A series of cold fronts and upper level systems pushed across the region from the last ten days of the month. The cold front that pushed across the region on the 21st dropped temperatures below normal, while a series of weak upper level disturbances slid over the cooler air and ultimately dropped almost 2 inches of rain across portions of the Upper Valley, 1 to 1 �� inches across the Mid Valley, and �� inch to nearly an inch across the Lower Valley.  A stronger cold front swept across the Valley overnight on the 29th, and was followed by a strong upper level system. Strong atmospheric forcing produced an 18 hour period of steady, locally heavy rainfall on the 30th; calendar day records were set across the Valley with between 2 and 3 inches of soaking, bone chilling rain that left high standing water in fields across the region. Another batch of light to moderate rainfall would drop another �� to �� inch across the mid and upper Valley on New Year���s Eve Day. In all, between 3 and nearly 5 inches of rain fell across the entire Rio Grande Valley with 1 to 3 inches across the ranchlands during the final week of the year.

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

Significant rainfall during the last week of December allowed for improvement in drought conditions across Jim Hogg County. Great improvement was seen in drought conditions across Jim Hogg County, with Extreme (D3) drought conditions completely eliminated. Abnormally dry (D0) conditions spread south across the northern and northwestern county borders, while Moderate (D1) drought conditions were sandwiched between the D0 conditions and the Severe(D2) drought conditions across the southeastern corner of the county.

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

Significant rainfall during the last week of December allowed for improvement in drought conditions across Brooks County. Drought conditions improved greatly by the last day of December across Brooks County. Extreme (D3) drought conditions were eliminated from the county, with Severe (D2) drought conditions encompassing the SW quadrant of the county. Much of the remainder of the county was covered by Moderate (D1) drought conditions, with a stripe of dry (D0) conditions across the northern county border.

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

Significant rainfall during the last week of December allowed for improvement in drought conditions across Starr County by the end of December. Severe (D2) drought conditions were relegated to the NE corner of the county, while dry (D0) conditions returned to the western third of the county. The remainder of the county was covered by Moderate (D1) drought conditions.

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

Significant rainfall during the last week of December allowed for improvement in drought conditions across Hidalgo County. Severe (D2) drought conditions were shunted to the NW corner of the county, while the remainder of the western half of the county moved into Moderate (D1) drought conditions and the eastern half of the county saw only abnormally dry D(0) conditions.

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

Significant rainfall during the last week of December allowed for improvement in drought conditions across Coastal Willacy County. Severe (D2) drought conditions were replaced across those areas west of the Laguna Madre with Moderate (D1) drought conditions. Severe (D2) drought conditions were limited to South Padre Island.

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

Significant rainfall during the last week of December allowed for improvement in drought conditions across Coastal Cameron County. Severe (D2) drought conditions were limited to the southern half of the area, while Moderate (D1) drought conditions claimed the northern half.

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

Significant rainfall during the last week of December allowed for improvement in drought conditions across Kenedy County. Extreme (D3) drought conditions were completely eliminated from the county and Severe (D2) drought conditions were confined to the southeast corner of the county. The western county border and the Severe (D2) drought conditions were covered by Moderate (D1) drought conditions, while a stripe of Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions covered much of the middle of the county.