Areas across the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles saw drought conditions worsening going into the month of October as September was very dry. These conditions continued to degrade across the combined Panhandles going into late October with no new rainfall during the first three weeks of the month.  Soil conditions were very poor to poor. Some farmers were waiting for some rain to plant winter wheat while others planted hoping for the moisture to come eventually. The Panhandles needed some soil moisture badly in order for winter crops to emerge and grow. The saving grace for these crops was a late month early winter event that provided moisture in the form of rain, sleet, freezing rain, and snow. This late month event did help some areas see a one category improvement in the US Drought Monitor by the end of the month. Ranchers were still being impacted by very poor to poor pasture and rangeland conditions.

Drought in GRAY, TEXAS
From 01-OCT-20 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Gray County started the month of October with roughtly 70 percent of the area experiencing severe drought (D2) conditions. With no precipitation within the first few weeks of the month the rest of the county slowly started to slip into severe drought, while a small area in the northwestern portion of the county started to see extreme drought (D3) conditions. An early winter storm  during the last week of the month dropped much needed moisture in the form of sleet, freezing rain, and snow. This improved the areas of severe drought to moderate drought, and the area of extreme drought to severe drought by the time the month came to an end.

Drought in DEAF SMITH, TEXAS
From 01-OCT-20 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Deaf Smith County continued to be one of the hardest hit places in the Texas Panhandle  for drought impacts. The county still remained in a 6 to 12 inch rainfall deficit year to date. Deaf Smith started out with a third of the southern portion of the county in exceptional drought (D4) conditions. The rest of the county was generally in extreme drought (D3) or severe drought (D2). An early winter storm dropped some moisture in the form of sleet, freezing rain, and snow during the last few days of the month. Though some areas of the county ended the month with some improvement, the majority of the county still remains in at the very least severe drought with some of the south still in extreme to exceptional drought.

Drought in RANDALL COUNTY, TEXAS
From 01-OCT-20 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Randall County started the month with two thirds of the area in extreme drought (D3) and the other third in severe drought (D2).   A very small portion of the southwestern corner of the county was in exceptional drought (D4) status.  An early winter storm in during the last few days of the month dropped much needed moisture in the form of sleet, freezing rain, and snow. The entire county saw at least a one category improvement from this event just before the month ended.

Drought in ARMSTRONG, TEXAS
From 01-OCT-20 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

One fourth to one third of the county started out in severe drought (D2) conditions. By October 20th the entire county was classified in severe drought.  An early winter storm in during the last few days of the month dropped much needed moisture in the form of sleet, freezing rain, and snow.  Right as the month was ending, all areas in the county saw at least a one category improvement.

Drought in COLLINGSWORTH, TEXAS
From 01-OCT-20 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Collingsworth County started out the month with the far southeast corner in extreme drought (D3), with an area of severe drougth (D2) surrounding this area. The rest of the county was in moderate drought (D1) but gradually surcumbed to severe drought. The area of extreme drought grew northward along the eastern edge of the county as well.  An early winter storm during the last few days of the month dropped much needed moisture in the form of sleet, freezing rain, and snow. By the end of the month some of the northern and western edges of the county improved to moderate drought. The extreme drought in the county was isolated to the far southeastern corner of the county.