Texas, 2013

Drought in Texas, October 1 to 31, 2013

October 1 to 31, 2013 · NWS BRO · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

After a wet September, October proved to be drier a month, with many locations seeing rainfall deficits of around 2 inches for the month. Despite this, drought conditions held steady through the month of October with much of the region experiencing drought conditions of Severe (D2) or less.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

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.

After a wet September, October proved to be drier a month, with many locations seeing rainfall deficits of around 2 inches for the month. Despite this, drought conditions held steady through the month of October with much of the region experiencing drought conditions of Severe (D2) or less. A swath of Extreme (D3) drought conditions remained draped across western Hidalgo, eastern, the southeast corner of Jim Hogg and the far SW corner of Brooks counties. Exceptional (D4) drought conditions were confined to a small area in far SW Hidalgo County and far SE Starr County.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Jim Hogg

When
October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 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)

After beneficial rains in September, most of Jim Hogg County was covered by Severe (D2) drought conditions by the first of October. An area of Extreme (D3) drought conditions held on in the SE corner of the county, while Moderate (D1) drought conditions spread across the western and northern county borders. Drought conditions held steady throughout the month.

Drought, Starr

When
October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 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)

After beneficial rains in September, a variety of drought conditions were spread across Starr County during the month of October. The western half of the county was comprised primarily of Moderate (D1) drought conditions, but an area of Dry (D0) conditions emerged in the SW corner of the county. The eastern half of the county was divided by a stripe of Severe (D2) drought conditions across the center of the county, a swath of Extreme (D3) drought conditions along the eastern county border, and an area of Exceptional (D4) drought conditions in the very far SE corner of the county. Drought conditions held steady throughout the month.

Drought, Brooks

When
October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 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)

After beneficial rains in September, the vast majority of Brooks County was draped in Severe (D2) drought conditions, with the exceptions of a sliver along the northern county border and the far SW corner of the county. Extreme (D3) drought conditions continued to cling to the far SW corner of the county, while Moderate (D1) drought conditions spread south across the northern county border. Drought conditions held steady throughout the month.

Drought, Hidalgo

When
October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 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)

After beneficial rains in September, much of Hidalgo County was covered by Severe (D2) drought conditions. Along the far western edge of the county, a swath of Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted, with a patch of Exceptional (D4) drought conditions in the far SW corner of the county. Moderate (D1) drought conditions began to nudge into the far SE corner of the county. Drought conditions held steady throughout the month.

Drought, Kenedy

When
October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 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)

After beneficial rains in September, the southern two thirds of Kenedy County was covered by Severe (D2) drought conditions, with the northern third covered by Moderate (D1) drought by the beginning of October. Drought conditions held steady throughout the month.

Drought, Willacy

When
October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 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)

After beneficial rains in September, the vast majority of Willacy County was engulfed by Severe (D2) drought conditions, except for a small sliver of Moderate (D1) drought across the southern county border. Drought conditions held steady throughout the month.

Drought, Coastal Willacy

When
October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Coastal Willacy forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor

After beneficial rains in September, all of coastal Willacy County was covered Severe (D2) drought conditions. Drought conditions held steady throughout the month.

Drought, Coastal Cameron

When
October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Coastal Cameron forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor

After beneficial rains in September, all of coastal Cameron County was covered Severe (D2) drought conditions. Drought conditions held steady throughout the month.

Drought, Cameron

When
October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 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)

After beneficial rains in September, most of Cameron County had improved to Moderate (D1) drought conditions by the beginning of October. Severe (D2) drought conditions still held tight in the far NW corner of Cameron County. Drought conditions held steady throughout the month.

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 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, October 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: 478964, 478965, 478966, 478967, 478968, 478969, 478970, 478971, 478972.