Drought Information Statement for Deep South Texas Valid April 20, 2026 Issued By: NWS Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley, TX Contact Information: sr-bro.webmaster@noaa.gov This product will be updated around May 8, 2026, or sooner if drought conditions change significantly Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements Please visit https://www.weather.gov/bro/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements Please visit https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates for regional drought status updates ***Beneficial Rainfall Continues to Improve Drought Conditions Across Deep South Texas*** ***Moderate to Extreme Drought Conditions Observed Across the Rio Grande Valley*** Drought Intensity and Extent Exceptional Drought (D4) conditions are no longer being observed across Deep South Texas. Extreme Drought (D3) conditions are being observed across just over 10% of Deep South Texas, including northern Zapata, northern Jim Hogg, northwestern Brooks, northeastern Cameron, and southern Cameron counties. Severe Drought (D2) conditions are being observed across nearly 84% of Deep South Texas, including Kenedy, Willacy, most of Starr, most of Hidalgo, and the remainder of Zapata, Jim Hogg, Brooks, and Cameron counties. Moderate Drought (D1) conditions are being observed across just over 6% of Deep South Texas, including southern Starr and southwestern Hidalgo counties. Recent Change in Drought Intensity In the past 4 weeks, there has been a 2 class improvement across southern Zapata, southern Jim Hogg, most of Brooks, northern and central Starr, southwestern and northern Hidalgo counties, as well as a 1 class improvement across northeastern and southwestern Zapata, northern Jim Hogg, northwestern and southeastern Brooks, the remainder of Starr and Hidalgo, western Kenedy, western Willacy, and western Cameron counties. In the past 4 weeks, there has been no change to drought conditions across northern portions of Zapata, eastern Kenedy, eastern Willacy, and most of Cameron counties. In the past 4 weeks, there has been a 1 class degradation across northwestern Zapata and northeastern Cameron counties. Precipitation Over the past 30 days, majority of Deep South Texas has received between 150-300% of normal rainfall, with portions of Cameron and Willacy counties receiving between 50-90% of normal rainfall, and portions of eastern Jim Hogg, Brooks, eastern Starr, and Hidalgo counties receiving between 300-600% of normal rainfall. Over the past 90 days, most of Deep South Texas has received between 50-90% of normal rainfall, with portions of Starr, Brooks, Hidalgo, eastern Jim Hogg, and northwestern Kenedy receiving between 90-200% of normal rainfall. Temperature Average Maximum Temperatures over the past 30 days across Deep South Texas have ranged near to above normal, at 85-95 degrees. Average Minimum Temperatures over the past 30 days across Deep South Texas have ranged generally near to above normal, between 60-70+ degrees. Overall, temperatures warm from below normal to well-above normal across Deep South Texas from this morning through Sunday, April 26th. Summary of Impacts Hydrologic Impacts Streamflows across South and Deep South Texas remain below normal overall, but have improved briefly during a couple of rounds of beneficial rainfall in April. Texas water share values have improved to just over 31% at Amistad and 20% at Falcon Lake. Agricultural Impacts Please see the latest Crop and Weather Report from Texas A&M AgriLife. Soil moistures remain well below normal across all of Deep South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley, with near normal to slightly below normal crop moistures. Fire Hazard Impacts Above normal wildland fire activity is expected across all of Deep South Texas through the remainder of April, with near normal wildland fire activity returning May through July. Burn bans remain in effect for all of Deep South Texas except Kenedy County. Mitigation Actions Please refer to your municipality and/or water provider for mitigation information. Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts Streamflows across South and Deep South Texas remain below normal overall, but have improved briefly during a couple of rounds of beneficial rainfall in April. Texas water share values have improved to just over 31% at Amistad. Texas water share values have improved to just over 20% at Falcon Lake. Reservoir: Pool Elevation* (ft) | Current Elevation* (ft) | Percent Full* Amistad: 1117.00 | 1048.29 | 31.5% Falcon Lake: 301.20 | 257.60 | 20.1% Percent Full*: 1 Month Ago | 3 Months Ago | 1 Year Ago Amistad: 32.1% | 34.8% | 24.5% Falcon Lake: 20.5% | 19.1% | 15.8% * = Current Texas Water Share Agricultural Impacts Soil moistures are well below normal across all of Deep South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. Crop moisture indices have improved to near or slightly below normal across Deep South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. Fire Hazard Impacts Keetch-Byram Drought Index values generally range from 400-600 across Deep South Texas, with 400-700 across Zapata and Cameron counties, and 200-400 across eastern Jim Hogg, western Brooks, eastern and southern Starr, and western Hidalgo counties. Above normal wildland fire potential is expected across all of Deep South Texas through the remainder of April, before returning to normal in May through July. Burn bans are in effect for all of Deep South Texas, except for Kenedy County. Seven Day Precipitation Forecast An active weather pattern continues into mid-week, with a coastal trough of low pressure and ample moisture maintaining medium to likely rain chances through Tuesday. Generally dry weather returns mid-week through the weekend. Estimated remaining rainfall of around 0.10 of an inch to 0.75 of an inch is expected through Tuesday, with local amounts of around 1-1.5 inches possible where any heavier showers or thunderstorms develop, mainly along the lower Texas coast. Overall, through Wednesday, April 29th, probabilities are leaning toward above normal rainfall across Deep South Texas with a medium (33-50%) chance. Long-Range Outlooks There is a medium (33-50%) chance of above normal temperatures through May. There is medium (40-50%) chance of above normal rainfall across Deep South Texas through May. Through July, there is a medium (40-50%) chance of above normal temperatures and an equal chance of above or below normal rainfall across Deep South Texas. Drought Outlook Through the remainder of April: Drought is expected to persist across all of Deep South Texas. Through July: Drought is expected to end across southern Starr County. Drought is expected to improve across the remainder of Deep South Texas.