How this September’s drought levels compare to years prior

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Periods of drought aren’t out of the ordinary in Central Texas. Compared to years prior, this year’s drought levels are significantly reduced compared to years prior.

Meteorologists at the Weather Forecast Office (WFO), which is an office of the National Weather Service (NWS), constantly monitor drought levels across the country and provide weekly maps showing where drought is and how severe it is across the country.

USDM Map

The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is a map released every Thursday at 7 a.m. The map uses six categories: normal, abnormally dry (D0), moderate (D1), severe (D2), extreme (D3), and exceptional (D4).

Did you know the map is hand-drawn? The lead author of the USDM uses satellite data, vegetation, local observations from field experts, and physical data to calculate categories by region.

Historical Impacts

(D0) – Grass fire increases. Surface water level declines.

(D1) – Dryland crops are stunted. Voluntary water restrictions are requested.

(D2) – Pasture conditions poor. Burn bans are implemented.

(D3) – Severe plant, wildlife, fish loss reported. Water sanitation is a concern.

(D4) – Widespread crop loss reported. Tree mortality reported.

How does this September compare?

Drought levels in 2024 have been rather minimal in our area. The USDM has shown little to no severity in Travis County this summer. We decided to look back at recent years and look at exceptional drought coverage in Central Texas.

Three out of the past five years have been mostly drought with 2023 being the outlier. 38.71% of the Austin/San Antonio area was under an exceptional drought (D4). Last year (2023) was the second hottest and driest year on record, which fueled historical drought levels for multiple weeks.

For the latest drought monitor in our area, visit USDM or tune into our latest weather updates.

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