The second half of February wrapped up drier than it started, with drought conditions escalating across all of Deep South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley.  Along with the below normal rainfall, a series of very dry and extremely windy cold fronts helped to worsen the drought conditions over the region. Monthly average temperatures over the region were also well above normal.  Across the Lower and Mid Valley, monthly averages finished between 4.1 and 4.8 above the 1981-2010 average, and ranked among the top ten warmest all-time for all available locations except Harlingen.

Drought in COASTAL CAMERON, TEXAS
From 19-FEB-13 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The second half of February continued in the same dry footsteps that the first half took. The lack of rainfall allowed drought conditions to deteriorate across the southern half of coastal Cameron county by the 19th of the month.  All of coastal Cameron county slid into Extreme (D3) Drought.

Drought in JIM HOGG, TEXAS
From 19-FEB-13 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The second half of February continued dry across Jim Hogg county, with only 0.02 inches of precipitation recorded on February 20th.  By the 19th, drought conditions intensified across Jim Hogg County as Extreme (D3) Drought conditions slid west across the county. Nearly all of the county was in Extreme (D3) Drought, except for a sliver along the southern border, which remained in severe (D2) drought conditions until the 26th. Extreme (D3) Drought covered the entire county by month's end.

Drought in CAMERON, TEXAS
From 19-FEB-13 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Only a trace of rain was reported during the last half of the month, allowing drought conditions to intensify further across Cameron County. By February 19th, drought conditions intensified across far eastern Cameron county, with the easternmost third entering into Extreme (D3) Drought conditions, the middle third remaining in Severe (D2) Drought, and the far western third remaining in Extreme (D3) Drought by month's end.

Drought in COASTAL WILLACY, TEXAS
From 19-FEB-13 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The second half of February continued in the same dry footsteps that the first half took. The lack of rainfall allowed drought conditions to deteriorate across the southern half of coastal Willacy county by the 19th of the month.  All of coastal Willacy County became entrenched in Extreme (D3) Drought conditions.

Drought in WILLACY, TEXAS
From 19-FEB-13 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The second half of February proved to be drier than the first and as a result, drought conditions intensified in Willacy county. The southeastern corner of the county previously in Severe (D2) Drought conditions slid into Extreme (D3) Drought conditions by the 19th. The majority of the county reached Extreme (D3) Drought conditions, with a sliver of Exceptional (D4) Drought along the western border.

Drought in STARR, TEXAS
From 19-FEB-13 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The second half of February continued dry across Starr county.  By February 26th, Extreme (D3) Drought conditions continued to spread across Starr County, leaving only the western half of the county in Severe (D2) Drought which remained through the end of the month.

Drought in ZAPATA, TEXAS
From 19-FEB-13 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The second half of February proved to be very dry across Zapata county and as a result drought conditions intensified across the county. By the 19th, the southern half of the county had entered into Extreme (D3) Drought conditions from Severe (D2) Drought conditions.  By the 26th of the month, drought conditions had intensified across northern Zapata county, where areas previously in Moderate (D1) Drought conditions became Severe (D2).