Drought in Texas, August 1 to 31, 2022

Dallam County started the month of August with a small sliver of the far western portion of the county in Extreme Drought (D3), with the rest of the county in Severe Drought (D2). The month was abnormally dry for August with only 0.5 to 2.0 and a few isolated areas possibly getting 3.0. The majority of the county ended the month 1 to 2 below normal. This led to a slight expansion of D3 in the west with the rest of the county remaining in D2 at the end of the month. The county remained in a 2 to 6 deficit year to date.

Sherman County started the month of August in Severe Drought (D2). By mid month the eastern half of the county slipped into Extreme Drought (D3). The majority of the county received 0.5 to 2.0, with the monthly normal closer to 3.0. This led to most of the county remaining with no change. There was a small area in the far south central to southeast that improved from D3 back to D2. Otherwise the county ended the month with no changes since mid-month. The county remained in a 2 to 6 deficit year to date.

Hansford County started the month in Severe Drought (D2) across the entire county. About half of the county, in the northwest, fell into Extreme Drought (D3) by the end of the month. This was due to much of the county ending the month 0.5 to 2 below normal.

Ochiltree County started the month out in Severe Drought (D2), with the exception of a small area in the far southeast that was in Moderate Drought (D1). The county managed to receive enough rain to keep conditions from degrading with no changes by the end of the month. Despite only being around a 1 to 2 deficit for the month, much of the county remained in a 2 to 4 deficit over the last three months.

Around a third of the county in the west central to northwest portion of the county started the month in Severe Drought (D2), while the rest of the county was in Moderate Drought (D1). The county ended the this month plus the last two months with a 3 month deficit around 2 to 6. The area of D2 expanded to cover much of the western half of the county.

The vast majority of Hartley County started the month in Severe Drought (D2) with a very small portion of the far northwest corner of the county in Extreme Drought (D3). This area of D3 expanded to the southeast over the course of the month with this area only receiving 0.25 to 0.50 of rain over the course of the month. The rest of the county remained in D2 where 0.75 to upwards of 3.00 of rain fell. Much of the county remained in a 1 to 4 deficit going back 3 months.

Moore County started the month of August entirely in Severe Drought (D2). Over the course of the month the southern portions of the county received 1.5 to 4 of rain allowing an improvement to Moderate Drought (D1), while the north only received 1.5 of rain or less keeping one third of the county in the north in D2.

Hutchinson County started the month in Severe Drought (D2). The month of August was dry compared to normal with much of the county being 0.5 to 1.5 below normal for the month. The far southern portion of the county received just enough rain over the month and in the previous month of July for conditions to improve to Moderate Drought (D1).

Roberts County started the month with a majority of the county in Severe Drought (D2) conditions with exception to the far southern and far eastern portions that began in Moderate Drought (D1) conditions. The southeast corner of the county received 0.5 to 1.5 above normal rainfall for the month, while the far western portions received 0.5 to 1.5 below normal. The rest of the county was right around normal for the month of August. About a third of the county in the northwest corner stayed in D2, while the far southern and southeastern portions of the county improved to Abnormally Dry (D0) and the rest of the county improved to Moderate Drought (D1) conditions.

Oldham County started the month with the western third to half of the county in Extreme Drought (D3), while the rest of the county to the east was in Severe Drought (D2). The western part of the county that was in D3 received 1 to 2 above normal rainfall allowing this part of the county to improve to Moderate Drought (D1) by the end of the month. The rest of the county received around 1 below normal rainfall for the month with just enough rain to improve only one category to D1 from D2.

The southeast two thirds of Wheeler County started the month of August in Severe Drought (D2) with the northwest third in Moderate Drought (D1). Over the course of the month 2 to 5 of rain fell, improving the northwest half to two thirds of the county to abnormally dry conditions (D0) and the southeastern portions to D1.

The southwestern half of the county was in Exceptional Drought (D4) at the start of the month. The rest of the county was in Extreme Drought (D3) with a small portion of the northeast corner in Severe Drought (D2). The western portions received 2 to 5 of rain, while the eastern portions only received 1 to 2 over the course of the month. This led to an improvement in conditions with the southwest two-thirds ending the month in D2 and the northeastern third ending the month in Moderate Drought (D1). Much of the southern half of the county remained in a 6 to 12 deficit year to date.

At the start of August Randall County was in Severe Drought (D2) in the north to northeast half of the county while the south to southwest was in either Extreme Drought (D3) or Exceptional Drought (D4). The area of D4 was the far southwest corner. Over the course of the month the eastern half of the county received 2 to 5 of rain while the western half only received 1 to 3 of rain. Conditions improved by months end with the southwest corner still in D2 while the rest of the county improved to Moderate Drought (D1) conditions. The southwest corner in D2 remained in a 6 to 12 deficit year to date.

The southern third of Armstrong County started the month in Extreme Drought (D3). The northeastern portion of the county was in Moderate Drought (D1) with much of the central to western portions of the county in Severe Drought (D2). Over the course of the month, the northern half of the county received 1.5 to 4 of rain, while the southern half received 3 to 6. Drought conditions improved in the north to Abnormally Dry (D0), while the central portions improved to D1. The far south, even with all the rain received during the month remained in D2 with a 4 to 8 deficit year to date.

The far south to southeastern portions of the county started the month of August in Extreme Drought (D3) conditions. The rest of the county was in Severe Drought (D2). The area of D3 expanded north a bit through the month. The northwest corner of the county improved to Moderate Drought (D1) after receiving 3 to 4 over the course of the month. The rest of the county remained in D2 with only receiving 1 to 2.5 over the month. Much of the county remained in a 4 to 12 deficit year to date.

The vast majority of Donley County started August off in Severe Drought (D2) with the exception of the northwest corner which was in Moderate Drought (D1) and the very far southwest corner in Extreme Drought (D3). Over the course of the month much of the county received 2 to 6 of rain. The northwest corner improved to Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions while the central to northeastern portions improved to D1. The far southern third of the county remained in Severe Drought (D2) with the far southwest corner improving to D2. The southern portion of the county remained in D2 with a 6 to 10 deficit year to date.