Recent rainfall has helped create major improvements in this week's drought monitor.
Last week, about 76% of the state of Texas was experiencing some level of drought (ranging from "moderate" to "exceptional" drought). As of Sept. 8, roughly 62% of the state is experiencing drought conditions.
The "extreme" and "exceptional" levels of drought are the worst levels on the monitor and these levels combined included roughly 26% of the state last week. Over the course of the week, these levels dropped to about 9%. Less than 1% of the state is currently experiencing "exceptional" drought. Unfortunately, this level is still being experienced in portions of Blanco and Hays counties.
Areas along and west of Interstate 35 have experienced the driest conditions in Central Texas all year long. Unfortunately, recent rainfall has not provided improvement for our lake levels. As of midday Sept. 8, Lake Travis is at 52% capacity and Lake Buchanan is at 63%.
Will we see further improvements in next week's drought monitor? Scattered showers and storms moved through Central Texas, mostly along the I-35 corridor, on Wednesday evening but these were our highest rain chances in the extended forecast.
In fact, the forecast calls for below-average rainfall as we head not only through the next few days but in the 6-to-10-day outlook as well.
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