US Drought Monitor and Summary, July 4, 2017

On this week’s map, an area of Moderate Drought (D1) was removed in Texas Panhandle in the vicinity of Lubbock where precipitation has been above normal during the past 30 days. Elsewhere in the state, dry conditions led to expansion of areas of Abnormally Dry (D0) and Moderate Drought (D1) in the Hill Country, eastern portions of the Panhandle, and South Texas. Below normal precipitation, dry soils, and low streamflows led to the introduction of an area of Severe Drought (D2) in the eastern portion of the Panhandle. Elsewhere in the region, significant rainfall accumulations (ranging from 2 to 7 inches) were observed during the past week along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Mississippi. Average temperatures were 2 to 5 degrees above normal in the western half of Texas while eastern portions of the region were near to slightly below normal. Read more at droughtmonitor.unl.edu…