• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

To Honor and Protect the Ranching Way of Life

  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Why Join
    • Leadership
    • Staff
    • Partners
    • FAQs
    • Newsroom
    • Sponsorships
    • Employment
  • What We Do
    • Theft and Law
    • Issues and Policy
    • Education
    • Students and Young Professionals
    • The Cattleman Magazine
    • Disaster Relief Fund
    • Cattle Raisers Insurance
    • Cattle Raisers Trading Co
  • Events
    • Cattle Raisers Convention
    • Policy Conference
    • Summer Meeting
    • Ranch Gatherings
    • Ranching 101
  • Join
  • Member Center
  • TSCRA Store
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Livestock Wx for Feb. 16, 2018: Rain is coming but will miss the driest areas


SPONSORED CONTENT Keep updated on the latest weather trends and outlooks with your personal daily weather planner—delivered each day via email. To subscribe to this free service click here.
Livestock Wx for Feb. 16, 2018: Rain is coming but will miss the driest areas
Rainfall is indeed on the way for most of Oklahoma and Texas. This is no drought-buster but it will provide some needed moisture. The 5-day accumulated forecast (see below) shows the line between Austin, Texarkana, and up into eastern Oklahoma will receive the most rainfall. Temperatures will be above-normal but will cool significantly starting on Wednesday of next week.

Unfortunately, it looks like this system will miss West Texas, the Panhandle, and western Oklahoma; areas that need the rainfall most. The below image shows precipitation deficits going back to Oct. 1. The image is a little busy but hopefully, you can see cattle inventories (based on 2012 Ag census data) in areas with the greatest deficits.  Southwest Kansas sticks out with approximately 2.4 million head of cattle in areas that have received 50 percent or less of their average rainfall from October through January. Oklahoma and Texas have more than 1.4 million and 1.1 million head, respectively, in areas that have received 50 percent or less of their average rainfall. That’s a lot of cattle looking for pasture.

On Thursday, Feb. 15, NOAA released its seasonal outlooks for March-April-May (shown below). Temperatures are expected to be above normal for Texas and Oklahoma while precipitation is expected to be below normal. The important thing to remember about these outlooks is that they are forecasting the predominant conditions over a 3-month period. They cannot account for individual storms so it is possible one or two good weather events could bust the forecast and bring some relief to the hardest hit drought areas. It bears watching and we will continue monitoring the medium-range forecasts for changes in the weather pattern.

That’s it for this week. As always, if you have any questions about conditions around Texas and Oklahoma please contact us at [email protected]

Written by:
kristin
Published on:
February 16, 2018

Categories: Livestock Wx, The Cattleman Now, WeatherTags: drought

Recent Posts

Crime watch: Brangus bull missing in Fayette County

June 13, 2025

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Kenny Murchison, District 20 in …

Continue Reading about Crime watch: Brangus bull missing in Fayette County

Crime watch: Cattle missing in Freestone County

June 13, 2025

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Chace Fryar, District 21 in East …

Continue Reading about Crime watch: Cattle missing in Freestone County

Crime watch: Charolais bull missing in Luling

June 13, 2025

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Robert Fields, District 25 in …

Continue Reading about Crime watch: Charolais bull missing in Luling

Footer

Who We Are

Why Join
Leadership
Staff
Partners
FAQs
Newsroom
Sponsorships
Employment

What We Do

Theft and Law
Issues and Policy
Education
Students and Young Professionals
The Cattleman Magazine
Cattle Raisers Insurance
Cattle Raisers Trading Co.
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

Information

Cattle Raisers Blog
News Releases
Bereavements
Events
Sponsorships & Advertisement
Tip Hotline
Get Involved
Links

Membership

Membership Center
Membership Center Instructions
Join
Renew
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

PO BOX 101988
FORT WORTH, TX 76185

1-800-242-7820

© 2023 Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association; All Rights Reserved.

COPYRIGHT | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF USE