Drought — Coastal Cameron, Texas

2023-09-19 to 2023-09-30 · Coastal Cameron, Texas

Event narrative

Extreme (D3) Drought crept into southern coastal Cameron County, to include Port Isabel and the Brownsville Ship Channel, beginning on September 19th, while the stripe of Severe (D2) Drought continued in south-central Cameron from Bayview/Laguna Vista to Laguna Atascosa- a result of around 5% of the monthly average rainfall and record to near-record heat. On the 26th, the continuation of the dry conditions allowed Extreme (D3) conditions to include all of Laguna Atascosa, with Severe (D2) Conditions reaching Arroyo City.

Dryland and limited-irrigation crops, and livestock, sustained damages/losses that were unknown as of this writing (late November).

Wider weather episode

Searing, record astronomical summer (June 21 through September 22) and September heat, along with rainfall less than 25% of the typically wet monthly average allowed drought conditions to worsen in Cameron County, and develop at different levels in Kenedy and Willacy County, beginning on the 19th and continuing through the end of September.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1142793. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.