Drought Information Statement for Southeast TX and Southwest LA
Valid October 17, 2024
Issued By: WFO Lake Charles, LA
Contact Information: 
This product will be updated October 24, 2024 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/LCH/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. 
Please visit https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/ for regional drought status updates.
Severe drought has evolved across portions of SW Louisiana and SE Texas


U.S. Drought Monitor

Drought Intensity and Extent
D2 (Severe Drought): Portions of Allen, Acadia, Jefferson Davis, Cameron, Calcasieu, and Beauregard Parishes. Portions of Newton, Jasper, Hardin, Orange, and Jefferson Counties. 

D1 (Moderate Drought): Portions of St. Landry, Evangeline, Rapides, Vernon, Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Vermillion, Cameron, and Calcasieu Parishes. Portions of Newton, Jasper, Hardin, and Jefferson Counties. 

D0: (Abnormally Dry): Portions of Avoyelles, Rapides, Vernon, Beauregard, Evangeline, St. Landry, Acadia, Vermillion, Lafayette, St. Martin, Iberia, and Cameron Parishes. Portions of Newton, Jasper, Tyler, Hardin, and Jefferson Counties. 


Recent Change in Drought Intensity
One Week Drought Monitor Class Change. 

Drought Worsened: Portions of Vernon, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Acadia, Avoyelles, and St. Landry Parishes. Orange, Hardin, and portions of Tyler, Newton, Jasper, and Jefferson Counties. 
 
No Change: St. Mary, Iberia, St. Martin, Vermillion, Lafayette, Rapides, Evangeline, and portions of St Landry, Acadia, Jefferson Davis, Allen, and Vernon Parishes. Portions of Jefferson, Tyler, Newton, and Jasper Counties.


Precipitation

Roughly 0.01 to 1.5 inches of rain has fallen over  southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas over the past 30 days.
 
These amounts are roughly 0-25 percent of normal (with isolated areas receiving closer to 25-50 percent of normal). Therefore, the entire region has seen below normal precipitation over the last 30 days. 


Summary of Impacts

Hydrologic Impacts 
There are no known impacts at this time

Agricultural Impacts
There are no known impacts at this time

Fire Hazard Impacts
Burn bans are in place for Vernon, Rapides, Allen, Evangeline, St. Landry, Acadia, Jefferson Davis, and Calcasieu Parishes, as well as Newton, Jasper, Tyler, Hardin, Orange, and Jefferson Counties. 

Mitigation Actions
Please refer to your municipality and/or water provider for mitigation information.


Soil Moisture and Drought Severity Index by Ag Division

Agricultural Impacts
Soil moisture is largely near normal across the area, apart from a couple of isolated spots. However, the Crop Moisture Index is Excessively to Abnormally Dry for much of the region (excluding lower Acadiana)  


Seven Day Precipitation Forecast
Dry weather is expected to persist across the entire region through at least the next week, with no rainfall anticipated. Therefore, no improvement in the drought conditions are expected.


Long-Range Outlooks
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage 
There is roughly a 30-40% chance that the trend of below normal precipitation will continue through the end of the year for the entire region.

There is a 40-50% chance of above normal temperatures continuing across the entire region through the end of the year. 


Drought Outlook
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
Drought conditions are expected to persist across lower SE TX and SW LA through the next 3 months. 
Drought conditions are expected to develop across the remainder of the region over the next 3 months.