Some light rain and snow fell during the month of February. However, several high wind days dried the moisture right out. Soil moisture remained short to very short across the combined Oklahoma, and Texas Panhandle. The dryness of the soils and the high winds made it difficult to plant wheat as fields were blown out. A lot of farmers were having to replant despite having low expectations. As pastures and rangelands remained in dire straights, ranchers had to continue to supplementally feed livestock. With very dry soils the high winds also caused issues with blowing dust, especially across the northern and western combined Panhandles. Several high wind events caused some dust storms with visibilities dropping to below a quarter of a mile. There were even some automobile accidents and road closures due to the low visibility from blowing dust.

Drought in POTTER, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Potter County started and end the month of Feb with all but the southeast corner in Severe Drought (D2).  The southeast started in Moderate Drought (D1) but ended in D2. Precipitation was minimal with a 4 to 10 deficit dating back 365 days continuing into March.

Drought in CARSON, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Carson County started the month of Feb with the north to northwest in Severe Drought (D2) conditions while the southern portions were in Moderate Drought (D1). Most of the county ended the month with less than half an inch of precipitation being received. This lead to a continuation of a large deficit dating back 365 days and the expansion of D2 into central portions of the county.

Drought in GRAY, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Gray County started and ended the month of Jan with the northwest portion in Severe Drought (D2) while the rest of the county was in Moderate Drought (D1).Precipitation was minimal especially in the northwest. Central to southeastern portions received around half an inch to just above an inch of precipitation. Just enough to keep the county from degrading in drought conditions. Much of the county remained in a 2 to 6 deficit dating back 365 days.

Drought in RANDALL COUNTY, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Randall County remained dry through the month with Severe (D2) to Extreme (D3) drought conditions in the western half and Moderate Drought (D1) conditions to the east. The County remained in 4 to 10 rainfall deficit from last year. With much of the county receiving less than a quarter of an inch of precipitation there was a slight eastward expansion of the D2 by the end of the month.

Drought in COLLINGSWORTH, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Collingsworth County remained dry through the month of Feb with the majority of the county in Severe (D2) to Extreme (D3) drought conditions. The exception was the northwest corner of the county that remain in Moderate (D1) drought conditions. The county remained in a 6 to 12 rainfall deficit from last year.

Drought in DALLAM, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The northern and wester portions of the county remained in a 6 to 12 rainfall deficit dating back to Feb of last year as the county received less than half an inch to less than a quarter of an inch of precipitation this Feb. This left the western quarter to a third of the county in Exceptional Drought (D4) with the majority of the county remaining in Extreme Drought (D4). There was a  small portion of the southeast that remained in Severe Drought (D2).

Drought in SHERMAN, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Sherman County started the month of Feb with Severe Drought (D2) to the southwest, Extreme Drought (D3) across central portions, and Exceptional Drought (D4) in the northeastern portion of the county. With Feb being a climatological dry month precipitation received even if it was slightly below to near normal the county remained in a prolong deficit. The area of D4 had expanded westward slightly for the month of Feb. The county remained in a 6 to 12 deficit dating back to Feb of last year.

Drought in HANSFORD, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Hansford County was in Exceptional Drought (D4) to the northwest and Extreme Drought (D3) to the southeast during the month of Feb. Much of the county received upwards of 0.5 to 1 of precipitation during the month. There was a small area in the northeast that had received less than half an inch and this area went from D3 to D4 by months end. The county remained in an 8 to 12 rainfall deficit since Feb of 2022.

Drought in OCHILTREE, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Ochiltree County started the month with the northern and western portions of the county in Extreme Drought (D3) and the central to southeastern portion in Severe Drought (D2). With February being a climatologically dry month little to no relief came during the month of February. In fact, much of the area of D2 fell into D3 by the end of the month. The county remained in a 4 to 6 deficit over the last 180 days.

Drought in LIPSCOMB, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Lipscomb County started the month with the northern third to half of the county in Extreme Drought (D3). The southern portion of the county was in Severe Drought (D2). With February being a climatologically dry month little to no relief came during the month of February. In fact, much of the area of D2 fell into D3 by the end of the month.  Much of the county remained in a 4 to 6 deficit over the last 180 days.

Drought in HARTLEY, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Hartley County started and ended the month of Feb with the northwest corner in Extreme Drought (D3) and the rest of the county in Severe Drought (D2). With February being a climatologically dry month little to no relief came during the month of February.  The county remained with a 2 to 4 deficit dating back 180 days.

Drought in MOORE, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Moore County started and ended the month of Feb with the far northeast corner of the county in Extreme Drought with the rest of the county in Severe Drought (D2). The county remained in a 2 to 4 rainfall deficit going back 180 days, a 4 to 10 deficit dating back 365 days.

Drought in HUTCHINSON, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Hutchinson County started and ended the month with the northeastern third to half of the county in Extreme Drought (D3) and the rest of the southwest in Severe Drought (D2). With February being a climatologically dry month, little to no relief came during the month of February. The county remained in a 4 to 10 rainfall deficit dating back 365 days.

Drought in ROBERTS, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Roberts County started and ended the month of Feb with the northwest corner of the county in Extreme Drought (D3), central portions in Severe Drought (D2), and the far southeast corner in Moderate Drought (D1). With February being a climatologically dry month, little to no relief came as monthly precipitation ranged from 0.01 to 0.75.   The county remained in a 4 to 10 rainfall deficit dating back 365 days.

Drought in HEMPHILL, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Hemphill County started the month with the far northern portion, and the far southeastern corner in Severe Drought (D2) conditions. February is climatologically dry month, and with what little moisture fell the county continued with drought conditions with much of the central to southern portions of the county slipped into D2. The county remained in a 4 to 10 rainfall deficit dating back 365 days.

Drought in OLDHAM, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Oldham County started and ended the month of Feb with portions of the northern and eastern part of the county in Severe Drought (D2) conditions. The rest of the county was in Moderate Drought (D1). Monthly precipitation totals for Feb '23 ranged from 0.1 to 0.8. This was not enough to improve conditions considering a 4 to 10 deficit dating back 365 days.

Drought in DEAF SMITH, TEXAS
From 01-FEB-23 00:00:00 to 28-FEB-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Deaf Smith County started and ended the month of Feb with the far southern quarter of the county in Extreme Drought (D3), the northwest quarter of the county in Moderate Drought (D1), and the remaining portion in Severe Drought (D2).  Precipitation totals for the month ranged from 0.1 to 0.8 leaving little room for improvements considering a rainfall deficit of 6 to 10 dating back 365 days.