US Drought Monitor and Summary, Feb. 16, 2016

Increasingly warm, locally hot weather coupled with a lack of rain resulted in rapidly increasing Abnormal Dryness (D0) and Moderate Drought (D1) over much of central and southern Texas. Temperatures averaged locally more than 10°F above normal, with daytime highs topping 80°F across much of the state; readings eclipsed 90°F in far southern Texas, establishing record high temperatures for the date in some locations. Over the past 60 days, precipitation has totaled less than 50 percent of normal (locally less than 25 percent) across the state’s new D1 areas, with the most widespread pronounced short-term deficits noted just north of Austin. Read more at the US Drought Monitor website…