Texas, 2014

Drought in Texas, February 1 to 28, 2014

February 1 to 28, 2014 · NWS LUB · 23 events in 23 counties and zones

February saw little changes in long term drought conditions with only one major winter storm as the only precipitation event and wildly varying temperatures. Hall County, which has remained in moderate (D1) drought conditions since July 2013 was degraded to severe (D2) drought.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 23 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
23

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.

February saw little changes in long term drought conditions with only one major winter storm as the only precipitation event and wildly varying temperatures. Hall County, which has remained in moderate (D1) drought conditions since July 2013 was degraded to severe (D2) drought. Bailey County remained in D1 conditions and Garza county dropped to D1 due to the winter storm. Elsewhere, conditions ranged from D2 to exceptional (D4) drought conditions.

The month of February saw wild temperature swings as well as a major winter storm. This winter storm was the only precipitation across the region during the entire month. Up to one foot of snow in a 24-hour period was observed across the southern Rolling Plains and southeastern South Plains on February 2nd. The lack of measurable precipitation throughout the rest of the month prevented the region from realizing any major improvements to drought conditions. Although temperatures actively varied throughout the month between very warm periods and arctic cold fronts, the average monthly temperatures were below seasonal averages. Temperatures at Lubbock and Childress were -2.0 and -5.6 degrees, respectively. Both the Lubbock and Childress stations recorded one daily record maximum and a record minimum, further indicative of the variable temperatures. Keetch-Byram Drought Index Values remain nearly unchanged. The area saw values between 400 and 500 with some spots reaching between 500 and 600 over the Rolling Plains.

Despite fuels being primed for wildfire activity by the end of the month, only one wildfire was reported. Cool and moist conditions for the first part of the month kept energy release component (ERC) values low. However, ERC values increased by the end of the month with increasing temperatures and very dry conditions. The region has not reached peak wildfire season, so a lack of wildfires is not unusual for February. Furthermore, soil moisture amounts were highly variable due to the areas that received snow versus those that did not.

Economic losses due to drought through February since the drought began were estimated near $3.0 billion.

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 Jan 31, 11:35 PM CST, 25 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 31, 11:35 PM CST, 25 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
1135 PM CST FRI JAN 31 2014

.AVIATION...
VFR THRU 02/06Z...BUT FOR PLANNING PURPOSES JUST BEYOND THIS TAF
WINDOW THESE CONDS LOOK TO DETERIORATE AT LBB WITH LOW CIGS AND
PERHAPS SNOW. UNTIL THEN...SOME LINGERING LLWS CONDS EXIST AT LBB
BUT SHOULD IMPROVE AROUND 10Z. EXPECT MOSTLY LIGHT ELY WINDS THRU
THE DAY BEHIND A STATIONARY FRONT BEFORE A STRONGER SURGE OF COLD
AIR ARRIVES JUST BEFORE SUNSET ON GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 711 PM CST FRI JAN 31 2014/

UPDATE...
QUICK UPDATE FOR TEMPS AND WINDS THIS EVENING TO BETTER REFLECT
THE SLOW-MOVING COLD FRONT NOW FULLY ON THE CAPROCK. THIS FRONT IS
STILL EXPECTED TO STALL LATER TONIGHT AND EVENTUALLY RETREAT A
BIT...BUT AS OF 01Z THE BOUNDARY HAD ALREADY PUSHED SOUTHWEST
BEYOND AN AMHERST TO TAHOKA LINE. FARTHER NORTHWEST...LOWER
SURFACE PRESSURES IN RESPONSE TO A MINOR UPPER TROUGH IN NORTHERN
NEW MEXICO HAVE CAUSED THE FRONT TO STALL NEAR MULESHOE AND
BOVINA...SO MILDER LOWS NEAR THE NEW MEXICO STATE LINE STILL LOOK
ON TRACK. SOME TEMPS IN PARTS OF THE ROLLING PLAINS AT 00Z WERE
ALREADY BELOW THE FORECAST MINS...SO LOWS HERE HAVE BEEN UPDATED
ACCORDINGLY. ON A SIDE NOTE...VIRGA AND/OR VERY LIGHT PRECIP BEING
DETECTED FROM NEAR TUCUMCARI TO DUMAS SHOULD NOT THREATEN OUR
NWRN COUNTIES TONIGHT AS THE MINOR UPPER TROUGH LOOKS TO TRACK TOO
FAR NORTH OF THE CWA. 93

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
FRIONA        32  49  19  35  17 /   0   0  20  20  10
TULIA         30  47  20  34  17 /   0   0  20  20  10
PLAINVIEW     31  49  21  33  16 /   0   0  20  20  10
LEVELLAND     36  57  23  34  18 /   0   0  20  20  10
LUBBOCK       34  57  24  33  19 /   0   0  20  20  10
DENVER CITY   38  63  25  36  21 /   0   0  20  20  10
BROWNFIELD    38  59  25  34  20 /   0   0  20  20  10
CHILDRESS     27  46  24  31  21 /   0   0  20  20  10
SPUR          32  53  25  31  21 /   0   0  20  50  10
ASPERMONT     34  53  27  31  22 /   0   0  20  50  10

&&

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

93
Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 31, 6:34 PM CST, 5 hours 26 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
634 PM CST FRI JAN 31 2014

TXZ021>044-020045-
PARMER-CASTRO-SWISHER-BRISCOE-HALL-CHILDRESS-BAILEY-LAMB-HALE-
FLOYD-MOTLEY-COTTLE-COCHRAN-HOCKLEY-LUBBOCK-CROSBY-DICKENS-KING-
YOAKUM-TERRY-LYNN-GARZA-KENT-STONEWALL-
634 PM CST FRI JAN 31 2014

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR WINTRY PRECIPITATION SATURDAY NIGHT
AND SUNDAY. ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW...SLEET AND SOME ICE ARE
POSSIBLE...MAINLY ACROSS THE ROLLING PLAINS.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

23 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Briscoe

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Briscoe forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.530, -101.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Castro

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Castro forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.530, -102.262 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Childress

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Childress forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.529, -100.208 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cochran

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Cochran forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
33.604, -102.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cottle

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Cottle forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.078, -100.279 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Crosby

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Crosby forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
33.615, -101.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Dickens

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Dickens forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
33.617, -100.779 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Floyd

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Floyd forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.072, -101.303 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hale

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Hale forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.071, -101.827 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hall

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Hall forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.531, -100.681 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hockley

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Hockley forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
33.608, -102.343 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Kent

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Kent forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
33.181, -100.778 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, King

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
King forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
33.617, -100.256 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lamb

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lamb forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.069, -102.352 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lubbock

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lubbock forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
33.610, -101.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lynn

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lynn forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
33.177, -101.816 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Motley

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Motley forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.074, -100.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Parmer

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Parmer forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.530, -102.784 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Stonewall

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Stonewall forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
33.179, -100.253 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Swisher

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Swisher forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
34.530, -101.735 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Terry

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Terry forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
33.174, -102.335 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Yoakum

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Yoakum forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
33.173, -102.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Garza

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 4, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Garza forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
33.180, -101.298 (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 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, February 2014

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: 493929, 493930, 493931, 493932, 493933, 493934, 493935, 493936, 493937, 493938, 493939, 493940, 493941, 493942, 493943, 493944, 493945, 493946, 493947, 493948, 493949, 493950, 493951.