Mostly hot and dry conditions dominated much of the Rio Grande Valley and Deep South Texas during the first half of July. However, the region saw a few periods of rainfall, thanks to a weak disturbance near the coast on the 7th and the 8th and a broader trough of low pressure that moved from the Mid-Atlantic region on the 11th and southwest across the country during the following week. Coastal communities in Cameron County received some rainfall on the 6th and 7th, and after a ���jump��� inland, due to the sea breeze, some of Hidalgo County along and just east of Highway 281 got a break in the dry weather as well. Steadier rainfall occurred as the upper low reached into southwest Texas from the Lower Gulf waters, into the eastern half of Cameron, extending north through eastern Willacy then bending northwest towards Falfurrias. Unfortunately, these mid-July rains pushed cloud cover into the mid and upper Valley, which stabilized the atmosphere and left most areas west of Highway 77 dry. Despite rainfall falling over some areas of the Rio Grande River and Deep South Texas, worsening drought conditions returned to the area, with Severe drought conditions reemerging in Zapata County and Exceptional drought conditions returning along the coast.

Drought in COASTAL WILLACY, TEXAS
From 02-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 22-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Despite some rainfall during the first half of the month, drought conditions worsened across Coastal Willacy County. Exceptional (D4) drought conditions once again returned to encompass the entire area on July 2nd and would continue until the 22nd.

Drought in ZAPATA, TEXAS
From 02-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 22-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Hot temperatures and a general lack of widespread and heavy rainfall led to drought conditions worsening across Zapata County during the first half of July. Severe (D2) drought conditions engulfed the county once again by the 16th, completely eliminating the Moderate (D1) drought conditions that had covered all but the northern third of the county beginning July 2nd.

Drought in CAMERON, TEXAS
From 02-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 22-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Despite some rainfall during the first half of the month, drought conditions worsened across the eastern half of Cameron County. Exceptional (D4) drought conditions once again returned to the eastern half of inland Cameron County, while Extreme (D3) drought conditions remained draped across the western half of Cameron County. Scattered showers and storms between the 16th and 20th would improve conditions to close the month.

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

Despite some rainfall during the first half of the month, drought conditions continued to plague inland Willacy County in July. Extreme (D3) Drought dominated the month, except a sliver of Exceptional (D4) developed toward the coastal regions on the 2nd and continued through the 22nd. Rainfall near the coast between the 16th and 20th returned Extreme (D3) Drought back to the areas toward the coast to finish the month.

Drought in JIM HOGG, TEXAS
From 02-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Hot temperatures and a general lack of widespread and heavy rainfall led to drought conditions worsening across Jim Hogg County during the first half of July. Extreme (D3) drought conditions began to enter the picture once again for Jim Hogg County and Moderate (D1) drought conditions were eliminated from the county on July 2nd.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions covered all but the northeast portion of the ocunty, where Extreme (D3) Drought returned.  The Extreme Drought conditions would spread across all but the western quarter of the county on July 23rd with hot dry conditions dominating most of the area to close out the month.

Drought in COASTAL CAMERON, TEXAS
From 02-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 22-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Despite some rainfall during the first half of the month, drought conditions worsened across Coastal Cameron County through the 22nd of July. Exceptional (D4) drought conditions once again returned to encompass the entire area.

Drought in BROOKS, TEXAS
From 02-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought conditions across Brooks County worsened during the first half of July due to heat and a general lack of widespread and heavy rainfall. Extreme (D3) drought conditions spread further west across the county, to encompass almost the entire county, except for a sliver of Severe (D2) drought conditions along the far northern county border and a small area in the far southwestern corner of the county. Lack of rainfall and above normal temperatures toward month's end brought all areas of the county to Extreme (D3) conditions.

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

Hot temperatures and a general lack of widespread and heavy rainfall led to drought conditions gradually worsening across Starr County during July. The county remained split between Severe, Extreme, and Exceptional drought conditions. The far southeastern corner of the county experienced Exceptional (D4) drought conditions, the middle third of the county was entrenched in Extreme (D3) drought conditions early, which spread to all but the western quarter of the county by the 22nd, which remained in Severe (D2) drought - held up by periodic rain between the 16th and 20th.

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

A general lack of rainfall allowed for Exceptional (D4) drought conditions to spread further east across Hidalgo County, resulting in a huge swath of the county from the southwest corner of the county east to near Weslaco to just south of Linn-San Manuel. The remainder of the county remained in Extreme (D3) drought conditions.

Drought in KENEDY, TEXAS
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 22-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme to exceptional drought conditions spanned Kenedy County through the first half of July.  Exceptional (D4) drought conditions spread further south across eastern Kenedy County, resulting in the eastern half of the county experiencing Exceptional (D4) drought conditions, while the western half of the county remained ensconced in Extreme (D3) drought conditions.