State in midst of worst 1-year drought

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KXAN) - Texans don't have to be told -- they know it's hot and dry. In fact, according to state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon, it's the worst one-year drought on record.

Preliminary reports from the National Climatic Data Center show that July 2011 was the warmest month ever recorded statewide for Texas, with data going back to 1895, Nielsen-Gammon reported. He is a professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University.

Thursday's high Thursday at Camp Mabry was 107 degrees. At Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, it reached 105. Both are new records and make for the hottest first four days of August in recorded history.

The average temperature of 87.2 degrees broke the previous record of 86.5 degrees set in 1998. The June average temperature of 85.2 was a record for that month and now ranks fifth warmest overall.

Rainfall totals were also light across the state. The July monthly total of 0.72 inches ranks third driest, surpassed by the 0.69 inches recorded in both 1980 and 2000.

This is the fifth consecutive month in which precipitation totals were among the 10 driest for that month, according to Nielsen-Gammon.

Among the other rainfall records set this month are:

• least year-to-date precipitation: 6.53 inches; historical average 16.03 inches; previous record 9.36 inches in 1917;
• driest consecutive 8, 9 and 10 months on record: 7.25 inches 8.35 inches, and 9.17 inches respectively
• driest 12 months ending in July: 15.16 inches, previous record 16.46 inches in 1925

“Never before has so little rain been recorded prior to and during the primary growing season for crops, plants and warm-season grasses," the professor said.

Texas would need more than 4.5 inches of rain in the next two months to avoid breaking the 1956 record for driest 12 consecutive months.

However, there was a period of time in Texas' history where a drought lasted longer than one year, from 1950 to 1957. In 1956, Texas set its all-time record for the lowest amount of rainfall during a 12-month period at 13.69 inches, ending in September.

“The present drought is shorter but sharper,” Nielsen-Gammon adds. “So far, its impacts have been disproportionately felt in agriculture, but many water suppliers throughout the state have now imposed water restrictions."

Nielsen-Gammon said the outlook is not entirely grim for the end of this year's drought season, however.

“Late August and September bring increased chances of widespread rain from tropical disturbances, as well as the occasional cold front," he said. "Some computer models predict a return to La Niña conditions this winter , which would imply continued dry weather, but most predict neutral conditions in the tropical Pacific and the possible return of normal weather patterns.”

The state's farmers know how much their crops need rain, and Todd Staples, Texas agriculture commissioner, said the statistics confirm the harsh reality of what they are dealing with.

“The extreme heat and unprecedented dry weather are crippling agricultural operations in Texas upon which all Americans rely for food, fuel, clothing and other daily necessities," Staples said. "This historic drought has depleted water resources, leaving our state's farmers and ranchers in a state of dire need. The damage to our economy is already measured in billions of dollars and continues to mount.”

In addition, at least one Austin businessman has been directly affected by low water levels in area lakes. His floating restaurant, Johnny Fins , is parked solid in a dry lake bed and had to close down until rains come and water levels rise.

Homes advertised on Lake Travis as waterfront properties for sale no longer have water nearby, but instead, grass growing on ground that should be flooded.

Trees throughout Austin are also suffering in the parched conditions, some with leaves turning yellow and falling off as if fall has arrived.

There is a concern for the elderly and other at-risk persons who might not tolerate the high temperatures well, especially those who do not have air-conditioning in their homes.

So far in the state of Texas, 11 deaths are recorded for 2011 as heat being the underlying cause, according to spokesman Chris Van  Deusen, Department of State Health Services. He said 16 percent of deaths have not been "coded" yet, so that number could increase. The department relies on death certificate information to list the causes.

In 2010, a total of 89 deaths were attributed to the heat .