Soil moisture remained short to very short through the month of January across the combined OK and TX Panhandles. Range lands remained barren, leaving ranchers needing to supplementally feed livestock. Feed continues to be expensive leaving ranchers selling more cattle off than they normally would. Winter crops have not been doing well either. Many lakes and streams remain below normal levels across the area. The OK Panhandle and portions of the northern TX Panhandle remained in dire conditions with only receiving 25% to 50% of normal precipitation over the entire year of 2022. This is the same for portions of southern Deaf Smith County as well in the Texas Panhandle.  Much of these areas received only 25% or less of their normal January precipitation, continuing a large deficit that will take many months to recover from.

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

Dallam County started the month of January with western portions of the county in Exceptional Drought (D4), central to northeastern portions in Extreme Drought (D3), and a portion of the north central and southeastern county in Severe Drought (D2) conditions. A large portion of the county only received less than an quarter to less than a tenth of an inch of precipitation.  County remains in a 2 to 4 deficit dating back to 10/1/2022.

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

Sherman County started and ended the month with the northeast third of the county in Exceptional Drought (D4), with Extreme Drought (D3) through the central portions, and a small area in the southwest corner in Severe Drought (D2). The county received 0.40 or less of precipitation for the month of Jan. The county remained in a 2 to 4 deficit dating back to 10/1/2022.

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

Potter County started and end the month of Jan with all but the southeast corner in Severe Drought (D2).  The southeast was in Moderate Drought (D1). The county received anywhere from 0.25 to just under an inch of precipitation over the course of the month. Drought conditions remained unchanged as a yearly deficit of 4 to 10 from last year continued.

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

Carson County started and ended the month of Jan with the north to northwest in Severe Drought (D2) conditions while the southern portions were in Moderate Drought (D1). The county received anywhere from 0.25 to just under an inch of precipitation over the course of the month. Drought conditions remained unchanged as a yearly deficit of 4 to 10 from last year continued.

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

The central to southeastern corner of the county started and ended the month in Severe Drought (D2).  During the month the county received less than 0.25 up to just under 0.50  of precipitation. A 2 to 4 deficit dating back to 10/1/2022 continued.

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

Lipscomb County started and ended the month with the northern half of the county in Extreme Drought (D3) with the southern half in Severe Drought (D2). The county received between 0.25 and 0.50 of precipitation over the course of the month. However, a 2 to 4 deficit since October 1st continued.

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

Hartley County started and ended the month of January with the northwest corner in Extreme Drought (D3) and the rest of the county in Severe Drought (D2). The eastern half of the county received around 0.25 to 0.5 of precipitation while the western half received less than 0.25 of precipitation.  The county still continued a 1 to 2 deficit dating back to October.

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

Moore County started and ended the month of Jan with the far northeast corner of the county in Extreme Drought with the rest of the county in Severe Drought (D2). Much of the county received less than 0.25 of precipitation through the month. At this point the deficit continued from last year.

Drought in HUTCHINSON, TEXAS
From 01-JAN-23 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-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). The county received less than half an inch in precipitation for the month and a 6 to 12 deficit continued from last year.

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

Roberts County started and ended the month of Jan 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). The county received just under an inch to just under half inch of precipitation over the course of the month. Drought conditions continued as a 4 to 8 rainfall deficit continued from last year.

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

The northwest third to half of Hansford County started and ended the month of Jan in Exceptional Drought (D4) conditions. The rest of the county remained in Extreme Drought (D3) conditions through the month. A good portion of the county received 0.25 to 0.50 during the month. Drought conditions remained unchanged as a 2 to 4 deficit dating back 10/1/2022 continued.

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

Hemphill County started and ended the month with the far northern portion, and the far southeastern corner in Severe Drought (D2) conditions. The county received around 0.25 to 0.50 of precipitation during the month. Drought conditions remained as there was still a continuation of  a 2 to 8 rainfall deficit from last year.

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

Oldham County started and ended the month of Jan 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). Eastern portions of the county received 0.25 to 0.5, while western portions received less than 0.25. Drought status  remained unchanged as a  4 to 8 deficit from last year continued.

Drought in GRAY, TEXAS
From 01-JAN-23 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-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). The county received 0.25 to 0.5 of precipitation over the course of the month. Drought conditions remained unchanged as a yearly deficit of 2 to 6 from last year continued.

Drought in RANDALL COUNTY, TEXAS
From 01-JAN-23 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-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.

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

Collingsworth County remained dry through the month of Jan 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 DEAF SMITH, TEXAS
From 01-JAN-23 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-23 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Deaf Smith County started and ended the month of Jan 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). The eastern half of the county received 0.25 to 0.5 while the western portion received less than a quarter of an inch of precipitation.   Drought conditions remained unchanged as a yearly deficit of 4 to 10 from last year continued.