Texas Drought Over? (But then again…)

John W. Nielsen-GammonTexas State Climatologist

High-Resolution Drought Monitor

• Daily Stage 4 Precipitation Analysis (NWS’s River Forecast Centers)

• Historical COOP observations• PRISM climate normals• Improved drought metrics

Texas Water Storage

Current Value

Value when PDSI went positive

Start of Drought

Lake Arrowhead

Palo Pinto Reservoir

Medina Lake

Lake Texoma

Summary

• Drought all but gone– Record-setting rainfall for three months and

counting– Reservoir issues remain in west-central Texas

• El Niño favors a wet fall and winter in 2015-2016

• Will drought cycle bust?

Contact Information

• n-g@tamu.edu• 979-862-2248• http://climatexas.tamu.edu• http://climatechangenationalforum.org