At the beginning of 2018, two-thirds of Texas was in a state of drought. Now at the beginning of 2019, less than 7 percent of the state is dealing with any dry conditions.
Rainfall totals from the National Weather Service show that Texas got almost 56 inches of rain in 2018. Thirty-six inches of that fell between September and New Year’s.
According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, small spots of moderate drought still affect areas near Rio Grande City in Deep South Texas; Dell City near El Paso, and Claude Canyon in the Panhandle. Abnormally dry areas surround those moderate drought spots. There’s another small spot of abnormal dryness north of Harlingen, but the rest of the map is flush with groundwater.
Normal rainfall for January is expected throughout the state. That could mean a wet kickoff to planting season, which begins in mid-February.
