Texas, 2026Drought in Texas, March 3 to 30, 2026
March 3 to 30, 2026 · NWS BRO · 1 event in 1 county or zone
Continued rain-free weather, warm to hot temperatures, and occasional low humidity and gusty winds gradually worsened drought across inland Willacy County, with Severe (D2) conditions arriving on March 3 across the eastern two-thirds, with Extreme (D3) conditions across the western third. D3 would gradually expand eastward through the 31st, while D2 held on in east-central Willacy due to a…
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
Continued rain-free weather, warm to hot temperatures, and occasional low humidity and gusty winds gradually worsened drought across inland Willacy County, with Severe (D2) conditions arriving on March 3 across the eastern two-thirds, with Extreme (D3) conditions across the western third. D3 would gradually expand eastward through the 31st, while D2 held on in east-central Willacy due to a single rain event on March 8th (afternoon) that dropped a temporarily helpful 1-2 of rainfall.
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 Mar 2, 10:28 PM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Updated at 1027 PM CST Mon Mar 2 2026 Key Messages
- Hot and mainly dry week is here.
- Weekend brings opportunity for rain.
- Wind + cured fuels = enhanced wildfire potential.
- Adverse marine conditions develop and persist.
- Continuous rip current threat.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 2, 10:28 PM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
1028 PM CST Mon Mar 2 2026
...New AVIATION...
.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 1027 PM CST Mon Mar 2 2026
Key Messages
- Hot and mainly dry week is here.
- Weekend brings opportunity for rain.
- Wind + cured fuels = enhanced wildfire potential.
- Adverse marine conditions develop and persist.
- Continuous rip current threat.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 924 PM CST Mon Mar 2 2026
No significant changes to the current forecast philosophy.
Generally dry weather with well above normal daytime highs and
overnight lows will dominate through a majority of the period.
This will be due to 500 mb high pressure that will gradually shift
from west to east across Mexico and the Gulf of America, but will
be in control throughout the shift over Deep South Texas and the
Rio Grande Valley. Some very isolated showers over the extreme
northern fringe of the northern ranchlands and the lower Texas
coastal waters cannot be entirely ruled out.
However, a possible change in the weather pattern exists for the
weekend. Closed 500 mb low pressure diving south into the Baja
Peninsula, and eventually east across the Lone Star State, may
bring isolated to scattered convection for Saturday and Sunday
across the BRO CWFA.
Prior to the precipitation potential, a breezy to windy onshore
flow will occur. Given the anticipated strength of the winds, and
abundant cure fuels from prolonged drought conditions and a
couple of episodes of freezing temperatures earlier this year, the
need for a Rangeland Fire Danger Statement (or several) cannot be
entirely ruled out, especially in the Tuesday through Thursday
time frame.
Finally, building seas along the Lower Texas Coast will likely
create a Moderate Risk to High Risk of rip currents at the local
beaches daily.
&&
.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 1027 PM CST Mon Mar 2 2026
MVFR to VFR will continue to be the rule at the aerodromes through
the next 24 hours.
&&
.MARINE...
Issued at 924 PM CST Mon Mar 2 2026
It continues to be anticipated that a steadily enhanced pressure
gradient over the western Gulf of America will produce unsettled
marine conditions throughout the forecast period. Breezy to strong
winds are likely, with moderate to rough seas expected. Small
Craft Should Exercise Caution and/or Small Craft Advisory are
likely to be needed daily, especially for the Laguna Madre and
nearshore Gulf of America waters, beginning on Tuesday and
persisting through the weekend.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
BROWNSVILLE 67 86 71 85 / 0 0 0 10
HARLINGEN 63 89 68 89 / 0 0 0 10
MCALLEN 67 92 72 92 / 0 0 0 10
RIO GRANDE CITY 63 94 69 94 / 0 0 10 10
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND 69 78 71 78 / 0 0 0 10
BAYVIEW/PORT ISABEL 65 85 68 84 / 0 0 0 10
&&
.BRO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None.
&&
Drought, Willacy
- When
- March 3, 12:00 AM CST to March 30, 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)
Severe (D2) Drought covered all but a small portion of southeast inland Willacy County, and Extreme (D3) Drought arrived across the western quarter of the area on March 3rd. Extreme Drought would gradually move eastward, eventually covering the entire western half of the county by the 24th, while the small area of moderate (D1) was eradicated on March 10th.
Spring planting was delayed due to the drought and lack of necessary water (dryland); if available, a crop loss/production loss value will be added to this entry or the entry for March 31.
- 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.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Michigan, March 3 to 6, 20264 deaths · 22 injured · $3,000 · EF3 · 8 events
- Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, March 3, 20263 injured · 5 events
- Flood and Hail in Indiana, March 3, 2026$25,000 · 1 in hail · 2 events
- Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, March 3, 202613 events
- Drought in Nebraska, March 3 to 31, 202612 events
- Winter Weather in New Jersey, March 3, 202610 events
- Drought in Oklahoma, March 3 to 31, 20268 events
- Dense Fog in Kansas, March 3, 20265 events
- Drought in Texas, March 3 to 31, 20264 events
- Drought in South Dakota, March 3 to 31, 20263 events
- Dense Fog in Delaware, March 3 to 4, 20263 events
- Dense Fog in Kansas, March 3 to 4, 20263 events
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: 1327538.