The month of July brought multiple chances for precipitation, but the scattered nature of storms kept drought relief limited. Amarillo recorded 1.86 inches of precipitation for the month (0.98 below normal), Dalhart recorded 1.53 inches of precipitation (1.26 inches below normal), and Borger recorded 2.19 inches of precipitation (0.43 inches below normal). This July ranked as the 37th coolest and the 25th wettest July for the Texas High Plains region. Drought conditions across the Texas Panhandle showed minor improvement across the southern portion of the Texas Panhandle while the remainder stayed relatively steady state as according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Exceptional (D4) drought persists across the northwestern Texas Panhandle with Extreme (D3) drought affecting the northeastern Texas Panhandle. Severe (D2) drought affects the southern Texas Panhandle.
The southern Texas Panhandle showed the greatest improvement in upper zone soil moisture. In this area, the upper zones showed from neutral to greater than 40 percent full. The northern portion of the Texas Panhandle ranged from extreme dry to moderately dry except for a few isolated areas near the center of area. While this provided some short term relief, the deeper soil moisture remains dry. With that said the short term relief came at the optimum time for farmers with crops in peak water demand phases. Dryland crops showed signs of improvement and irrigated fields were able to reduce the amount of supplemental watering. However, rangeland remains in poor conditions as observed by the Texas Crop and Weather Report. Countywide burn bans remain in effect for all of the Texas Panhandle except for Dallam, Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Hartley, Moore, Roberts, Potter, Wheeler, and Armstrong.
Reservoirs and stream flows across the Panhandles range from below to above normal levels. The reservoirs of Palo Duro and Greenbelt Lake are both below 15 percent capacity with Lake Meredith at zero percent capacity. Water watches for several public water systems persisted through July while voluntary to mandatory mild water restrictions have been enacted.
Economic losses due to the drought through July were estimated near $5 million (D2)/$10 million (D3)/$15 million (D4) a county, and were predominately the result for poor growth of corn and cotton, moderate supplemental watering, reduction of cattle herd sizes, and supplemental feed for cattle in pastures and rangeland.

Drought in POTTER, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 5.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in RANDALL, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 5.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in CARSON, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 5.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in ARMSTRONG, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 5.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in GRAY, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 5.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in DONLEY, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 5.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in WHEELER, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 5.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in COLLINGSWORTH, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 5.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in DALLAM, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 10.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in HARTLEY, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 10.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in SHERMAN, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 10.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in MOORE, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 10.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in OCHILTREE, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 7.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in LIPSCOMB, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 7.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in HEMPHILL, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 7.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in ROBERTS, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 7.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in HANSFORD, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 5.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in HUTCHINSON, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 5.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in OLDHAM, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 5.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought rating for the month of July.

Drought in DEAF SMITH, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 5.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought rating for the month of July.