With little to no rain into mid February, Severe (D2) to Extreme (D3) drought conditions persist across the Rio Grande Plains. Areal coverage of Extreme (D3) Drought expanded to include the majority of Zapata, Jim Hogg and Starr Counties. Severe (D2) drought expanded into the western portion of Hidalgo County. At the end of February, pasture managers began reporting the need for producers to graze or hay what is known as Conservation Resource Program land to take it out of crop production due to the drought, even under penalty.

Drought in BROOKS, TEXAS
From 11-FEB-20 00:00:00 to 29-FEB-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe (D2) drought conditions nosed into southwestern Brooks County on February 11th, and would expand to cover the western two-thirds of the county by the 18th, and continue through month's end. Lack of rainfall and low humidity, along with a number of crisp/chilly mornings and warm afternoons, helped worsen the conditions.

Drought in STARR, TEXAS
From 11-FEB-20 00:00:00 to 29-FEB-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme (D3) Drought conditions arrived in northwestern Starr County on February 11th, as Severe (D2) conditions spread across all but the southwestern corner due to prior rainfall impacts.  Those impacts would be erased by a series of dry cold fronts, and by month's end D2 conditions covered all of Starr outside of the D3 region. Pasture managers noted that Conservation Reserve Program land needed to be grazed or hayed due to the drought and keep it idle from any crop growth due to the drought impacts, by late February.

Drought in ZAPATA, TEXAS
From 11-FEB-20 00:00:00 to 29-FEB-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme (D3) Drought expanded to cover all but the northeast and southwest corner of Zapata County on February 11th, with Severe (D2) prevailing in these areas. These conditions remained through month's end. The culprit for the expansion and worsening drought was a combination of little to no rainfall, low to very low humidity, and warm afternoons and cool/crisp mornings.

Drought in NORTHERN HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS
From 11-FEB-20 00:00:00 to 29-FEB-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe (D2) Drought expanded into the western third or northern Hidalgo County on February 11th, eventually covering all of northern Hidalgo County by the 18th and continuing through month's end. According to the USDA Farm Service Extension Agent in Edinburg, pasture/crop managers were considering grazing/haying and taking a penalty, rather than planting dryland crops with the high threat of failure.

Drought in SOUTHERN HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS
From 11-FEB-20 00:00:00 to 29-FEB-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe (D2) Drought continued in the western half of southern Hidalgo County on February 11th, continuing through month's end. According to the USDA Farm Service Extension Agent in Edinburg, pasture/crop managers were considering grazing/haying and taking a penalty, rather than planting dryland crops with the high threat of failure.

Drought in JIM HOGG, TEXAS
From 11-FEB-20 00:00:00 to 29-FEB-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme (D3) Drought conditions arrived in southwestern Jim Hogg County on February 11th, as Severe (D2) conditions spread across all but the northeastern corner of the county on the 11th, then expanded to cover the remainder of the county by the 18th.  These conditions then continued through month's end.  The drought expansion was due a combination of little to no rainfall, low humidity, and a combination of warm afternoons and crisp cool mornings.