Severe/D2 across the southern half for all of August 2013.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, August 2013
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: 472804, 472816, 472828, 472833, 472835, 472837, 472838, 472839, 472840, 472841, 472842, 472843, 472844, 472846, 472954, 472955, 472956, 472957, 472958, 472959, 472960, 472961, 472963, 472964, 472966, 472968, 472969, 472970, 472971, 472972, 472973, 472974, 472980, 472998, 473001, 473003, 473005, 473007, 473008, 473009, and more.