The month of July brought multiple chances for precipitation, but the scattered nature of storms kept drought relief limited. 43 inches below normal).
Every event with a place to put it; 20 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 AMA wrote it up.
The month of July brought multiple chances for precipitation, but the scattered nature of storms kept drought relief limited. Amarillo recorded 1.86 inches of precipitation for the month (0.98 below normal), Dalhart recorded 1.53 inches of precipitation (1.26 inches below normal), and Borger recorded 2.19 inches of precipitation (0.43 inches below normal). This July ranked as the 37th coolest and the 25th wettest July for the Texas High Plains region. Drought conditions across the Texas Panhandle showed minor improvement across the southern portion of the Texas Panhandle while the remainder stayed relatively steady state as according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Exceptional (D4) drought persists across the northwestern Texas Panhandle with Extreme (D3) drought affecting the northeastern Texas Panhandle. Severe (D2) drought affects the southern Texas Panhandle.
The southern Texas Panhandle showed the greatest improvement in upper zone soil moisture. In this area, the upper zones showed from neutral to greater than 40 percent full. The northern portion of the Texas Panhandle ranged from extreme dry to moderately dry except for a few isolated areas near the center of area. While this provided some short term relief, the deeper soil moisture remains dry. With that said the short term relief came at the optimum time for farmers with crops in peak water demand phases. Dryland crops showed signs of improvement and irrigated fields were able to reduce the amount of supplemental watering. However, rangeland remains in poor conditions as observed by the Texas Crop and Weather Report. Countywide burn bans remain in effect for all of the Texas Panhandle except for Dallam, Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Hartley, Moore, Roberts, Potter, Wheeler, and Armstrong.
Reservoirs and stream flows across the Panhandles range from below to above normal levels. The reservoirs of Palo Duro and Greenbelt Lake are both below 15 percent capacity with Lake Meredith at zero percent capacity. Water watches for several public water systems persisted through July while voluntary to mandatory mild water restrictions have been enacted.
Economic losses due to the drought through July were estimated near $5 million (D2)/$10 million (D3)/$15 million (D4) a county, and were predominately the result for poor growth of corn and cotton, moderate supplemental watering, reduction of cattle herd sizes, and supplemental feed for cattle in pastures and rangeland.
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 Amarillo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 30, 10:10 PM CST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 1110 PM CDT SUN JUN 30 2013 .AVIATION... FOR THE 06Z TAFS...ASIDE FROM THE FEW LINGERING SHOWERS IN THE WESTERN PANHANDLES...DO NOT EXPECT TO SEE ANY ADDITIONAL TSRA OR SHRA THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE TAF PERIOD. THERE IS SOME RISK OF BR NEAR 12Z AT LOCATIONS THAT SAW MEASURABLE PRECIP EARLIER...INCLUDING KGUY AND KDHT. THE EARLIER RAIN RAISED DEW POINTS AT THESE LOCATIONS TO NEAR WHAT WE EXPECT THE LOWS TO BE. HOWEVER...EXPECT DRY AIR ADVECTION THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS TO INHIBIT ANY BR DEVELOPMENT. THE NEXT CONCERN WILL BE THE NEXT ROUND OF TSRA AFTER 18Z. AT THIS POINT...EXPECT TSRA TO BE LIMITED TO THE WESTERN PANHANDLES...INCLUDING KDHT....AND MOST LIKELY BETWEEN 23 AND 03Z. FOR KAMA AND KGUY THE RISK OF TSRA IS TOO LOW TO MENTION IN THE TAFS...LESS THAN 20 PERCENT. JOHNSON && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 826 PM CDT SUN JUN 30 2013/ UPDATE... THE NEARLY MERIDIONAL FLOW PATTERN IS LIMITING THE CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE INTO THE WESTERN PANHANDLES FROM CO AND NM. RADAR TRENDS SHOW STORM MOVEMENT GENERALLY DUE SOUTH. STILL...SOME ISOLATED SHOWERS...AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN PANHANDLES. WILL ALSO REMOVE MENTION OF SEVERE THREAT FROM THE HWO AS THE 00Z KAMA SOUNDING SHOWED A CAPE VALUE OF ONLY 66 J/KG. WITH NO LOW LEVEL JET EXPECTED OVER THE REGION TONIGHT...DO NOT SEE MUCH OPPORTUNITY FOR STRONGER STORMS IN THE PANHANDLES. THE ONE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION IS THAT WITH DRY LOW LEVELS...AN ISOLATED DOWNBURST MAY BE POSSIBLE. SO WILL ONLY MENTION GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH. JOHNSON PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 651 PM CDT SUN JUN 30 2013/ AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE DOMINANT AND ALL TERMINALS THROUGH 7/2 00Z...HOWEVER BRIEF/LOCALIZED VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS MAY OCCUR AS ISOLATED/SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MOVE IN PROXIMITY TO THE SITES. SHOWERS THAT IMPACTED KGUY THIS AFTERNOON ARE PUSHING SOUTH OF THE TERMINAL ATTM. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING WEST OF KAMA. CONVECTION WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO OCCUR IN PROXIMITY TO ALL TERMINALS THROUGH AT LEAST 7/1 06-09 Z. SCATTERED/BROKEN CLOUDS MAY REACH HEIGHTS OF 4-6 KFT...BUT NO NOTABLE CIG RESTRICTIONS ARE EXPECTED. WINDS WILL REMAIN RELATIVELY LIGHT/VARIABLE WITH A TENDENCY TO BLOW FROM AN EASTERLY DIRECTION THROUGH THE PERIOD. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 337 PM CDT SUN JUN 30 2013/ DISCUSSION... IF YOU LIKE TODAY'S WEATHER, YOU'LL LOVE THE WEATHER THIS WEEK! THROUGH TONIGHT: SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE BEGINNING TO MOVE INTO THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE FROM SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO AND SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD INTENSIFY SLIGHTLY AS IT GRADUALLY MOVES SOUTH SOUTHEASTWARD, BUT IT SHOULD WEAKEN LATER THIS EVENING. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF NEW MEXICO AND COLORADO WILL ALSO MOVE SOUTH SOUTHEASTWARD INTO THE PANHANDLES THIS EVENING AND MAY CONGEAL INTO A LOOSELY ORGANIZED CONVECTIVE COMPLEX. WHILE THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF RAIN IN JUST ABOUT ALL LOCATIONS, THE HIGHEST CHANCES WILL BE WEST OF A GUYMON TO AMARILLO LINE, ESPECIALLY THROUGH 11 PM. THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE STORMS ALSO EXISTS AS THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ENCOUNTER A SLIGHTLY MORE UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT AS THEY MOVE SOUTH SOUTHEAST. IT WON'T BE A WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER EVENT, BUT THERE COULD BE A COUPLE OF SEVERE STORMS THROUGH 10 PM, MAINLY WEST OF A BOISE CITY TO AMARILLO LINE. THE PRIMARY HAZARDS WITH ANY STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS UP TO 65 MPH AND HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL. THE MAIN COMPLEX OF SHOWERS AND STORMS SHOULD BE SOUTH OF THE FORECAST AREA BY 12 AM, BUT ADDITIONAL ISOLATED TO WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS MAY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE WESTERN PANHANDLES OVERNIGHT. HOWEVER, NO SEVERE STORMS ARE EXPECTED WITH ANY OF THESE SHOWERS OR STORMS THAT DEVELOP. MONDAY-WEDNESDAY NIGHT: OFF AND ON CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE DURING THIS PERIOD WITH THE HIGHEST CHANCES GENERALLY ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF THE PANHANDLES. TEMPERATURES WILL BE VERY PLEASANT WITH HIGHS IN THE 70S AND 80S. LOW TEMPERATURES EACH NIGHT WILL ALSO BE A VERY WELCOME RELIEF WITH SEVERAL LOCATIONS DROPPING INTO THE MID AND UPPER 50S. 4TH OF JULY: THERE WILL BE A POSSIBILITY OF SOME SHOWERS IN THE MORNING, BUT MODEL GUIDANCE IS BEGINNING TO LOOK DRIER. IF THIS TREND CONTINUES, WE WILL BE ABLE TO PULL POPS OUT OF THE FORECAST, ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO BE ENJOYABLE WITH HIGHS IN THE 80S. FOR THE AREA FIREWORKS CELEBRATIONS, TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY BE IN THE LOWER 70S WITH SOUTHERLY WINDS BETWEEN 10 AND 20 MPH. FRIDAY-SUNDAY: THERE COULD BE SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FAR WESTERN PANHANDLES FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING, BUT COVERAGE SHOULD BE ISOLATED. TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN A WARMING TREND WITH HIGHS BACK INTO THE UPPER 80S AND LOWER 90S BY THE WEEKEND. JACKSON FIRE WEATHER... ELEVATED OR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS DUE TO MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES ABOVE 20 PERCENT, PERIODIC CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS, AND 20 FOOT WINDS GENERALLY STAYING UNDER 15 MPH. && .AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. OK...NONE. && 10/16
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 829 PM CDT SUN JUN 30 2013 OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-011100- CIMARRON-TEXAS-BEAVER-DALLAM-SHERMAN-HANSFORD-OCHILTREE-LIPSCOMB- HARTLEY-MOORE-HUTCHINSON-ROBERTS-HEMPHILL-OLDHAM-POTTER-CARSON- GRAY-WHEELER-DEAF SMITH-RANDALL-ARMSTRONG-DONLEY-COLLINGSWORTH- 829 PM CDT SUN JUN 30 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL PANHANDLES. A FEW STORMS COULD BE STRONG WITH WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OFF AND ON ACROSS MUCH OF THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BE STRONG TO SEVERE AT TIMES WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL BEING THE MAIN HAZARDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... LIMITED SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. JOHNSON
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
20 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Exceptional drought rating for the month of July.
Exceptional drought rating for the month of July.
Exceptional drought rating for the month of July.
Exceptional drought rating for the month of July.
Extreme drought rating for the month of July.
Extreme drought rating for the month of July.
Extreme drought rating for the month of July.
Extreme drought rating for the month of July.
Severe drought rating for the month of July.
Severe drought rating for the month of July.
Severe drought rating for the month of July.
Severe drought rating for the month of July.
Severe drought rating for the month of July.
Severe drought rating for the month of July.
Severe drought rating for the month of July.
Severe drought rating for the month of July.
Severe drought rating for the month of July.
Severe drought rating for the month of July.
Severe drought rating for the month of July.
Severe drought rating for the month of July.
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, July 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: 471485, 471488, 471489, 471491, 471492, 471493, 471494, 471495, 471497, 471498, 471499, 471501, 471502, 471503, 471504, 471505, 471506, 471507, 471508, 471509.