Soil conditions around the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles were short to very short during the month of March. Moisture received during the month ranged from zero in the northeast to just under an inch for  areas in the southwest Texas Panhandle. Wheat and oat conditions were in poor shape during the month. Farmers who could irrigate were applying water but could barely keep up. Preplanting was delayed dramatically during this March as well. High winds during the month caused quite a bit of erosion in dry fields and also led to high fire danger days. One wild fire did occur in Wheeler County which burned an estimated 1033 acres over the span of 3 hours. Overall conditions of pasture and rangelands were poor to very poor with cattle needing supplemental feeding.

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

No Changes were made to the Oldham County drought from the end of February through the month of March: southwest Oldham County remained in D1 while the northwest, north, and east remained in D2. Most of the County received 0.25 to 0.5 of rain in March with the extreme west and extreme south received 0.50 to 1, and the northeast received 0.10 to 0.25. Relative to climatology, this comes to 25% to 50%/0.5 to 1 below normal for most of the county. The northeast received only 10% to 25%/0.5 to 1 below normal.

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

No changes were made to the Deaf Smith County drought from the end of February through the month of March: The northwest portion of Deaf Smith County remained in D1, the extreme southern portion of the county remained in D3, while the rest remained in D2. Southern Deaf Smith County received 0.1 to 0.25 of rain, the north-central portion of the County received 0.5 to 1 of rain, while the rest of the county received 0.25 to 0.5 of rain. This amounts to 10-25% of average/1 to 2 below average in the south and 25-50% of average/0.5 to 1 below average elsewhere.

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

Most of Potter County remained in D2 throughout March, but D3 was introduced in the far northeast with the March 28 update. Most of Potter County received 0.25 to 0.5, though a few localized areas along the Canadian River Valley received 0.10 to 0.25. This amounts to 25-50% of average/0.5 to 1 below average for Potter County except for the Canadian River Valley which is 10-25% of average/1 to 2 below average.

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

March started with eastern Randall County in D1, the extreme southwest in D3, and the rest of the County in D2. The area of D1 was replaced by D2 with the March 21 update. No changes otherwise. Most of the County received 0.25 to 0.5 of rain, but a hole of 0.1 to 0.25 was observed around Canyon. This was 10-25% of average for Canyon, eastern Randall County, and southern Randall County which is 1 to 2 of average in the east and southwest. Elsewhere in the County, it was 25-50% of average which is 0.5 to 1 below average.

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

Dallam County started the month of March with a small portions in the southeast in Severe Drought (D2), the far western portion of the county in Exceptional Drought (D4), and the rest of the county in Extreme Drought (D3). The county received 0.01 to less than 0.5 of precipitation for the month. Or 5% to 50% of the March monthly normal. This led to the area of D2 degrading to D3, and some portions of the already D3 into D4.

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

Hartley County started the month of March with the northwest corner of the county in Extreme Drought (D3), of which, a very small portion in the far northwest of that was in Exceptional Drought (D4). The rest of the county was in Severe Drought (D2). The county received around 0.25 up to just under an inch of precipitation during the month. Or 10% to 50% of the March monthly normal. This led to the expansion of D4 to encompass almost the entire northwestern half of the county.

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

Sherman County started the month of March with the far southwest corner of the county in Severe Drought (D2), central portions of the county in Extreme Drought (D3), and the northeastern third or so of the county in Exceptional Drought (D4). The county received 0.05 to 0.50 of precipitation during the month. Or 5% to 50% of March's monthly normal. This led to much of the county slipping into D4 with the far southeast corner that was in D2 fell into the D3 category.

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

Moore County started the month of March with mostly Severe Drought (D2) conditions with the far northeastern corner of the county in Extreme Drought (D3). The county received less than 0.25 of precipitation, or 5% to 25% of March's monthly normal. This led to a big expansion of D3 across the northeastern half to two thirds of the county. Even an area of Exceptional Drought (D4) moved into the far northeastern corner of the county.