2010–2013 Southern United States and Mexico drought

Severe to extreme drought in the Southern United States and large parts of Mexico July 2019 July 2019 February 2025 thumb|300px|This visualization shows how the drought developed in the U.S. in 2010, 2011, and 2012. thumb|Dried up lake in Oklahoma as a result of the drought The 2010–2013 Southern United States and Mexico drought was a severe to extreme drought that plagued the Southern United States, including parts of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, and Oklahoma; the Southwestern States,Daniel Matt 2012-05-11 EarthSky Drought in parts of the United States 2012 https://earthsky.org/earth/drought-in-parts-of-the-united-states-2012/ 2026-07-29 en-US including Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona; as well as large parts of Mexico, in a three-year pattern from 2010 to 2013. The worst effects were in Texas, which experienced the brunt of the drought and its driest August–July (12-month) period on record from 2010 to 2011. The dry spell in May 2011 was also said to be the worst period of drought in Texas since 1895.Pack, William (June 8, 2011) Drought rated as Texas' 3rd worst San Antonio Express-News The U.S. Drought Monitor reported that Lubbock, Texas, has experienced the nation's worst average level of drought since the beginning of 2011. McAllen, Harlingen, Brownsville and Corpus Christi also ranked among the nine U.S. cities most affected by extreme drought.Combs, Susan (2012) Texas Water Report: Going Deeper for the Solution https://web.archive.org/web/20140222144253/http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/water/96-1746.pdf 2014-02-22 Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Retrieved 2/11/14. The drought in Texas caused an estimated $7.62 billion in crop and livestock losses, surpassing the previous record loss of $4.1 billion set in 2006.Fannin, Blair (March 21, 2012) Updated 2011 Texas agricultural drought losses total $7.62 billion AgriLife History Southwestern North American megadrought October 2018 The drought began due to a strong La Niña developing by the summer of 2010 which brings below average rainfall to the southern United States. The effects of the La Niña could be noticed immediately as much of the south receives important rainfall during the summer, and this was the driest summer for Texas and Georgia in the 21st century thus far, and much of the south received record low rainfall. Throughout 2011, the drought was confined to the Deep South as the mid-south received flooding due to severe weather and tornadoes. However, the drought continued and intensified in the Deep South as Texas saw 2011 become its second-driest year on record, Oklahoma saw its fourth-driest, and Georgia saw its seventh-driest year on record. The winter of 2011–12 was one of the driest winters on record for the eastern and central United States. In the spring of 2012, the drought made a massive expansion from the Deep South to the Midwest, Mid-south, Great Plains, and Ohio valley. At its peak in August 2012 the drought covered approximately 81% of the United States. Throughout the winter of 2012–13, heavy rain and snow brought relief to the drought in the southern and eastern United States, even causing severe flooding. By March 2013, the eastern United States was drought-free, effectively ending the 2010–13 southern U.S. drought. Drought continued on the Great Plains until 2014. However, drought developed in the western United States in 2013 and still exists today in some areas. Effects thumb|The drought dried up most of Central Texas water ways. This boat was left to sit in the middle of what is normally a branch of Lake Travis, part of the Colorado River. The drought caused severe lack of water in the southern plains and Rocky Mountains as well as numerous wildfires, Perrenot, Christine April 24, 2011 http://www.thebatt.com/news/texas-drought-causes-wildfires-1.2190415 Texas drought causes wildfires The Battalion Texas A&M 2014-03-03 2013-02-04 https://archive.today/20130204200521/http://www.thebatt.com/news/texas-drought-causes-wildfires-1.2190415 dead in particular the 2011 Texas wildfires, the Wallow Fire and Horseshoe 2 Fire in Arizona, the Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire and Little Bear Fire in New Mexico, and the 2012 Colorado wildfires in Colorado.September 2011 Mexico also saw serious impact from the drought which decimated crops, killed over a million cattle, and stressed local water and food supplies. The drought has been described as the worst seen in the country in 70 years.Torres, Noe https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-drought-idUSTRE7AO18Q20111125 Mexican farmers suffer worst drought in 70 years Reuters November 25, 2011 2015-03-08Chavez, Ricardo Associated Press http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/02/north-mexico-drought_n_1126006.html North Mexico Drought Worst On Record Huffington Post 2012-01-01 2015-03-08 2011-12-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20111204075241/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/02/north-mexico-drought_n_1126006.html bot: unknown By the end of August 2011, a ban on outdoor burning was in effect for 251 of the 254 Texas counties. Lake levels in Texas had declined vastly, some by as much as 50 feet; E.V. Spence Reservoir dropped below 1% capacity in July 2011. This revealed various previously submerged items, ranging from a Native American's skull to a Space Shuttle Columbia tank.Fernandez, Manny https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/30/us/texas-drought-is-revealing-secrets-of-the-deep.html As Water Levels Drop, Texas Drought Reveals Secrets of the Deep The New York Times November 29, 2011 February 3, 2012 March 27, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230327214155/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/30/us/texas-drought-is-revealing-secrets-of-the-deep.html bot: unknown On August 30, several homes in Oklahoma City were destroyed along with 1,500 wooded acres. Hundreds of homes had to be evacuated.Marsh Wendell No relief in sight for Texas heat and drought https://www.reuters.com/article/us-weather-idUSTRE7745CG20110805 13 January 2013 Reuters 5 August 2011 The drought had a detrimental effect on Texas and Oklahoma cattle ranches, who deeply culled their herds and helped cut the national cattle population to the lowest level in decades.Peters, Mark; Eckblad, Marshall (February 11, 2012)Where's the Beef? Less of It in Texas The Wall Street Journal 2012 spring rainfall improved conditions in many parts of Texas and by April 12, 2012, only 14% of the state was in "exceptional" drought, compared to 88% at the drought's peak.http://www.texasdroughtinfo.org/PDFs/DTSC4_12.pdf Texas Drought Technology Steering Committee Drought Steering Committee Presentation April 12, 2012 June 11, 2012 December 10, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131210001810/http://texasdroughtinfo.org/PDFs/DTSC4_12.pdf dead thumb|left|400px|United States Drought Monitor on January 3 and July 3, 2012. Note the massive expansion from the South to most of the US. In spring and summer of 2012, the drought expanded and formed the 2012 North American drought, affecting more than 80% of the contiguous United States.Rice, Doyle (April 14, 2012) Drought expands throughout USA USA Today In late summer of 2012, the drought eased in portions of the southern US, but continued to intensify in the central US. August 2012 In Texas thumb|Every week of 2011 Texas drought thumb|A map of the Texas drought on October 4, 2011, when it was at its worst. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a joint effort of the National Drought Mitigation Center, the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as of late November 2012, about 4 percent of Texas remained in "extreme" or "exceptional" drought, the two most severe categories.Texas Water Report: Going Deeper for the Solution https://web.archive.org/web/20140222144253/http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/water/96-1746.pdf 2014-02-22 Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Retrieved 2/10/14. The drought caused billions of dollars in losses throughout the state economy. Farmers and ranchers were among those hardest hit. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service estimates that Texas agricultural producers lost nearly $7.6 billion due to the drought. Drought and unprecedented heat made 2011 the worst year for wildfires in Texas history. From Nov. 15, 2010 through Sept. 29, 2011, Texas saw 23,835 fires that burned more than 3.8 million acres and destroyed 2,763 Texas homes.http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/drought/drought2011.php The Impact of the 2011 Drought and Beyond 2014-02-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20140222144813/http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/drought/drought2011.php 2014-02-22 dead Timber lost to drought and wildfire could have produced $1.6 billion worth of products, resulting in a $3.4 billion economic impact in East Texas. See also 2012–13 North American drought 2010 Northern Hemisphere summer Days of Prayer for Rain in the State of Texas 2011 North American heat wave Summer 2012 North American heat wave 2012 Colorado wildfires 2012 Oklahoma wildfires Global warming Desertification La Niña References External links March 2016 Freshwater lakes in Texas show signs of extreme drought Drought conditions and high winds lead to wildfires in Texas Report indicates Texas state parks still suffering Heavy rains welcomed in Texas Drought Cripples the South: Why the 'Creeping Disaster' Could Get a Whole Lot Worse by Bryan Walsh, August 9, 2011, on Time Drought-fueled wildfires burn out of control in Texas by Andrew Freedman in The Washington Post September 6, 2011. Analysts: Southwestern US Drought Might Raise Global Food Prices by Greg Flakus September 8, 2011 Crews battle wildfires amid severe Texas drought; 'It was unbelievable, just horrific. There were horses on fire, buildings on fire' April 12, 2011 Associated Press Category:Meteorological events in the 2010s Southern United States Southern United States Southern United States Southern United States Drought Drought Drought Drought Category:Droughts in the United States Category:History of the Southern United States Category:Droughts in North America Category:Natural disasters in Mexico Category:Articles containing video clips