Drought conditions became more severe due to a lack of rainfall and persistent excessive heat.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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 HGX wrote it up.
Drought conditions became more severe due to a lack of rainfall and persistent excessive heat.
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 Houston/Galveston, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 24, 10:44 PM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX 1144 PM CDT Mon Jul 24 2023 ...New AVIATION... .UPDATE... Issued at 627 PM CDT Mon Jul 24 2023 Isolated showers and thunderstorms that developed earlier this afternoon and evening have been decreasing in coverage. However, there still remains a few strong cells over northwestern Harris and eastern Waller counties that could continue to produce strong gusty winds, heavy rainfall, and frequent lightning. It is also possible that outflows from these storms could result in minor wind damage. These storms are expected to dissipate within the next hour or so. 24 && .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Tuesday Night) Issued at 205 PM CDT Mon Jul 24 2023 A Heat Advisory remains in effect for Southeast TX through 8pm CDT this evening (Monday). A mid to upper level high continues to sit over New Mexico/the Texas Panhandle, which leaves us just close enough to continue to have above normal temperatures with highs near 100°F. This also leaves us just far enough away to be on the eastern fringes of the upper level high to still remain in northwesterly flow aloft, which means shortwaves coming downstream can provide lift (PVA) for the in place moisture. Combine this with our typical afternoon sea breeze moving inland and a weak quasi-stationary frontal boundary draped across the area, and we have...well that *gestures at radar reflectivity*. Scattered showers and storms began developing along the coast in the late morning hours and additional convection will develop further inland towards the mid afternoon through the evening along the sea breeze and any additional outflow boundaries. With little to no steering flow aloft and low shear, these storms have featured limited movement as they pop up. So, one area could receive an inch of rainfall and the next street over could see nothing. DCAPE around 1500 J/kg, steep sfc-3km lapse rates around 8-9°C/km, and a dry sfc- 1km layer indicates that strong winds will be possible in some of these storms (likely in the form of a downburst) along with locally heavy rainfall with PW values reaching near the 90th percentile at times (~2.17"). Things get a bit more interesting tomorrow with the arrival of a plume of Saharan dust in the late morning/early afternoon hours. I won't bore y'all with the super in-depth explanation like I did last week, but just know that the dust plume will play a role in the rain forecast and heat index forecast. The 12Z CAMs are in agreement with less convection coverage tomorrow due to the drier air moving in, and with the increase in dust particulate as well it's a bit uncertain on how much rain will actually reach the surface (smaller droplets evaporate easier). In addition to that, the subsidence inversion layer aloft (~800-750mb) looks quite a bit more robust tomorrow, so PoPs were reduced a bit in the afternoon. The drier air will also keep heat index values from becoming too elevated, and as of right now look to max out in the 102-107°F range. This is with Tuesday's high temperatures being just about the same as today's, if not a degree or so warmer. Resultingly, we are not planning on issuing a Heat Advisory for Tuesday. All that being said, it will still be fairly hot so please continue to take the proper heat safety precautions. Batiste && .LONG TERM... (Wednesday through next Sunday) Issued at 205 PM CDT Mon Jul 24 2023 Western ridging will expand eastward into the Southern Plains and Tennessee Valley. We'll remain on the southern periphery of the ridge with prevailing easterlies in the mid levels. Somewhat hazy skies are anticipated in the Wed-Fri timeframe with some dust making its way northward from the Gulf and into the area. Temps should remain about status quo...still above normal with highs in the 96-102 range inland and low 90s at the beaches. Lows around 80 or a touch below. Heat indices will probably peak in the 105-108 range...maybe a bit higher this weekend depending on the finer details in the eventual strength of the ridge, its southern extent, and moisture/wind profiles in the llvls. As far as rain chances go: they'll be pretty slim the further inland from the coast one goes with increasing subsidence dominating. Chances closer to the coast will be on the low side, but at least non-zero thanks to the seabreeze and the potential for some embedded disturbances tracking west under the ridge. 47 && .AVIATION... (06Z TAF Issuance) Issued at 1141 PM CDT Mon Jul 24 2023 VFR conditions currently across SE TX with light S winds. MVFR cigs are possible for a few hours early Tue morning along with isolated/patchy fog. Cigs and fog will lift and scatter out shortly after sunrise. Winds will gradually strengthen Tue afternoon to 6-12 KTS. Iso SH/TS are possible Tue afternoon, mainly in and near the sea/bay breeze. Strong gusty winds, heavy rain and lightning are possible in and around TS activity. 24 && .MARINE... Issued at 205 PM CDT Mon Jul 24 2023 Typical summer diurnally driven wind/wx pattern is expected. Onshore winds 5-15kt (highest at night offshore, and in the bays during the day). Seas generally in the 2-3ft range. Isolated- scattered late night & morning showers/storms. 47 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... College Station (CLL) 76 100 77 100 / 0 0 0 10 Houston (IAH) 78 99 79 98 / 40 30 10 30 Galveston (GLS) 81 90 82 91 / 20 30 30 50 && .HGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...None. GM...None. && SHORT TERM...Batiste LONG TERM....Adams AVIATION...24 MARINE...Adams
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
With a lack of rainfall and constant extreme heat throughout the month of July, the U.S. Drought Monitor classification was increased to Severe Drought (D2) on July 25. This resulted in the institution of burn bans across large portions of SE TX.
With a lack of rainfall and constant extreme heat throughout the month of July, the U.S. Drought Monitor classification was increased to Severe Drought (D2) on July 25. This resulted in the institution of burn bans across large portions of SE TX.
With a lack of rainfall and constant extreme heat throughout the month of July, the U.S. Drought Monitor classification was increased to Severe Drought (D2) on July 25. This resulted in the institution of burn bans across large portions of SE TX.
With a lack of rainfall and constant extreme heat throughout the month of July, the U.S. Drought Monitor classification was increased to Severe Drought (D2) on July 25. This resulted in the institution of burn bans across large portions of SE TX.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, July 2023
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: 1127216, 1127217, 1127218, 1127219.