464 AXUS74 KFWD 301200 DGTFWD TXC001-027-035-085-093-097-099-113-119-121-133-139-143-145-147-161- 181-193-213-217-221-223-231-237-251-257-277-281-289-293-309-331-333- 337-349-363-367-379-395-397-425-429-439-467-497-503-300000- DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 700 AM CDT SAT APR 30 2022 ...SPRING RAINFALL PROVIDES SOME RELIEF...BUT DROUGHT PERSISTS... For additional content, visit weather.gov/fortworth/drought -------------------------------------------------------------------- .SYNOPSIS: .Drought intensity and extent: The current La Nina event began during the summer of 2021, and considerable precipitation deficits followed over the course the subsequent autumn and winter. April rainfall eased drought conditions generally along and north of the I-20 corridor, but drought endures in many of those areas. However, deficits mounted across Central Texas where an area of exceptional Drought (D4) expanded from Hamilton and Gatesville to include Goldthwaite and Lampasas. .Precipitation: Precipitation deficits have been steadily growing since September, an 8-month period during which some areas have seen less than half of normal values. For some locations, April is the eighth consecutive month with below normal precipitation. This includes Waco, whose 8-month (September-April) tally is only 10.91 inches. This is only 44 percent of normal, or nearly 14 inches below normal. Deficits are even worse in the Exceptional Drought (D4) region where Cranfills Gap (Bosque County) has accumulated only 7.63 inches since the beginning of September. Hamilton County endured its driest winter on record. .Hydrologic conditions: Despite the duration of the precipitation deficits, reservoir storage remains healthy. Thus, the current drought is primarily one of short-term impact to vegetation, including agricultural concerns and fire danger. -------------------------------------------------------------------- .SUMMARY OF IMPACTS: .Agricultural impacts: Drought damaged winter wheat and oats, and inadequate moisture has delayed the planting of some warm season crops. Low yields have increased the price for cotton. Although stock tanks remain low in many areas, spring growth has reduced supplemental feeding. However, some cattle herds are still being thinned. .Fire hazards: As is typically the case during La Nina, the cold season was marked by a particularly active fire season. Among the numerous wildfires was March's Eastland Complex, which scorched over 50,000 acres and claimed the life of an Eastland County deputy. The spring growing season generally brings an end to significant fire weather issues, but uneven rainfall has left vegetation dormant or otherwise drought- stressed in some areas. As a result, there may continue to be occasional days with elevated fire weather concerns. Numerous outdoor burn bans remain in effect across North and Central Texas. Even if a formal ban is not in effect for your area, it is still important to be vigilant about fire usage. Many outdoor activities (such as grilling) involve a risk of starting wildfires. The National Fire Protection Association estimates over 10,000 home grill fires occur each year, resulting in 135 million dollars in property damage annually. Avoid open flames near dry vegetation and assure all coals and embers are extinguished. .Lake levels: Abundant rainfall during the spring and summer of 2021 helped fill area lakes. Even after several months of insufficient precipitation, reservoirs throughout North and Central Texas still exceed 70 percent of conservation volume. In fact, many have more than 90 percent of their conservation storage. -------------------------------------------------------------------- .DROUGHT MITIGATION ACTIONS: .Water restrictions: For many jurisdictions, voluntary water conservation measures are in effect. However, in some municipalities, the water restrictions enacted during the multi-year drought a decade ago remain in place. In both Dallas and Fort Worth, landscape watering is limited to twice per week. Only hand watering is permitted between 10 am and 6 pm. (For Dallas, the 10 am to 6 pm restriction is only in effect from April to October.) Since water restrictions vary, residents should keep informed with the current guidelines from their municipality or water utility provider. -------------------------------------------------------------------- .LOCAL DROUGHT OUTLOOK: La Nina conditions have prevailed throughout our current drought and are projected to continue through the warm season. Long-range outlooks favor above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation. As a result, the U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook anticipates that our drought conditions will persist into the upcoming summer. -------------------------------------------------------------------- .NEXT ISSUANCE DATE: The next Drought Information Statement will be issued during May. -------------------------------------------------------------------- .RELATED WEB SITES: NWS Fort Worth Drought Page - weather.gov/fortworth/drought National Integrated Drought Information System - drought.gov Climate Prediction Center - cpc.ncep.noaa.gov Precipitation Estimates - water.weather.gov/precip National Drought Mitigation Center - drought.unl.edu U.S. Drought Monitor - droughtmonitor.unl.edu Drought Impact Reporter - droughtreporter.unl.edu -------------------------------------------------------------------- .ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The U.S. Drought Monitor facilitates continuous discussion among numerous agencies, academia, and other local interests. The expertise of its members has been invaluable in developing drought products and services for our customers and partners. The Drought Impact Reporter (maintained by the National Drought Mitigation Center) has allowed various impacts to be compiled within one clearinghouse. These impacts include agricultural issues, hydrologic deficits, fire danger, and other social and economic consequences. The Texas A&M Forest Service continually monitors vegetation conditions and wildfire potential. The state agency also maintains a current list of countywide burn bans. Outlooks of temperature and precipitation are summarized from a variety of products created by the Climate Prediction Center (CPC). CPC is a National Weather Service (NWS) entity within the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). Hydrologic information is compiled from numerous sources, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), and local water districts. -------------------------------------------------------------------- .CONTACT INFORMATION: For additional information or to provide feedback on our drought products and services, please contact: National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office 3401 Northern Cross Blvd. Fort Worth, TX 76137 phone: (817) 429-2631 e-mail: sr-fwd.webmaster@noaa.gov -------------------------------------------------------------------- $$ 25