HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 742 AM CDT FRI MAY 2 2008
...SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL TEXAS PANHANDLE...
...MODERATE DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES...
SYNOPSIS...
THE LATEST DROUGHT MONITOR ISSUED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SHOWS SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL TEXAS PANHANDLE AND MODERATE DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES.
PRECIPITATION CONTINUES TO BE LACKING ACROSS THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES. AMARILLO RECEIVED 0.38 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL. THIS IS 0.95 INCHES BELOW THE NORMAL FOR THE MONTH. THE TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR HAS BEEN 1.51 INCHES WHICH IS 2.13 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. BORGER TEXAS RECEIVED 0.44 INCHES FOR THE MONTH APRIL. THIS IS 1.33 INCHES BELOW NORMAL FOR THE MONTH. TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR IS 1.47 INCHES WHICH IS 3.20 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. DALHART TEXAS RECEIVED 0.10 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL. THIS IS 1.25 INCHES BELOW NORMAL FOR THE MONTH. TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR IS 0.54 INCHES. THIS IS 2.81 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. GUYMON OKLAHOMA RECEIVED 0.52 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL. THIS IS 0.88 INCHES BELOW NORMAL FOR THE MONTH. TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR IS 1.07 INCHES WHICH IS 2.08 INCHES BELOW NORMAL.
HYDROLOGIC IMPACTS...
AREA STREAM AND RIVER LEVELS CONTINUE TO FALL DUE TO THE LACK OF RAINFALL OVER THE PANHANDLES. LAKE MEREDITH...A MAJOR SUPPLIER OF DRINKING WATER TO THE HIGH PLAINS...CONTINUES TO FALL TO RECORD LOWS DAILY. LAKE MEREDITH IS AT 48.12 FEET...WHICH IS A ONE FOOT DECREASE SINCE APRIL 1ST. AT 42 FEET...PORTABLE PUMPS MUST BE BROUGHT IN TO HELP WITH PUMPING. THERE ARE NO WATERING RESTRICTIONS IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE AT THIS TIME BUT WATER CONSERVATION IS BEING ENCOURAGED ESPECIALLY IN THE AMARILLO AREA WHERE THE "EVERY DROP COUNTS...A GUIDE TO WATER CONSERVATION" CAMPAIGN IS ONGOING.
FIRE DANGER IMPACTS...
WITH THE LACK OF PRECIPITATION AND STRONG SPRING WINDS FIRE DANGER WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE. THE TEXAS FOREST SERVICE TELLS US THAT ALL COUNTIES IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE EXCEPT ROBERTS HAVE BURN BANS IN EFFECT. THE KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDEX THAT IS ISSUED BY THE TEXAS FOREST SERVICE COMBINES DROUGHT CONDITIONS WITH EXPECTED FIRE BEHAVIOR. MOST OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE IS IN THE MODERATE CATEGORY EXCEPT FOR GRAY...ROBERTS...WHEELER AND HEMPHILL COUNTIES WHICH ARE IN THE LOW CATEGORY AND DALLAM...SHERMAN...HARTLEY AND OLDHAM COUNTIES IN THE HIGH CATEGORY.
AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS...
THE SOIL MOISTURE INDEX ACROSS THE TEXAS PANHANDLE IS RATED VERY SHORT WITH MOST AREAS REPORTING SHORT TO VERY SHORT. CATTLE ARE RATED IN FAIR CONDITION. SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING CONTINUES. WHEAT CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO DECLINE BECAUSE OF VERY DRY CONDITIONS. WHEAT IS RATED MOSTLY VERY POOR TO POOR. ALL AREAS REPORT MOISTURE NEEDED. SOME AREAS REPORTING THAT DRYLAND PATCHES OF WHEAT ARE SEVERELY MOISTURE STRESSED AND CONTINUE TO DRY. RANGE CONDITIONS ARE RATED VERY POOR.
OUTLOOK...
TEMPERATURES WILL BE COOL TODAY AND SATURDAY WITH TEMPERATURE RISING TO NEAR NORMAL BY THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. THERE IS A CHANCE OF SOME LIGHT PRECIPITATION MONDAY AND AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY. THE 6 TO 10 DAY OUTLOOK ISSUED BY THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER FORECASTS NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND NEAR NORMAL PRECIPITATION. THE CLIMATE OUTLOOK FOR MAY THROUGH JULY SHOWS THE LIKELIHOOD FOR NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND NEAR NORMAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE PANHANDLES.
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BILODEAU