Wide spread beneficial rain finally returned to the combined Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles during May 2023. Almost all of the dryland winter wheat was not harvestable at the beginning of the month. The rain received by mid month was highly beneficial for spring planting of cotton and peanuts. Some areas in the Panhandles actually received so much rain in a short amount of time at the end of the month that flooded fields hindered further planting. Overall, much of the area saw great improvements in overall drought conditions.

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

Oldham County started the month entirely in Extreme Drought (D3). Central to eastern portions of the county received 5 to 10 of rainfall for over the course of the month and improved to Abnormally Dry (D0) and Moderate Drought (D1). The western quarter of the county only received 3 to 5 leaving the county in Severe Drought (D2) at the end of the month.

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

Deaf Smith County started the month of May with the majority of the county in Extreme Drought (D3), with the exception of a small area in the far eastern portion in Severe Drought (D2). During the month May 5 to just over 10 of rain fell across the county. Hereford alone got almost 10 of rain and experienced some historic flooding issues on 26th and 27th of May. Because of the large amounts of rain received during the month the county was able to end the month in Moderate Drought (D1).

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

Potter County started the month of May in Extreme Drought (D3). Potter County received between 6 and 10 of rainfall for the month. Improvements were gradual, but the entire county ended the month in Abnormally Dry (D0).

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

Randall County started the month with northern and western portions of the county in Extreme Drought (D3) with the rest of the county in Severe Drought (D2). Over the course of the month, mainly the latter half, the county saw widespread 5 to 10 of rainfall. This led to overall drought improvement with the county ending the month of May in Moderate Drought (D1) to Abnormally Dry (D0).

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

Wheeler County started the month of May with entire county in Severe Drought (D2). May did come with some good rain events leading to the majority of the county improving to Moderate Drought (D1) while a small portion of the county remained in D2 at months end. The monthly rainfall for the month ranged from around 1 all the way up to 4 to 5 across Wheeler County.

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

Donley County started the month of May in Severe Drought (D2) conditions. With numerous rain events throughout the month improvements were made in the drought. The majority of the county had improved to Moderate Drought (D1) with the exception of around a quarter of the county in the southeast corner that stayed in D2 during the last week of the month. However, additional rainfall on May 31st helped to wipe out the rest of the D2 in the southeast. Eastern portions of the county had received 1 to 3 of rain over the course of the month, while areas in the west had received 3 to 5 by months end.

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

The northwestern half of Collingsworth County started the month of May in Severe Drought (D2), while the southeastern half was in Extreme Drought (D3). May rain started off slow, but eventually picked up and improved much of the county. By May 23rd the majority of the county improved to Moderate Drought (D1). D2 conditions stayed in the far southwest corner and much of the far eastern portion of the county. Monthly rainfall totals ranged from 0.5 to around 6.

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

The western third of Dallam County started the month of May in Exceptional Drought (D4). There was also a small portion of the far east that was in D4 as well. The rest of the county started the month in Extreme Drought (D3).  Western portions of the county received a monthly rainfall of 2 to 5, while the much of the central to eastern portions of the county received 5 to 8 of rainfall. The county ended the month with the western third of the county in Severe Drought (D2), as well as a small portion in the far north. The rest of the county where 5 to 8 were received improved to Moderate Drought (D1).

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

Hartley County started the month of May with the northwest corner in Exceptional Drought (D4), while the rest of the majority of the county was in Extreme Drought (D3). Much improvement came to central and eastern portions of the county as 6 to 10 of rain was received during the month. Central portions were able to improve to Moderate Drought (D1) while the eastern portion improved to Abnormally Dry (D0). The western portion of the county received 3 to 6 and saw some improvements as well. The western third of the county still ended the month in Severe Drought.

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

Sherman County started the month of May in Exceptional Drought (D4) with the far southwest corner in Extreme Drought (D3). The county received 6 to 12 of rain over the course of the month, mainly in the last two weeks. The higher end of this rain was across the central to southern portions of the county that ended the month in Moderate Drought (D1) to Abnormally Dry (D0). The lower end of the rain was across the northeastern third of the county where the month ended with Severe Drought (D2).

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

Moore County started the month of May with the far northeastern corner in Exceptional Drought (D4) and the rest of the county in Extreme Drought (D3).  Much of the county received 8 to 12 of rainfall over the course of the month, primarily in the latter half. All the rain led to conditions gradually improving to Abnormally Dry (D0) by months end.

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

Hansford County started the month of May in Exceptional Drought (D4). The southern half of the county received a monthly rainfall around 10. Which helped to improve the south to Abnormally Dry (D0) to Moderate Drought (D1). The northern half of the county had only received 4 to 6 of rainfall which did improve conditions ending the month in Severe Drought (D2) across the north.

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

Two thirds of the northwestern portion of Ochiltree County started the month of May in Exceptional Drought (D4). The rest of the south and east was in Extreme Drought (D3). Much of the county saw 8 to 10 of rain that reduced the drought down to Moderate Drought (D1) by the end of the month.

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

Lipscomb County started the month in Extreme Drought (D3). Over the course of the month, primarily the latter half, the western half of the county received 5 to 8 of rainfall. This allowed a small area in the east to improve to Moderate Drought (D1). Other areas only received 3 to 5 of rainfall with the rest of the county ending the month in Severe Drought (D2).

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

Hutchinson County started the month of May with around a third of the northern portion of the county in Exceptional Drought (D4). The rest of the county was in Extreme Drought (D3). Over the course of the month the county received 8 to 12 of rain, mainly in the latter half of the month. This led to the county ending the month in Moderate Drought (D1) to Abnormally Dry (D0).

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

Roberts County went into the month of May with Extreme Drought (D3) conditions. The county received 6 to 12 of rainfall during the month. The county ended the month of May in Moderate Drought (D1) to Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions.

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

Hemphill County started the month of May with Extreme Drought (D3). Western and southern portions of the county that received 5 to 6 of rain improved to Severe Drought (D2) by months end while central to northeastern portions of the county that received 3 to 5 stayed in Extreme Drought (D3) at the end of the month.