An early month heat wave, where temperatures were some 8 to 10 degrees higher than average, combined with low afternoon humidity, increasing sun angle, and strong winds wicking away any moisture allowed Drought to intensify across all of South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley.  The eastern third of the region moved into Exceptional Drought, while the west and southwest corner moved to Extreme Drought.  Stress was beginning to affect agriculture, including crops, pastures and grasslands - but enough irrigation from water stores was keeping commercial and larger farms in check.

Drought in KENEDY, TEXAS
From 12-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Hot, windy, dry weather combined with ample late spring sunshine to quickly move portions of Deep South Texas into a higher level of drought intensity.  Kenedy County moved to Exceptional (D4) Drought for the middle of May 2009.  Scattered storms during the last week of May were not enough to reduce intensity below Exceptional, which was the case elsewhere in Deep South Texas.

Drought in STARR, TEXAS
From 12-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 25-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Hot, windy, dry weather combined with ample late spring sunshine to quickly move portions of Deep South Texas into a higher level of drought intensity.  Starr County moved to Extreme (D3) Drought for the middle of May 2009.  These values would hold despite some welcome rains on the 16th, which dropped 2 to 3 inches in several locations, based on radar and ground truth.  It is possible that some areas reduced below Extreme Drought prior to the 25th, even though the change is not listed here.

Drought in JIM HOGG, TEXAS
From 12-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 18-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Hot, windy, dry weather combined with ample late spring sunshine to quickly move portions of Deep South Texas into a higher level of drought intensity.  All but the far southwest corner of Jim Hogg County moved to Exceptional (D4) Drought nto the middle of May 2009.  Some rains on the 16th and 17th would help pull the county back to Extreme Drought by the 19th.

Drought in HIDALGO, TEXAS
From 12-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 25-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Hot, windy, dry weather combined with ample late spring sunshine to quickly move portions of Deep South Texas into a higher level of drought intensity.  Western Hidalgo County moved to Extreme (D3) Drought for the middle of May 2009, remaining there until the final week of the month despite a one day break in the generally dry and breezy to windy pattern on the 16th, when locally heavy rains fell.

Drought in BROOKS, TEXAS
From 12-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 25-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Hot, windy, dry weather combined with ample late spring sunshine to quickly move portions of Deep South Texas into a higher level of drought intensity.  Brooks County moved to Exceptional (D4) Drought for the middle of May 2009.

Drought in COASTAL CAMERON, TEXAS
From 12-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 25-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Hot, windy, dry weather combined with ample late spring sunshine to quickly move most of the Lower Rio Grande Valley into a higher level of drought intensity.  All of Cameron County, including locations near the coast, moved from Extreme (D3) to Exceptional (D4) Drought for the middle of May 2009.

Drought in CAMERON, TEXAS
From 12-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 25-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Hot, windy, dry weather combined with ample late spring sunshine to quickly move most of the Lower Rio Grande Valley into a higher level of drought intensity.  Cameron County moved from Extreme (D3) to Exceptional (D4) Drought for the middle of May 2009.

Drought in ZAPATA, TEXAS
From 12-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 25-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Hot, windy, dry weather combined with ample late spring sunshine to quickly move portions of Deep South Texas into a higher level of drought intensity.  Zapata County moved to Extreme (D3) Drought for the middle of May 2009.  These values would hold despite some welcome rains on the 16th, which dropped 1 to 2 inches in several locations in the east and south portions of the county, based on radar and ground truth.  It is possible that some areas reduced below Extreme Drought prior to the 25th, even though the change is not listed here.

Drought in WILLACY, TEXAS
From 12-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 25-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Hot, windy, dry weather combined with ample late spring sunshine to quickly move most of the Lower Rio Grande Valley into a higher level of drought intensity.  Willacy County moved from Extreme (D3) to Exceptional (D4) Drought for the middle of May 2009.

Drought in COASTAL WILLACY, TEXAS
From 12-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 25-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Hot, windy, dry weather combined with ample late spring sunshine to quickly move most of the Lower Rio Grande Valley into a higher level of drought intensity.  All of Willacy County, including locations near the coast, moved from Extreme (D3) to Exceptional (D4) Drought for the middle of May 2009.

Drought in HIDALGO, TEXAS
From 12-MAY-09 00:00:00 to 25-MAY-09 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Hot, windy, dry weather combined with ample late spring sunshine to quickly move most of the Lower Rio Grande Valley into a higher level of drought intensity.  The north and east portion of Hidalgo County moved from Extreme (D3) to Exceptional (D4) Drought for the middle of May 2009.