Texas, 2020Drought in Texas, October 1 to 31, 2020
October 1 to 31, 2020 · NWS AMA · 5 events in 5 counties and zones
Areas across the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles saw drought conditions worsening going into the month of October as September was very dry. These conditions continued to degrade across the combined Panhandles going into late October with no new rainfall during the first three weeks of the month.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 5
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.
Areas across the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles saw drought conditions worsening going into the month of October as September was very dry. These conditions continued to degrade across the combined Panhandles going into late October with no new rainfall during the first three weeks of the month. Soil conditions were very poor to poor. Some farmers were waiting for some rain to plant winter wheat while others planted hoping for the moisture to come eventually. The Panhandles needed some soil moisture badly in order for winter crops to emerge and grow. The saving grace for these crops was a late month early winter event that provided moisture in the form of rain, sleet, freezing rain, and snow. This late month event did help some areas see a one category improvement in the US Drought Monitor by the end of the month. Ranchers were still being impacted by very poor to poor pasture and rangeland conditions.
Drought, Gray
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Gray forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 35.401, -100.813 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Gray County started the month of October with roughtly 70 percent of the area experiencing severe drought (D2) conditions. With no precipitation within the first few weeks of the month the rest of the county slowly started to slip into severe drought, while a small area in the northwestern portion of the county started to see extreme drought (D3) conditions. An early winter storm during the last week of the month dropped much needed moisture in the form of sleet, freezing rain, and snow. This improved the areas of severe drought to moderate drought, and the area of extreme drought to severe drought by the time the month came to an end.
Drought, Deaf Smith
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Deaf Smith forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 34.966, -102.605 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Deaf Smith County continued to be one of the hardest hit places in the Texas Panhandle for drought impacts. The county still remained in a 6 to 12 inch rainfall deficit year to date. Deaf Smith started out with a third of the southern portion of the county in exceptional drought (D4) conditions. The rest of the county was generally in extreme drought (D3) or severe drought (D2). An early winter storm dropped some moisture in the form of sleet, freezing rain, and snow during the last few days of the month. Though some areas of the county ended the month with some improvement, the majority of the county still remains in at the very least severe drought with some of the south still in extreme to exceptional drought.
Drought, Randall County
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Randall County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 34.966, -101.897 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Randall County started the month with two thirds of the area in extreme drought (D3) and the other third in severe drought (D2). A very small portion of the southwestern corner of the county was in exceptional drought (D4) status. An early winter storm in during the last few days of the month dropped much needed moisture in the form of sleet, freezing rain, and snow. The entire county saw at least a one category improvement from this event just before the month ended.
Drought, Armstrong
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Armstrong forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 34.965, -101.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
One fourth to one third of the county started out in severe drought (D2) conditions. By October 20th the entire county was classified in severe drought. An early winter storm in during the last few days of the month dropped much needed moisture in the form of sleet, freezing rain, and snow. Right as the month was ending, all areas in the county saw at least a one category improvement.
Drought, Collingsworth
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM CST to October 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Collingsworth forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 34.965, -100.270 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Collingsworth County started out the month with the far southeast corner in extreme drought (D3), with an area of severe drougth (D2) surrounding this area. The rest of the county was in moderate drought (D1) but gradually surcumbed to severe drought. The area of extreme drought grew northward along the eastern edge of the county as well. An early winter storm during the last few days of the month dropped much needed moisture in the form of sleet, freezing rain, and snow. By the end of the month some of the northern and western edges of the county improved to moderate drought. The extreme drought in the county was isolated to the far southeastern corner of the county.
- 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.
- Heat in Arizona, October 1 to 6, 20202 deaths · 2 events
- Wildfire in Colorado, October 1 to 31, 2020$92 million · 1 event
- Rip Current in Puerto Rico, October 1, 20201 death · 2 injured · 1 event
- Drought in Maine, October 1 to 31, 2020$9.0 million · 18 events
- Drought in New Hampshire, October 1 to 31, 2020$9.0 million · 15 events
- Drought in Iowa, October 1 to 31, 2020$747,000 · 10 events
- Drought in South Dakota, October 1 to 31, 2020$143,000 · 5 events
- Drought in Minnesota, October 1 to 31, 2020$100,000 · 1 event
- Drought in New Mexico, October 1 to 31, 202040 events
- Drought in Colorado, October 1 to 31, 202021 events
- Drought in Texas, October 1 to 31, 202016 events
- Drought in New Mexico, October 1 to 31, 202015 events
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 925498, 925499, 925500, 925501, 925502.