Drought officially over for some areas

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Thursday’s U.S. Drought Monitor update brought welcome news to parts of Central Texas. For the first time since November 2010, many areas east of Interstate Highway 35 are officially drought-free.

Areas considered drought-free

As of Thursday, extreme eastern parts of Travis, Hays, and Williamson counties, and all of Caldwell, Bastrop and Lee counties are no longer experiencing any drought conditions. A very small part of southeast Milam County, and northwest Fayette County are also drought-free.

For the last 17 consecutive months, all of the KXAN viewing area in Central Texas has been in a drought, ranging from the lowest drought intensity level, abnormally dry, to the worst category, exceptional drought.

Areas still under drought

The good news hasn’t arrived yet for many other Central Texas locations, including a large portion of the Austin metro area, from northern Williamson County, through western Travis, northwest Hays, southeast Burnet, and Blanco and Gillespie counties, which continue to experience severe drought conditions. Southwest Gillespie County remains in the extreme drought category.

More than 16 inches of rainfall since Jan. 1 have resulted in a significant improvement in drought conditions. Before rain returned to the area this winter, all of Central Texas, and most of the state was experiencing the most intense drought on record.