Drought in Texas, June 1 to 30, 2026

Name: Drought in Texas, June 1 to 30, 2026
Start: 2026-06-01T00:00
End: 2026-06-30T23:00
Location: Texas

June 1 to 30, 2026 · NWS AMA · 20 events in 20 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 20 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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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 20

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 AMA wrote it up.

The vast majority of the combined Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles saw significant rainfall deficits, ranging from 4 to 8 inches below normal, from January through the end of June. Only some small areas scattered across the region had near normal rainfall by the end of June. After seeing winter wheat failures this year, summer crop planting and emergence were delayed. Soil moisture had been too short to support seed germination, stunting cotton, corn and sorghum crops. Dryland cotton that did sprout did not establish uniform stands. Much of the rangelands were unable to grow, leaving ranchers relying heavily on supplemental feeding and watering, leading some producers to start considering herd reductions.

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 Amarillo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 31, 11:23 PM CST, 37 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Issued at 1256 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
Thunderstorm chances for the northern CWA on Monday. Severe chances are low, but possible.
Daily thunderstorm chances return Monday and persist through the end of the week.
Increasing confidence in substantial rainfall for areas in the Panhandles this week.

Area forecast discussion, May 31, 11:23 PM CST, 37 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
1223 AM CDT Mon Jun 1 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Issued at 1256 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

- Thunderstorm chances for the northern CWA on Monday. Severe
chances are low, but possible.

- Daily thunderstorm chances return Monday and persist through the
  end of the week.

- Increasing confidence in substantial rainfall for areas in the
  Panhandles this week.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(This evening through Monday night)
Issued at 1256 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

H500 height rises aided by a weak frontal passage this morning are
keeping atmospheric conditions stable and skies clear today. Clear
skies and light winds will allow for heat to build today, reaching
the upper 90's and even into the low 100's in some places in the SW
CWA.

Winds shifting back to southerly on Sunday afternoon will allow for
moisture to build back into the Panhandles overnight into Monday.
Skies remain clear and winds remain light overnight as well,
allowing heat to once again build throughout the Panhandles.

Perturbations developing along the ridge building in the southern
plains on Monday will re-establish a weak lee-side low pressure
center at the surface in central/eastern CO. Positive H700 theta-e
advection into the northern CWA will promote an increase in
moisture quality and depth into the evening hours. A surface
trough SE of the weak surface low pressure center is responsible
for lifting tomorrow, with deep mixing beforehand responsible for
mixing out CIN. This will allow storms to develop in our northern
CWA (likely in the western TX/central OK Panhandle), however, the
best instability and shear are displaced N and NE of the
Panhandles. So, it is questionable whether storms will be able to
reach severe thresholds before exiting the FA to the N/NE.

Temperatures on Monday will likely be just as warm in the south and
warmer in the northern CWA. Clear conditions and southerly flow will
allow heat to continue to build. Increasing winds in the southern
CWA will occur before the northern CWA, and may stifle high
temperatures slightly in comparison to Sunday's high temperatures.

Ferguson

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Tuesday through next Saturday)
Issued at 1256 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

An active weather pattern for daily thunderstorm and persistent
rainfall chances return this week. Ridging persists over the
Panhandles until a weak upper-level trough propagates in from the
west. Continued disturbances in this slowly propagating weak trough
will provide continued support for precipitation throughout the
week. Continued SE/S flow will build substantial moisture into the
Panhandles to reinforce the pattern of continued rainfall.

Although the entire week has persistent PoPs, thunderstorm chances
will vary day to day. This is much more of a summertime convective
pattern, with weak upper-level support, which will promote pulsing
thunderstorms. Severe thunderstorms cannot be ruled out as a
possibility for any day this week. There are currently some model
disagreements where the best axis of rainfall will end up. A re-
circulation of mid-level dry air into the Panhandles, as well as how
quickly the trough to our west propagates east in the coming week
will likely determine where the axis of highest QPF ends up.
Ensembles show average and median QPF's are close, indicating higher
confidence in a substantial rainfall event throughout the week.

Temperatures throughout the week are expected to remain in the 80's,
possibly only reaching maximums in the 70's on Wednesday. Next
weekend, maximum temperatures will likely crack the 90's once again
after persistent cloud cover begins to move out of the area.

Ferguson

&&

.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 1217 AM CDT Mon Jun 1 2026

VFR conditions continue at all sites for the next 24 hours. Light
to breezy south and southeasterly flow continues across the
region tonight. Later this afternoon, surface winds will increase
but still flow from the south-southeast. By the late evening
hours, winds will back and become more southeasterly than
southerly. Thunderstorms have a low chance (15-25%) to affect the
terminals this afternoon and evening, but confidence remains too
low to add mentions to the TAFs at this time.

Rangel

&&

.AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...None.
OK...None.
&&

SHORT TERM...23
LONG TERM....23
AVIATION...55

Hazardous weather outlook, May 31, 11:36 PM CST, 24 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
1236 AM CDT Mon Jun 1 2026

OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-317-011745-
Cimarron-Texas-Beaver-Dallam-Sherman-Hansford-Ochiltree-Lipscomb-
Hartley-Moore-Hutchinson-Roberts-Hemphill-Oldham-Potter-Carson-
Gray-Wheeler-Deaf Smith-Randall-Armstrong-Donley-Collingsworth-
Palo Duro Canyon-
1236 AM CDT Mon Jun 1 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Texas and Oklahoma
Panhandles.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

Thunderstorms are expected across the western and central
Panhandles this afternoon. Chances are low for storms to become
severe, but the best chances are across the Oklahoma Panhandle.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

Daily thunderstorm chances persist through the week, with the
highest chances Tuesday through Thursday. Severe thunderstorm
chances remain low, but cannot be ruled out for the next several
days.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

20 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Dallam

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Dallam forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.278, -102.602 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe (D2) to Extreme (D3) drought was observed in early June, but around normal to slightly above normal precipitation was observed for 3 of the 4 weeks of June. A very dry week around mid-June managed to reduce or flip any normal to above normal rainfall that had been present to normal or below normal for the month. Still, some spotty normal to above normal anomalies were observed in Dallam and Hartley counties. Moore county was almost entirely below normal for the month. Drought conditions improved by 1 category due to the rainfall observed, but Moderate (D1) to D2 persists due to a 1-4 inch rainfall deficit over the previous 180 days.

Drought, Hartley

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Hartley forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.840, -102.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Sherman

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Sherman forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.278, -101.893 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Moore

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Moore forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.838, -101.893 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hansford

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Hansford forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.278, -101.354 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Most of this region was in Extreme (D3) to Exceptional (D4) drought to begin June. Normal to well above normal precipitation was observed through most of the June except for a dry middle of the month. Well above normal precipitation was observed for the month across eastern portions of this region, while normal to below normal precipitation was observed elsewhere. The drought category improved this month but areas of D2 to D3 persist due to a 2-6 inch 120 day rainfall deficit.

Drought, Hutchinson

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.840, -101.355 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Ochiltree

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Ochiltree forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.278, -100.816 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lipscomb

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Lipscomb forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.278, -100.273 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Roberts

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Roberts forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.839, -100.813 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hemphill

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Hemphill forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.838, -100.270 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Oldham

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Oldham forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.405, -102.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme (D3) to Exceptional (D4) drought was observed at the beginning of the month. Normal to above normal precipitation fell in roughly the first half of the month, followed by normal to below normal precipitation through much of the second half. Overall, normal to above normal precipitation fell in western Deaf Smith and Oldham counties, and central Potter into southern Randall counties. Drier than normal conditions were observed from central Oldham into central Deaf Smith counties. Drought conditions improved across most of this region by 1 category, but Severe (D2) to D3 remains due to a 120-day rainfall deficit of 2 to 6 inches.

Drought, Deaf Smith

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 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)

Drought, Potter

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Potter forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.401, -101.894 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Randall County

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 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)

Drought, Carson

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Carson forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.404, -101.354 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe (D2) drought was observed to begin the month for much of Donley and Collingsworth counties while Extreme (D3) to Exceptional (D4) was observed elsewhere in this region. Normal to above normal precipitation was observed for 3 of the 4 weeks of June, with a mostly dry period in mid-June. Well above normal precipitation occurred in Wheeler, Collingsworth, and eastern Donley counties, while below normal precipitation was observed elsewhere. The drought categories improved 1 to 2 categories across this region through the month as most of this region is now in D2 to D3 conditions due to a 2 to 8 inch rainfall deficit over the previous 120 days.

Drought, Armstrong

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Armstrong forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.965, -101.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Gray

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Gray forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.401, -100.813 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Donley

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Donley forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.965, -100.814 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Wheeler

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Wheeler forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.401, -100.270 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Collingsworth

When: June 1, 12:00 AM CST to June 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Collingsworth forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.965, -100.270 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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

Every storm in Texas in 2026 Every state in 2026 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, June 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: 1348964, 1348965, 1348966, 1348967, 1348968, 1348969, 1348970, 1348971, 1348972, 1348973, 1348974, 1348975, 1348976, 1348977, 1348978, 1348979, 1348980, 1348981, 1348982, 1348983.