Drought — Lubbock, Texas

2011-10-01 to 2011-10-31 · Lubbock, Texas

$95.0M

Property damage

Wider weather episode

Exceptional (D4) drought continued across much of the South Plains, Rolling Plains and southern Texas Panhandle during the month of October. However, significant rainfall reduced areas to Severe (D3) drought over the southern Texas Panhandle and northern Rolling Plains.

Little rainfall was observed for the first half of the month. It was not until a widespread rainfall event on the 27th when conditions significantly improved. Liquid equivalent precipitation amounted to an inch to one and a half inches on the 27th. Somewhat less precipitation was noted over the South Plains and southern Rolling Plains during this rainfall event. Year long deficits at Lubbock stood at 13.43 inches while Childress had a deficit of 14.05 inches. Despite the rainfall, the region continues to see the most extreme one year drought on record. Keetch-Byram Drought Index values had decreased to 500 to 700 across the entire area. Temperatures cooled by the end of the month but still remained above average. Many areas received their first freeze of the season before the average first freeze date.

Agricultural and livestock losses continued to be realized though the rainfall provided some relief. Corn, sorghum, peanut and pumpkin growers began to harvest during the month with pumpkin yields about 50% less than average. Peanut harvests were also expected to be less than average. Cotton yield was further decreased when a haboob swept across the area on the 17th with open cotton blown out of the fields. Winter wheat that had been planted greatly benefited from the rainfall. Additionally, runoff from the rainfall replenished areas reservoirs and lakes. Wildlife herds had become increasingly stressed, including deer which have seen low survival rates of fawns.

Economic losses due to drought through October since the drought began were estimated near $2.3 billion.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 346439. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.