Dry conditions continued since August of 2021 with only a few isolated events bringing minimal precipitation to the combined Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles. Soil moisture remained short to very short with supplemental feeding required for cattle with bare pastures. Other concerns for ranchers was the threat of wildfires. Tillage and winter wheat needed irrigation in order to thrive. These drought conditions contributed to multiple wildfires when combined with high wind days and low relative humidity. Across the combined Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles, a total of 51082 acres were burned with 35 structures and 11 vehicles lost due to the fires.

Drought in OCHILTREE, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Ochiltree County started the month in extreme (D3) drought. By mid month the entire county fell into exceptional (D4) drought. A late month storm system helped the county improve back to extreme drought by the 22nd. Northern portions of the county remained in a 4 to 10 deficit over the past 365 days. The rest of the county remained in a 4 to 6 deficit over the past 365 days.

Drought in HUTCHINSON, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Hutchinson County started the month in extreme (D3) drought conditions. By the end of the first week the entire county fell into exceptional (D4) drought conditions. A late month snow storm brough some needed relief and brought at least one categorical improvement to all but the far northwest corner of the county. The far southeast corner of the county improved two categorical improvements back to severe (D2) drought. The county remained in a 2 to 6 deficit going back 365 days. The drought conditions also contributed to a wildfire that burned 1500 acres on the 29th.

Drought in DONLEY, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Donley County started the month in extreme (D3) drought with the exception of the far southwest corner that was in severe (D2) drought to start the month. By the end of the first week the northwest corner of the county was in exceptional (D4) drought while the rest of the county was in extreme drought.  A storm system moved through the area during the 21st to the 22nd where much of the county received 1 to 2. The exception was the far southeast corner that received less than an inch which remained in extreme drought at the end of the month. The rest of the county improved to severe (D2) drought.

Drought in HANSFORD, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Hansford County started the month in extreme (D3) drought. By the end of the first week the the entire county slipped into exceptional (D4) drought as dry conditions continued. A late month snow storm  brought some relief to the eastern half to two thirds of the county. This was just enough to improve eastern portions of the county back to extreme drought. Western portions remained in a 4 to 12 deficit over the past 365 days while eastern portions of the county remained in a 2 to 6 deficit over the past 365 days.

Drought in COLLINGSWORTH, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Collingsworth County started the month in extreme (D3) drought conditions. By the end of the first week conditions in the far southeast worsened and fell into exceptional (D4) drought. The storm system that moved through the 21st to 22nd only really brought significant amounts of water to the northwestern third of the county. This portion was able to improve to severe (D2) drought while the southeast stayed in the respective extreme to exceptional drought categories. The county ended the month with a 4 to 12 deficit dating back 365 days.

Drought in LIPSCOMB, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Lipscomb County started the month out in extreme (D3) drought. By mid month all but the northwest corner of the county had degraded into exceptional (D4) drought. A late month snow storm helped the county finish the month with the western third in extreme drought while the eastern two thirds finished the month in severe (D2) drought.  The county remained in a 4 to 8 deficit over the past 365 days.

Drought in HARTLEY, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Hartley County started and finished the month of March classified in extreme (D3) drought. A small amount of moisture fell during the month, but only enough to keep the county from falling into exceptional (D4) drought. The county remained in a 2 to 8 deficit from the end of the month back 365 days as soil conditions remained very dry.

Drought in MOORE, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Moore County started the month in extreme (D3) drought conditions. By the end of the first week the northeast two thirds of the county slipped into exceptional (D4) drought. A late month snow storm only improved the far southeast corner of the county back into extreme drought.  The county remained in a 4 to 8 deficit over the past 365 days.

Drought in OLDHAM, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Oldham County started the month in extreme (D3) drought conditions. During the third week a storm system moved through improving the south to southeast two thirds of county and ending the month in severe (D2) drought. The county ended the month in 4 to 6 deficit dating back 365 days.

Drought in POTTER, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Potter County started the month in extreme (D3) drought conditions. By the end of the first week the far eastern third of the county slipped into exceptional (D4) drought. During the third week a storm system brought some much needed rain to the area improving most of the county to severe (D2) drought conditions for the end of the month.  By the end of the month the county remained in a 4 to 6 deficit dating back 365 days. Drought conditions contributed to a wildfire that burned 1167 acres from the 3rd through the 6th.

Drought in DALLAM, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Dallam County started the month in extreme (D3) drought. By the end of the first week the northeast quarter of the county fell into exceptional (D4) drought. Although some precipitation was received in portions of the county during the month, the county remained in D3 to D4 through the end of the month as a 4���- 6��� deficit going back 365 days continued.

Drought in WHEELER, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Wheeler County started the month in extreme (D3) drought conditions. Halfway through the month of the northeastern third of the county fell into exceptional (D4) drought status. By the end of the third week the a storm system brought 1 to 2 of precipitation on the 21st to 22nd. This helped the county end the month in severe (D2) drought for all but the far southeast corner of the county that remained in extreme drought. Despite the improvements the county remained in a 4 to 6 deficit dating back 365 days.

Drought in CARSON, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Carson County started the month in extreme (D3) drought. By the end of the first week the entire county slipped into exceptional (D4) drought due to prolong periods with no precipitation. A storm system that moved through by the beginning of the third week brough some much needed precipitation. Many places received  an inch to 2 plus on the 21st through the 22nd. This improved the county out of exceptional drought status and into severe (D2) drought status to end the month. Despite this event, the county remained in a 4 to 6 deficit dating back 365 days. Drought conditions contributed a a wildfire that burned 363 acres on the 28th.

Drought in GRAY, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Gray County started the month in extreme (D3) drought. By the end of the first week the western half to two thirds of the county fell into exceptional drought. A storm system brought much needed precipitation the 21st into the 22nd with many places across the county receiving an inch to 2 of precipitation. This allowed the county to end the month in severe (D2) status. Despite this relief the county remained in a 4 to 6 deficit dating back 365 days. The drought conditions also contributed to a wildfire that burned 984 acres from March 31st to April 1st.

Drought in SHERMAN, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Sherman County started the month of March in extreme (D3) drought. By the end of the first week the continuing dry conditions led to almost the entire county degrading into exceptional (D4) drought. Many locations across the county only received a 0.1 to 0.2 of moisture during the month leading to a continuation of a 4 to 12 deficit over the past 365 days.

Drought in ROBERTS, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Roberts County started out in extreme (D3) drought. By the end of the first week the western half to two thirds of the county degraded into exceptional (D4) drought. A late month snow storm helped improve conditions a bit with  the northwest half of the county ended the month in extreme drought while the southeast half of the county ended the month in severe (D2) drought. The county remained in a 4 to 6 defecit dating back 365 days. Drought conditions contributed to a wildfire that burned 39,568 acres that started on March 29th and ended on April 2nd. Several structures were lost in this fire.

Drought in HEMPHILL, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Hemphill County started the month in extreme (D3) drought conditions. Two weeks in and all but the far southwest degraded into exceptional (D3) drought conditions. Late in the third week a snow storm brought some much needed moisture with all but the northwest corner of the county improving and ending the month in severe (D2) drought conditions. The county remained in the a 4 to 6 deficit going back 365 days. Drought conditions contributed to a wildfire that burned 7500 acres on the 29th.

Drought in DEAF SMITH, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Deaf Smith County started the month in extreme (D3) drought conditions. Most of the county remained in extreme drought by the end of the month with many areas only receiving 0.25 to 0.5 of precipitation during the month. The northwestern and northeastern corner of the county received closer to 0.75 to 1 allowing for these isolated areas of the county to improve to severe (D2) drought status by the end of the month.

Drought in RANDALL COUNTY, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Randall County started the month with the western and northern portions in extreme (D3) drought conditions with the rest of the central to southeastern areas in severe (D2) drought. After the first week the entire area in severe drought degraded into extreme drought. The far northeastern corner even slipped into exceptional (D4) drought.  A storm system moved through the 21st to the 22nd bringing some much needed moisture. The northeastern half received the most rain, anywhere from 0.5 to 1 of precipitation. All in all the entire county was able to improve one category into severe (D2) drought. Despite the relief the county remained in a 4 to 6 deficit dating back 365 days.

Drought in ARMSTRONG, TEXAS
From 01-MAR-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAR-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Armstrong County started the month with the northern third to half of the county in extreme (D3) drought conditions while the rest of the southern county was in severe (D2) drought. By the end of the first week the areas of extreme drought slipped into exceptional (D4) drought while the areas of severe drought slipped into extreme drought.  A storm system in moved through during the 21st to 22nd. This system brought 1 to just above 2 for much of the area. This brought the entire county back into severe drought conditions to end the month. Despite the precipitation the county remained in a 4 to 6 deficit dating back 365 days.