Drought Information Statement for South Texas Valid October 6, 2025 Issued By: NWS Corpus Christi, TX Contact Information: sr-crp.webmaster@noaa.gov This product will be updated by November 7, 2025 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/crp/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. Drought conditions slightly worsened over portions of the Coastal Bend and Coastal Plains with improvement over portions of Duval and Webb counties. September experienced above normal temperatures. Precipitation was generally below normal across South Texas, with splotches of above normal over the Rio Grande Plains and Victoria Crossroads. Below normal precipitation and above normal temperatures are generally expected during the month of October. Drought conditions are expected to persist or develop across South Texas through October. 1 U.S. Drought Monitor Drought intensity and Extent D4 (Exceptional Drought): None D3 (Extreme Drought): Small portion of northern McMullen county. D2 (Severe Drought): Rest of McMullen county. Portions of Live Oak and La Salle counties. D1 (Moderate Drought): Northern portion of Webb, Duval, Jim Wells, Bee, and Goliad counties. All of Nueces County. Portion of San Patricio County. D0: (Abnormally Dry): Rest of South Texas with the exception of majority of Victoria County and small eastern portion of Calhoun County. Recent Change in Drought Intensity Four Week Drought Monitor Class Change. Drought Worsened: Nueces County. Portions of Victoria, Calhoun, Goliad, San Patricio, Jim Wells, Kleberg, and extreme southeast Duval counties. No Change: Northern Brush Country. Portions of Live Oak, Bee, Goliad, Refugio, Calhoun, Aransas, San Patricio, Kleberg, Jim Wells, and Duval counties. Drought Improved: Much of Webb County and southern half of Duval County. Precipitation Majority of South Texas received 25-75% of normal rainfall for the month of September, with the exception of Webb County, northeastern McMullen, and portions of the Victoria Crossroads near or slightly above normal rainfall. Most of South Texas received between 1-4” for the month of September but splotches of 4-6” fell over the Rio Grande Plains and Victoria Crossroads. South Texas Rainfall Temperature 7-Day max temperatures were consistently 3-6°F warmer than normal across South Texas. Max temperatures across the region were 1-6°F above normal over the span of September. Summary of Impacts Hydrologic Impacts Stage 3 water restrictions remain in effect despite above normal rainfall over the watershed. Local lake levels continue to decline overall. Currently, the combined storage levels of Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon are sitting at 12.3 percent as of October 6th compared to 13.2 percent one month prior. Under Stage 4 water restrictions, outdoor watering is prohibited, but no date has been announced for if or when they will kick in. However, homeowners can still water their foundations by hand once every other week. Stage 4 is implemented when city officials determine a water-supply emergency exists. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and said they will continue to keep the public informed as the drought conditions persist. Agricultural Impacts (https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/tag/texas-crop-and-weather-report/) Coastal Bend: Hot, dry conditions persisted with little measurable rain since July, leaving soil moisture very dry and pastures stressed. Scattered showers brought slight improvements, but subsoil moisture remained poor, and drought conditions were critical. All major crops were harvested. Cotton yields were excellent, and ginning continued at full pace. Rangeland and pasture conditions varied from poor to good, forcing many producers to start hay feeding earlier than usual. Livestock remained in good condition, though supplemental feeding was increasing and concerns about hay inventories were growing. Pecan producers were preparing orchards for harvest, and crop potential looked fair to good. South: Temperatures were moderate, with a few days under 100 degrees and early mornings dropping to 76. Small, random showers brought up to 2 inches of rain in some areas, but most areas still needed significant rainfall to replenish deeper soil moisture. Cotton was defoliated, and harvest was underway, while peanut and sesame growers continued watering. Forage and turf producers harvested grass, though production was slowing, with one more hay cutting expected. Vegetable producers were harvesting okra, and soil preparation for strawberries was underway. The row crop harvest was complete, and fields were being prepared for fall and winter, while awaiting moisture. Limited irrigation was observed on citrus and vegetable crops. Pastures and rangelands had withered during the drought, though some areas were beginning to green again. Beef cattle were in good condition despite limited forage, prompting increased supplementation with hay and protein. In ungrazed areas, standing forage posed a wildfire threat. Ranchers were culling harder and selling lighter-weight calves due to poor range conditions. Hay and feed were in high demand, with elevated prices. Deer were being supplemented. Wildlife thrived, with operations preparing for hunting season. Dove season started strong, turkey and deer seasons looked promising, and ranchers noted large deer populations. Wildlife were on the move. Summary of Impacts Fire Hazard Impacts None. Other Impacts Corpus Christi under stage 3 water restrictions (https://www.cctexas.com/) Portland under stage 3 water restrictions Laredo under stage 2 water restrictions (https://laredoutilities.com/water-conservation-program/) Alice under stage 3 water restrictions (https://www.cityofalice.org/_T19_R185.php) Mathis under stage 3 water restrictions (https://www.cityofmathis.com/213/Water-Restrictions) Rockport under stage 3 water restrictions (https://www.rockporttx.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3440) Victoria under stage 2 water restrictions (https://www.victoriatx.gov/civicalerts.aspx?aid=2001) Other South Texas communities under restrictions can be found here Mitigation Actions Please refer to your municipality and/or water provider for mitigation information. USGS 7-Day Avg Streamflow | Texas Reservoirs Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts Flows are mixed between normal and much below normal Normal streamflow for the San Antonio - Nueces River Basin Reservoir Pool Elevation (ft) Current Elevation (ft) Choke Canyon 220.5 182.88 Lake Corpus Christi 94.0 77.66 Lake Texana 44.0 40.58 Coleto Creek 98.0 96.01 Canyon Lake 909.0 891.27 Lake Amistad 1117.0 1057.49 Reservoir values as of September 5, 2025 Soil Moisture | Crop Moisture Agricultural Impacts Soil moisture is below normal across the region. Crop moisture index remains well below normal for portions of South Texas. Fire Hazard Impacts Burn Bans currently in effect for La Salle, Duval, Jim Wells, Nueces, San Patricio, and Goliad counties. Above Normal significant wildland fire potential outlook across South Texas for October. Normal for November. Seven Day Precipitation Forecast Up to 0.5” of rain is forecast over the next 7 days along the Coast, lesser amounts inland. Long-Range Outlooks The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage Leaning towards below-normal precipitation through the month of October. Leaning towards above-normal temperatures through the month of October. Drought Outlook The latest monthly and seasonal drought outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage Drought conditions are expected to persist or develop across South Texas through October. Drought conditions are expected to persist or develop across South Texas through the end of 2025.