Drought in Coastal Kenedy County, Texas

Severe (D2) Drought conditions developed in southeast Kennedy County by June 5th, and expanded to all but the northern tip of the county on June 12th. D2 conditions continued until the week of June 18th, when 6 to 18 inches of rain fell and turned rainfall deficits into long term rainfall surpluses. Until then, there was an unknown level of stress on livestock on the King Ranch and other Kenedy County ranches due to the harsh conditions.

Persistent lack of rainfall, combined with record to near record heat in May and frequently breezy conditions, led to severe drought conditions that began in Willacy and northern Cameron County on the 5th but would spread to all of Cameron, much of Kenedy, and portions of Brooks and Hidalgo County through June 18th. The drought would be temporarily erased by widespread rainfall of 10 inches or more in many of these areas between June 19th and 22nd.

The combination of a top ten warmest spring with limited rainfall until the Great June Flood resulted in a significant loss and lowered production of many unirrigated row crops, which failed to receive the necessary rainfall to counteract the hot conditions between March and mid June.