08/22/2024

The Southern Region was overall hot and most areas remained dry last week. The hottest and driest conditions occurred in Texas. As a result, (D1) Moderate Drought expanded throughout most of Texas and some parts of Mississippi and Tennessee. A week of little to sparse rainfall in west Texas during its wet season has caused (D3) Extreme Drought conditions to expand through most of the region. As of last week, 62.8% of the Southern Region is experiencing drought, more than a 5% increase since the previous drought monitor. The only significant rainfall accumulations occurred near the Oklahoma-Arkansas border, where drought conditions improved by one classification. 

Looking to the future, drought in west Texas, Texas panhandle, and Oklahoma is expected to persist, along with small areas in eastern states. According to the U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook issued by the CPC, drought is likely to develop in every state in the Southern Region through the rest of fall.