Texas, 2026

Drought in Texas, April 14 to 30, 2026

April 14 to 30, 2026 · NWS BRO · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

Drought improvements continued through mid April thanks to additional beneficial rains that fell between the 10th and 12th. A remnant pocket of D4 (Exceptional) Drought in northern Jim Hogg improved to D3 (Extreme), with mainly D2 Drought conditions replacing most of the D3 areas, with only small pockets of D3 over parts of Zapata, Jim Hogg, Brooks, and Cameron Counties.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 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
12

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 BRO wrote it up.

Drought improvements continued through mid April thanks to additional beneficial rains that fell between the 10th and 12th. A remnant pocket of D4 (Exceptional) Drought in northern Jim Hogg improved to D3 (Extreme), with mainly D2 Drought conditions replacing most of the D3 areas, with only small pockets of D3 over parts of Zapata, Jim Hogg, Brooks, and Cameron Counties. On the 14th, D3 areas shrunk to just 10.26% of the area.

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 Brownsville, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 13, 11:37 PM CST, 23 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Updated at 1228 AM CDT Tue Apr 14 2026 Key Messages:
  • Breezy conditions will continue this week.
  • A moderate risk of rip currents will likely to prevail through the week.
  • Temperatures will continue to warm through the week, with a cool down late this weekend.
  • Unsettled weather will return this weekend in association with a cold front moving through Texas.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 13, 11:37 PM CST, 23 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
1237 AM CDT Tue Apr 14 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 1228 AM CDT Tue Apr 14 2026

Key Messages:

- Breezy conditions will continue this week.

- A moderate risk of rip currents will likely to prevail through the
  week.

- Temperatures will continue to warm through the week, with a cool
  down late this weekend.

- Unsettled weather will return this weekend in association with a
  cold front moving through Texas.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1013 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

High pressure over the Gulf into the southeastern US will maintain
warm, breezy, and dry conditions through the week. Temperatures will
continue to warm, reaching the 90s for much of the region by
Thursday. Coastal areas will remain in the upper 70s into the
80s.

As we head into the weekend a cold front will move through Texas
bringing with it another chance of rain and thunderstorms Saturday
afternoon through Monday. The aforementioned front will move
through Deep South Texas on Sunday which will also be the day for
our highest rain chances (35-50%). Cooler temperatures are
expected in wake of the front, with highs in the mid 70s to mid
80s on Sunday and mid 80s on Monday.

&&

.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 1228 AM CDT Tue Apr 14 2026

A mixture of VFR to MVFR conditions are expected to persist
through the TAF period at all TAF sites. While light winds and
some haze could affect the region during the early morning hours.
The southeasterly winds should become more gustier by the mid-
morning with gusts up to 30 knots possible. By late tonight, the
winds should then decrease to being light again, while still being
out of the southeast.

&&

.MARINE...
Issued at 1013 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

Generally favorable marine conditions are expected on the
waters off the lower Texas coast with moderate winds and wave
heights. Could see some caution conditions each afternoon, mainly
on the Laguna Madre and nearshore waters due to a locally
enhanced pressure gradient.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
BROWNSVILLE             86  73  87  73 /   0   0   0   0
HARLINGEN               88  69  89  70 /   0   0   0   0
MCALLEN                 91  74  92  74 /   0   0   0   0
RIO GRANDE CITY         92  72  92  71 /   0   0   0   0
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND      79  74  79  73 /   0   0   0   0
BAYVIEW/PORT ISABEL     85  71  85  71 /   0   0   0   0

&&

.BRO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...None.
GM...None.
&&

SHORT TERM...68
LONG TERM....68
AVIATION...64-Katz

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Zapata

When
April 14, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Zapata forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
27.001, -99.169 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Most of Zapata County had improved to Severe (D2) Drought conditions with a pocket of Exceptional (D3) Drought over northern Zapata County during the April 14-20 timeframe. The D3 pocket would shrink to cover the northeast portion of the county on April 21, with D2 conditions remaining elsewhere from the 14th through 30th.

Drought, Jim Hogg

When
April 14, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Jim Hogg forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
27.043, -98.697 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Most of Jim Hogg County had improved to Severe (D2) Drought conditions with a pocket of Extreme (D3) Drought over northern Jim Hogg County during the April 14-20 timeframe.

Drought, Brooks

When
April 14, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Brooks forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
27.032, -98.219 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Most of Brooks County had improved to Severe (D2) Drought conditions with a pocket of Extreme (D3) Drought over extreme northwestern Brooks County during the April 14-20 timeframe.

Drought, Cameron

When
April 14, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Cameron forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
26.152, -97.453 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Most of Cameron County had improved to Severe (D2) Drought conditions with pockets of Extreme (D3) Drought over southern and extreme northeastern Cameron County during the April 14-20 timeframe.

Drought, Inland Kenedy County

When
April 14, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Inland Kenedy County forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
26.928, -97.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

All of Inland Kenedy County was in Severe (D2) Drought during the April 14-20 timeframe, thanks to recent beneficial rainfall.

Drought, Willacy

When
April 14, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Willacy forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
26.477, -97.592 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

All of Willacy County was in Severe (D2) Drought during the April 14-20 timeframe, thanks to recent beneficial rainfall.

Drought, Northern Hidalgo County

When
April 14, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Northern Hidalgo County forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
26.397, -98.181 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

All of Northern Hidalgo County was in Severe (D2) Drought during the April 14-20 timeframe and remained in D2 through the remainder of the month, thanks to recent beneficial rainfall.

Drought, Willacy Island

When
April 14, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Willacy Island forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
26.477, -97.592 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

All of Willacy Island was in Severe (D2) Drought during the April 14-20 timeframe, thanks to recent beneficial rainfall.

Drought, Cameron Island

When
April 14, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Cameron Island forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
26.152, -97.453 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

All of Cameron Island was in Severe (D2) Drought during the April 14-20 timeframe, thanks to recent beneficial rainfall.

Drought, Kenedy Island

When
April 14, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Kenedy Island forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
26.928, -97.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

All of Kenedy Island was in Severe (D2) Drought during the April 14-20 timeframe, thanks to recent beneficial rainfall.

Drought, Southern Hidalgo County

When
April 14, 12:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Southern Hidalgo County forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
26.397, -98.181 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

With the exception of southwestern Southern Hidalgo County, the remainder of Southern Hidalgo County was in Severe (D2) Drought during the April 14-20 timeframe and remained under D2 through the remainder of the month, thanks beneficial rainfall between the 10th and 12th.

Drought, Starr

When
April 14, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Starr forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
26.562, -98.738 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Central and Northern Starr County was in Severe (D2) Drought during the April 14-20 timeframe, thanks to recent beneficial rainfall. A pocket of improvement to Moderate (D1) Drought developed on the 21st due to additional beneficial rains on the 18th, with up to 1.5-2 estimated in the area. The remainder of central/northern Starr remained in D2 through the 30th.

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 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 2026

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: 1333270, 1333271, 1333272, 1333273, 1333274, 1333275, 1333276, 1333277, 1333278, 1333279, 1333280, 1333281.