Rainfall associated with a series of upper level disturbances moving across Deep South Texas during the last week of May helped slow the rate of drought intensity across the region to close out the month.  Unfortunately, the rains were associated with strong to severe thunderstorms, which favored some areas while leaving others dry.  Brooks and Kenedy County would miss most of the activity until early June; storms on May 24th in Willacy into Cameron County would not be accounted for in reducing drought intensity until after June 1st.
Areas helped by the May 24th through 28th rains, combined with other rainfall on the 16th and 17th, including the western portion of the Rio Grande Valley and Rio Grande Plains.
Locations toward the coast, including Brooks and Kenedy County, would remain largely in Exceptional Drought (D4) status, while all other areas would be reduced to strong to extreme (D2 and D3) status.

Drought in HIDALGO, TEXAS
From 26-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Scattered on May 16th, some which dropped more than 2 inches across a western Hidalgo County, would help alleviate the Extreme drought conditions in western part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley by the final week of the month.  Other rounds of storms on the 24th, 27th, and 28th would help keep drought conditions under some control to close out the month. Conditions dropped to Severe (D2) across all but the extreme eastern portion of Hidalgo County, where levels remained Extreme (D3).

Drought in BROOKS, TEXAS
From 26-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Scattered thunderstorms on May 16th, some which dropped more than 2 inches across southern Brooks County, would help alleviate the Exceptional drought conditions in this area by the final week of the month.  Other rounds of storms on the 24th and 28th would help keep drought conditions under some control to close out the month. Still, antecedent bone dry soil values maintained Exceptional (D4) conditions across the north half of the county, with the south half dropping back to  Extreme (D3).

Drought in ZAPATA, TEXAS
From 26-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Scattered thunderstorms on May 16th would help alleviate the Extreme drought conditions in the western Rio Grande Valley and Rio Grande Plains by the final week of the month.  Additional, more numerous storms on May 28th would ensure that conditions would remain in the Severe (D2) drought category into early June.

Drought in STARR, TEXAS
From 26-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Scattered to numerous thunderstorms on May 16th, some which dropped more than 2 inches across a good part of Starr County, would help alleviate the Extreme drought conditions in the western Rio Grande Valley and Rio Grande Plains by the final week of the month.  Additional, more numerous storms on May 28th would ensure that conditions would remain in the Severe (D2) drought category across Starr County into early June.

Drought in COASTAL CAMERON, TEXAS
From 26-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Exceptional (D4) Drought conditions were noted on the Drought Monitor to close the end of May.  However, there was notable relief in the form of two significant thunderstorm clusters, one on the morning of May 17th and another during the early morning of May 24th, each which affected the Port Isabel through South Padre Island and Boca Chica area.  Additional rains reached the coastal zone on May 27th, mainly away from the barrier island.

Drought in COASTAL WILLACY, TEXAS
From 26-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Exceptional (D4) Drought conditions were noted on the Drought Monitor to close the end of May.  Notable relief that moved across coastal Cameron County did not stretch into Willacy County, on the mornings of May 17th and May 24th.  Some rain did fall during the afternoon of May 27th, but not enough to put any appreciable dent into the Exceptional conditions.

Drought in CAMERON, TEXAS
From 26-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Extreme to Exceptional Drought conditions continued across the eastern half of the Lower Rio Grande Valley into the end of May, despite pockets of torrential rains that helped alleviate extremely dry soil moisture values in some areas.  The additional rains did help reduce the drought intensity from Exceptional (D4) to Extreme (D3) across the western third of Cameron County, but Exceptional conditions continued elsewhere through the end of the month.

Drought in WILLACY, TEXAS
From 26-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Extreme to Exceptional Drought conditions continued across the eastern half of the Lower Rio Grande Valley into the end of May, despite pockets of torrential rains that helped alleviate extremely dry soil moisture values in some areas.  The additional rains did help reduce the drought intensity from Exceptional (D4) to Extreme (D3) across the western third of Willacy County, but Exceptional conditions continued elsewhere through the end of the month.