Drought in Texas, July 1 to 31, 2013

Name: Drought in Texas, July 1 to 31, 2013
Start: 2013-07-01T00:00
End: 2013-07-31T23:59
Location: Texas

July 1 to 31, 2013 · NWS BRO · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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: None recorded
Events: 10

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 BRO wrote it up.

Mostly hot and dry conditions dominated much of the Rio Grande Valley and Deep South Texas during the first half of July. However, the region saw a few periods of rainfall, thanks to a weak disturbance near the coast on the 7th and the 8th and a broader trough of low pressure that moved from the Mid-Atlantic region on the 11th and southwest across the country during the following week. Coastal communities in Cameron County received some rainfall on the 6th and 7th, and after a jump inland, due to the sea breeze, some of Hidalgo County along and just east of Highway 281 got a break in the dry weather as well. Steadier rainfall occurred as the upper low reached into southwest Texas from the Lower Gulf waters, into the eastern half of Cameron, extending north through eastern Willacy then bending northwest towards Falfurrias. Unfortunately, these mid-July rains pushed cloud cover into the mid and upper Valley, which stabilized the atmosphere and left most areas west of Highway 77 dry. Despite rainfall falling over some areas of the Rio Grande River and Deep South Texas, worsening drought conditions returned to the area, with Severe drought conditions reemerging in Zapata County and Exceptional drought conditions returning along the coast.

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 Brownsville, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 30, 11:19 PM CST, 41 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 30, 11:19 PM CST, 41 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1219 AM CDT MON JUL 1 2013

.DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR LATEST AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW.

&&

.AVIATION...PREVAILING VFR CONDITIONS ANTICIPATED NEXT 24 HOURS.
WINDS WILL BE LIGHT OVERNIGHT PICKING UP TO ABOUT 8 TO 10 KNOTS
OUT OF THE EAST TO SOUTHEAST BY MID MORNING. TRANSIENT SCT/BKN
MVFR AT AROUND 2500 FT IS POSSIBLE AROUND DAYBREAK WITH THE BEST
CHANCE IN THE BKS/HBV AREA. A WEAK BOUNDARY WILL APPROACH THE
REGION TOMORROW GENERATING A CHANCE FOR CONVECTION BY AROUND 15 TO
17Z BUT PROBABILITY AT AIRFIELDS TOO LOW FOR TAF MENTION AT THE
MOMENT. /68-JGG/

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 644 PM CDT SUN JUN 30 2013/

DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR LATEST AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW.

AVIATION...MID/HIGH LEVEL CLOUDINESS REMAINS OVER DEEP SOUTH
TEXAS THIS EVENING WITH VFR CONDS REPORTED ACROSS THE TAF SITES AT
THIS TIME. EXPECT VFR CONDS TO PREVAIL THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE
PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL WEAKEN FURTHER OVERNIGHT WITH LIGHT AND
VARIABLE WINDS THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON WITH SOUTHEAST WINDS BEING
ESTABLISHED LATE IN THE PERIOD. NO MENTION OF PRECIPITATION IN THE
TAFS AT THIS TIME BUT A WEAK DISTURBANCE IS MOVING THROUGH SOUTH
TEXAS WITH A FEW SHOWERS DEVELOPING NEAR KLRD TO KAPY. PROBABILITY
IS LOW TO MENTION BUT WILL CONTINUE TO METWATCH. /55/

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 317 PM CDT SUN JUN 30 2013/

SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
SATELLITE AND RADAR IMAGES INDICATE A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS HAVE
DEVELOPED ACROSS SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF THE CWA THIS AFTERNOON
ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO REACH THE MID TO UPPER 90S WITH TEMPS
ELSEWHERE CONSIDERABLY COOLER COMPARED TO THE RECORD HEAT YESTERDAY.
SOME STRONGER CONVECTION MAY DEVELOP WHERE SURFACE INSTABILITY IS
INCREASING BUT OTHERWISE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS CONTINUE TO
DEVELOP ACROSS WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY THIS
AFTERNOON. WILL CONTINUE WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
THIS EVENING BEFORE LOWERING POPS TO NEAR 20 PERCENT TONIGHT. WITH A
WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVING INTO THE AREA TONIGHT...LOW TO MID
LEVEL MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO POOL ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY
TONIGHT INTO MONDAY. THIS WILL PROVIDE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR MONDAY INTO MON NIGHT BEFORE SOME SLIGHTLY
DRIER AIR BEGINS TO FILTER INTO THE CWA FROM THE NORTHEAST MON
NIGHT. CLOUD COVER ON MONDAY AS WELL AS ANY RAIN SHOULD CONTINUE TO
PROVIDE SOME TEMPORARY RELIEF TO THE RECENT RECORD HEAT. /61/

LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
A WEAK FRONT SHOULD VACILLATE SOUTH OF THE RIO GRANDE TUESDAY
MORNING.  THIS SHOULD ALLOW THE ODDS OF SEEING SOME MUCH-NEEDED
RAINFALL TO DIMINISH AS WE HEAD INTO MID-WEEK...AS DRIER AIR WORKS
ITS WAY SOUTHWARD IN WAKE OF THE FRONT.

OVERALL...THE UPPER-LEVEL PATTERN HEADING INTO MID-WEEK SHOULD
REMAIN SUCH THAT RIDGING CONTINUES TO BE SEEN OVER THE WEST...WITH
MUCH OF THE TROUGHINESS STAYING TO OUR EAST.  WITH DRY AIR EXPECTED
TO REMAIN IN THE BOUNDARY LAYER ACROSS OUR REGION...I EXPECT A
CONTINUATION OF DRY CONDITIONS AND ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES /FOR
EARLY SUMMER/.

THINGS ARE EXPECTED TO CHANGE A BIT TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK.  THE
UPPER TROUGH AXIS SHOULD RETROGRADE INTO THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES
THURSDAY...AS THE UPPER RIDGE BUILDS WESTWARD ALONG THE EASTERN
SEABOARD.  A BROAD EASTERLY FETCH ACROSS THE GULF WILL SHOULD START
INCREASING LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE ACROSS THE REGION BY FRIDAY...WITH
PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES STEADILY EXPECTED TO INCREASE HEADING INTO
NEXT WEEKEND.  IN FACT...CLOSER TO THE COAST...PRECIPITABLE WATER
VALUES MAY WILL LIKELY REACH THE 75TH PERCENTILE FOR EARLY JULY...
AND MAY APPROACH 2 STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE NORMAL.

THIS SLUG OF MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO BE HERALDED BY A SURFACE TROUGH
OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING WESTWARD ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO AND BAY OF
CAMPECHE.  THE COMBINATION OF THE INCREASED MOISTURE AND SURFACE
BOUNDARY SHOULD RESULT IN INCREASED PROBABILITIES OF SEEING SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS BY NEXT WEEKEND.  RIGHT NOW...IT LOOKS LIKE THE
GREATEST ODDS SEEING RAIN WILL BE CLOSER TO THE COAST...WITH
DIMINISHING PROBABILITIES HEADING WESTWARD.  GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY
OF TIMING...LOCATION...AND STRENGTH OF THE MOISTURE AND FORCING...I
WILL TREND ONGOING FORECAST VALUES TOWARD GUIDANCE WITH MOST AREAS
REMAINING IN THE 20 TO 30 PERCENT RANGE.  /53/

MARINE...

TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT...
SEAS WERE NEAR 3 FEET WITH EAST WINDS NEAR 8 KNOTS AT BUOY020 THIS
AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL VEER TO THE SOUTH AND INCREASE ACROSS THE
COASTAL WATERS TONIGHT BEFORE A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES THROUGH
THE COASTAL BEND INTO THE WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO. WINDS WILL BECOME
LIGHT AND VARIABLE MONDAY AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT BECOMES WEAK WITH
THE BOUNDARY DRAPED ACROSS THE LOWER TEXAS COAST. /61/

TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...
RATHER TRANQUIL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE MARINE AREA FOR THE
MIDDLE OF THE WEEK...AS LIGHT EASTERLY WINDS AND LOW SEAS ARE
EXPECTED.  CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CHANGE TOWARD THE END OF THE
WEEK...AS A SURFACE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE MOVES WESTWARD ACROSS THE
GULF OF MEXICO.  THIS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN A GRADUAL RETURN TO
UNSETTLED WEATHER OVER THE GULF AND LAGUNA BY FRIDAY...WITH
INCREASED ODDS OF SEEING SHOWERS AND STORMS AND BUILDING SEAS.  /53/

&&

.BRO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...NONE.
GM...NONE.
&&

THIS PRODUCT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT:
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RGV

68/54

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 30, 10:30 AM CST, 13 hours 30 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1130 AM CDT SUN JUN 30 2013

TXZ248>257-011100-
ZAPATA-JIM HOGG-BROOKS-KENEDY-STARR-HIDALGO-INLAND WILLACY-
INLAND CAMERON-COASTAL WILLACY-COASTAL CAMERON-
1130 AM CDT SUN JUN 30 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST. SOME THUNDERSTORMS
MAY BE STRONG TO SEVERE...PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

THERE IS AN ELEVATED RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT THE BEACHES OF SOUTH
PADRE ISLAND AND AT BOCA CHICA BEACH ON SATURDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

RESIDENTS SHOULD REPORT ANY OBSERVATIONS OF STRONG WINDS OR WIND
DAMAGE TODAY TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
OFFICE IN BROWNSVILLE.

GMZ130-132-135-150-155-170-175-011100-
LAGUNA MADRE FROM THE PORT OF BROWNSVILLE TO THE ARROYO COLORADO-
LAGUNA MADRE FROM THE ARROYO COLORADO TO 5 NM NORTH OF PORT
MANSFIELD TX-
LAGUNA MADRE FROM 5 NM NORTH OF PORT MANSFIELD TO BAFFIN BAY TX-
COASTAL WATERS FROM PORT MANSFIELD TO THE RIO GRANDE OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT MANSFIELD OUT 20 NM-
WATERS FROM PORT MANSFIELD TO THE RIO GRANDE EXTENDING FROM 20 TO
60 NM-
WATERS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT MANSFIELD EXTENDING FROM 20 TO
60 NM-
1130 AM CDT SUN JUN 30 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE
LAGUNA MADRE.

.DAY ONE...REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST FOR THE LOWER TEXAS
COASTAL WATERS. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE STRONG TO
SEVERE...PRODUCING STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AND LOCALLY HIGHER SEAS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

MARINERS SHOULD REPORT ANY OBSERVATIONS OF STRONG WINDS OR WIND
DAMAGE TODAY TO THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD OR NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE IN BROWNSVILLE.

CASTILLO

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Starr

When: July 1, 12:00 AM CST to July 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Starr forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 26.562, -98.738 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hot temperatures and a general lack of widespread and heavy rainfall led to drought conditions gradually worsening across Starr County during July. The county remained split between Severe, Extreme, and Exceptional drought conditions. The far southeastern corner of the county experienced Exceptional (D4) drought conditions, the middle third of the county was entrenched in Extreme (D3) drought conditions early, which spread to all but the western quarter of the county by the 22nd, which remained in Severe (D2) drought - held up by periodic rain between the 16th and 20th.

Drought, Hidalgo

When: July 1, 12:00 AM CST to July 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Hidalgo forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 26.397, -98.181 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A general lack of rainfall allowed for Exceptional (D4) drought conditions to spread further east across Hidalgo County, resulting in a huge swath of the county from the southwest corner of the county east to near Weslaco to just south of Linn-San Manuel. The remainder of the county remained in Extreme (D3) drought conditions.

Drought, Kenedy

When: July 1, 12:00 AM CST to July 22, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Kenedy forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 26.928, -97.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme to exceptional drought conditions spanned Kenedy County through the first half of July. Exceptional (D4) drought conditions spread further south across eastern Kenedy County, resulting in the eastern half of the county experiencing Exceptional (D4) drought conditions, while the western half of the county remained ensconced in Extreme (D3) drought conditions.

Drought, Willacy

When: July 1, 12:00 AM CST to July 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Willacy forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 26.477, -97.592 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Despite some rainfall during the first half of the month, drought conditions continued to plague inland Willacy County in July. Extreme (D3) Drought dominated the month, except a sliver of Exceptional (D4) developed toward the coastal regions on the 2nd and continued through the 22nd. Rainfall near the coast between the 16th and 20th returned Extreme (D3) Drought back to the areas toward the coast to finish the month.

Drought, Zapata

When: July 2, 12:00 AM CST to July 22, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Zapata forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 27.001, -99.169 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hot temperatures and a general lack of widespread and heavy rainfall led to drought conditions worsening across Zapata County during the first half of July. Severe (D2) drought conditions engulfed the county once again by the 16th, completely eliminating the Moderate (D1) drought conditions that had covered all but the northern third of the county beginning July 2nd.

Drought, Jim Hogg

When: July 2, 12:00 AM CST to July 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Jim Hogg forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 27.043, -98.697 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hot temperatures and a general lack of widespread and heavy rainfall led to drought conditions worsening across Jim Hogg County during the first half of July. Extreme (D3) drought conditions began to enter the picture once again for Jim Hogg County and Moderate (D1) drought conditions were eliminated from the county on July 2nd.

Severe (D2) Drought conditions covered all but the northeast portion of the ocunty, where Extreme (D3) Drought returned. The Extreme Drought conditions would spread across all but the western quarter of the county on July 23rd with hot dry conditions dominating most of the area to close out the month.

Drought, Brooks

When: July 2, 12:00 AM CST to July 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Brooks forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 27.032, -98.219 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought conditions across Brooks County worsened during the first half of July due to heat and a general lack of widespread and heavy rainfall. Extreme (D3) drought conditions spread further west across the county, to encompass almost the entire county, except for a sliver of Severe (D2) drought conditions along the far northern county border and a small area in the far southwestern corner of the county. Lack of rainfall and above normal temperatures toward month's end brought all areas of the county to Extreme (D3) conditions.

Drought, Cameron

When: July 2, 12:00 AM CST to July 22, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Cameron forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 26.152, -97.453 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Despite some rainfall during the first half of the month, drought conditions worsened across the eastern half of Cameron County. Exceptional (D4) drought conditions once again returned to the eastern half of inland Cameron County, while Extreme (D3) drought conditions remained draped across the western half of Cameron County. Scattered showers and storms between the 16th and 20th would improve conditions to close the month.

Drought, Coastal Willacy

When: July 2, 12:00 AM CST to July 22, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Coastal Willacy forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Despite some rainfall during the first half of the month, drought conditions worsened across Coastal Willacy County. Exceptional (D4) drought conditions once again returned to encompass the entire area on July 2nd and would continue until the 22nd.

Drought, Coastal Cameron

When: July 2, 12:00 AM CST to July 22, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Coastal Cameron forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Despite some rainfall during the first half of the month, drought conditions worsened across Coastal Cameron County through the 22nd of July. Exceptional (D4) drought conditions once again returned to encompass the entire area.

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 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, July 2013

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: 467815, 467818, 467819, 467821, 467810, 467813, 467816, 467822, 467823, 467824.