Texas, 2023

Drought in Texas, October 1 to 31, 2023

October 1 to 31, 2023 · NWS EPZ · 8 events in 7 counties and zones

Another month of below normal precipitation in October kept the entire area in Severe(D2) to Extreme(D3) drought.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
8

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 EPZ wrote it up.

Another month of below normal precipitation in October kept the entire area in Severe(D2) to Extreme(D3) drought.

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 El Paso, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 30, 10:26 PM MST, 1 hour 34 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 30, 10:26 PM MST, 1 hour 34 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 30, 9:01 AM MST, 14 hours 59 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service El Paso TX/Santa Teresa NM
1001 AM MDT Sat Sep 30 2023

NMZ401-403>411-414>417-425>429-TXZ418>424-011615-
Upper Gila River Valley-Southern Gila Foothills/Mimbres Valley-
Southwest Desert/Lower Gila River Valley-Lowlands of the Bootheel-
Uplands of the Bootheel-Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin-
Eastern Black Range Foothills-Sierra County Lakes-
Northern Dona Ana County-Southern Dona Ana County/Mesilla Valley-
West Slopes Sacramento Mountains Below 7500 Feet-
Sacramento Mountains Above 7500 Feet-
East Slopes Sacramento Mountains Below 7500 Feet-Otero Mesa-
Central Grant County/Silver City Area-
Southern Gila Region Highlands/Black Range-
West Central Tularosa Basin/White Sands-
East Central Tularosa Basin/Alamogordo-Southeast Tularosa Basin-
Western El Paso County-Eastern/Central El Paso County-
Northern Hudspeth Highlands/Hueco Mountains-Salt Basin-
Southern Hudspeth Highlands-
Rio Grande Valley of Eastern El Paso/Western Hudspeth Counties-
Rio Grande Valley of Eastern Hudspeth County-
1001 AM MDT Sat Sep 30 2023

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of south central
New Mexico, southwest New Mexico, and southwest Texas.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight...

Scattered thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening.
Main hazards will be locally heavy rain, and gusty winds from
storms. Hail, although generally small and lightning are also
expected.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday...

Storm chances persist through Tuesday, but largely focus over
Hudspeth and Otero counties. Slight rain chances return on
Thursday. Otherwise, no significant weather is expected.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed. However, reports of damage
from any storm are appreciated.

29

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 30, 6:40 PM MST, 5 hours 20 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Sep 30, 7:17 PM MST, 4 hours 43 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Sep 30, 7:23 PM MST, 4 hours 37 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Sep 30, 7:27 PM MST, 4 hours 33 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Sep 30, 7:36 PM MST, 4 hours 24 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Sep 30, 8:06 PM MST, 3 hours 54 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Western El Paso County

When
October 1, 12:00 AM MST to October 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where
Western El Paso County forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
31.769, -106.235 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The entire zone remained in Extreme(D3) drought through the month of October.

Drought, Eastern/Central El Paso County

When
October 1, 12:00 AM MST to October 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where
Eastern/Central El Paso County forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
31.769, -106.235 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe(D3) drought continued across the entire zone through the month. The El Paso International Airport reported 0.35 inches of precipitation which was 0.24 inches below normal.

Drought, Northern Hudspeth Highlands/Hueco Mountains

When
October 1, 12:00 AM MST to October 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where
Northern Hudspeth Highlands/Hueco Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
31.612, -105.810 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The northern half of the zone remained in Extreme(D3) drought while the south remained in Severe(D2) drought.

Drought, Salt Basin

When
October 1, 12:00 AM MST to October 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where
Salt Basin forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
31.456, -105.386 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The northern half of the zone remained in Extreme(D3) drought while the south remained in Severe(D2) drought.

Drought, Southern Hudspeth Highlands

When
October 1, 12:00 AM MST to October 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where
Southern Hudspeth Highlands forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
31.456, -105.386 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The entire zone remained in Severe(D2) drought through the month.

Drought, Rio Grande Valley of Eastern El Paso/Western Hudspeth Counties

When
October 1, 12:00 AM MST to October 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where
Rio Grande Valley of Eastern El Paso/Western Hudspeth Counties forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
31.612, -105.810 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The entire zone remained in Severe(D2) drought through the month. The Tornillo Cooperative Observer reported 0.30 inches of precipitation which was 0.47 inches below normal.

Drought, Rio Grande Valley of Eastern Hudspeth County

When
October 1, 12:00 AM MST to October 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where
Rio Grande Valley of Eastern Hudspeth County forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
31.456, -105.386 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The entire zone remained in Severe(D2) drought through the month.

Drought, Rio Grande Valley of Eastern Hudspeth County

When
October 1, 12:00 AM MST to October 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where
Rio Grande Valley of Eastern Hudspeth County forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
31.456, -105.386 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The entire zone remained in Severe(D2) drought through 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 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, October 2023

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: 1144358, 1144359, 1144361, 1144362, 1144363, 1144364, 1144365, 1144366.