Long term drought conditions continued to keep rangelands grassless putting a strain on ranchers, which have been forced to supplement feed or sell off cattle. Soil moisture continued to be short to very short for portions of the combined Panhandles through October. These soil conditions slowed the planting of winter wheat for some areas in the more extreme to exceptional drought conditions.

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

The far western quarter to third of the county started the month of October in Extreme Drought (D3) conditions. The rest of the county started the month off with Severe Drought (D2) conditions. With in the first week D3 conditions spread across much of the county with the far western portion developing Exceptional Drought (D4) conditions and stayed with these drought conditions through the end of the month with no improvements.  The county ended the month of October 0.5 to 1.5 below normal for the month. Also, the county remained in a 4 to 8 deficit year to date.

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

Sherman County started the month with Severe Drought (D2) conditions in the southwestern two thirds. The northeastern third was in Extreme Drought (D3). Within the first couple of days of month the area of D3 in the northeast degraded into Exceptional Drought (D4) conditions and all but the southwest corner of D2 degraded into D3 conditions. With the exception of the southwest corner that ended the month with near normal rainfall, the rest of the county ended the month of October 0.5 to 1.5 below normal for the month. The majority of the county remained in a 6 to 10 deficit year to date.

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

The northwest half to two thirds of Hansford County started the month of October in Extreme Drought (D3) conditions with the rest of the county in Severe Drought (D2) conditions. Within the first few days the area of D3 degraded to Exceptional Drought (D4) will the area of D2 degraded to D3. With much of the county receiving below normal rainfall for the month these drought conditions stayed through the entire month. The county remained in a 6 to 10 deficit year to date.

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

Ochiltree County started the month of October in Severe Drought (D2) conditions. Within the first few days the western half and northwest corner degraded into Extreme Drought (D3) conditions. With much of the county receiving 0.5 to 1.5 below normal rainfall for Oct, the county stayed with these drought classifications through the end of the month. Ochiltree County remained in a 4 to 8 deficit year to date.

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

Lipscomb County started the month of October in Severe Drought (D2) in the northwest half of the county. The southwest half was in Moderate Drought (D1). Conditions quickly degraded through the month with the county ending the month with Extreme Drought (D3) conditions across the northern half of the county and D2 across the southern half of the month. Much of Lipscomb County saw another 0.5 to 1.5 added to the rainfall deficit. The county had a 6 to 10 deficit year to date at the end of October.

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

A small portion of of the far northwestern county started the month of October in Extreme Drought (D3) conditions with Severe Drought (D2) conditions across the remaining western and northern portion of the county. The southeast third to half of the county was in Moderate Drought (D1) at the beginning of the month. Conditions degraded through the month with the area of D1 falling into D2 and the area of D3 expanding ever so slightly over the northwest corner of the county. Much of the county had a normal rainfall for the month but this was not enough to improve or maintain the conditions at the beginning of the month. The county remained in a 4 to 8 rainfall deficit year to date.

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

Moore County started out the month with Severe Drought (D2) conditions across the northern third of the county. The southern two thirds were in Moderate Drought (D1). Conditions gradually degraded over the month despite  near normal rainfall for the month. The county ended the month with the northeastern corner in Extreme Drought (D3) and all of the area in D1 degrading to D2. The county remained in a 4 to 8 rainfall deficit year to date.

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

Roberts County started the month of October with Severe Drought (D2) conditions across the northwestern third of the county. By months end Extreme Drought (D3) encompassed the northwest while all but the southeast corner slipped into D2 conditions. Despite near normal rainfall being received for the month, Roberts County remained in a 4 to 8 deficit year to date.

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

Hutchinson County started the month with Severe Drought (D2) conditions across the northern half to two thirds of the county. The southern portion of the county was in Moderate Drought (D1). Despite some areas of the county receiving around an inch of rain above normal for the month and the majority of the county receiving near normal rainfall drought conditions worsened over the area. A long lasting deficit contributed to the north to northeastern half or so of the county developed Extreme Drought (D3) and the expansion of D2 across the rest of the southern half of the county.  Much of the county remained in a 4 to 8 deficit year to date at the end of October.

Drought in DEAF SMITH, TEXAS
From 01-OCT-22 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Deaf Smith County started the month of October with the southwest two thirds of the county in Severe Drought (D2) conditions. Within the first few days the remaining area of Moderate Drought (D1) degraded into D2 conditions with the far southern portion of the county degrading into Extreme Drought (D3).  The northwest portion of the county did receive 1 to 2 of above normal rainfall by mid month with this area improving to D1. Much of the county remained in a 4 to 8 rainfall deficit year to date.

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

Randall County started the month of October with the southwest corner in Severe Drought (D2) and the rest of the county in Moderate Drought (D1). Within the first few days a small portion of the far southwest corner degraded into Extreme Drought (D3) conditions while the rest of the western half of the county degraded into D2 drought. The county ended the month with the western half in at least D2 conditions an a rainfall deficit of 4 to 8 year to date.

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

Collingsworth County started the month of October with the southeast two thirds of the county in Severe Drought (D2) to Extreme Drought (D3) conditions. This portion of the county did received near normal to below normal rainfall for the month which kept conditions relatively the same through the end of the month. The county remained in a 6 to 10 rainfall deficit year to date.