United States and Puerto Rico Author(s):
Pacific Islands and Virgin Islands Author(s):
Estimated Population in Drought Areas:
The South saw a mixture of improvements in the north and degradation in the western and southern parts of the region. Western Texas, central Arkansas and northern Mississippi saw trace amounts of precipitation, while central and eastern Texas, Louisiana, and central and southern Mississippi saw between 2 to 5 inches of precipitation. Precipitation helped alleviate conditions in northern, western and southern Oklahoma. Following the precipitation, further improvements occurred across northern Arkansas and western and eastern Tennessee.
The Texas panhandle and southern parts of Texas saw expansion of existing abnormal dryness – and a small sliver of moderate drought (D1) in far south Texas – with a lack of measurable precipitation and above-normal temperatures. Southern Texas saw temperatures of 6 to 8 degrees above normal with Brownsville (124°F), Harlingen (125°F), and McAllen (122°F) breaking May temperature records of 115°F (5/4/1999), 121°F (5/26/1973), and 119°F (5/13/1995) respectively. A small area around the Missouri Bootheel also saw moderate drought (D1) expansion.
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The National Drought Mitigation Center’s mission is to reduce the effects of drought on people, the environment and the economy by researching the science of drought monitoring and the practice of drought planning. We collaborate with and learn from decision-makers at all levels – individual ranchers, communities, regions, watersheds, tribes, states, countries – across the US and around the world. We organize and present workshops, writeshops and other capacity-building activities, in close cooperation with local partners.
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