North Texas faces longest drought

Drought exposes the bottom of Bachman Lake in Dallas, Texas, as the area suffers from the longest dry spell in its history

In this story: Drought dries up drinking water Labor Day could be fiery for state RELATED STORIES, SITES

DALLAS (CNN) -- Texas set a new record this week with the longest dry spell the state has suffered in a half century. And there's no relief in sight.

The record was set Monday with 59 consecutive days without rain at the official Dallas-Fort Worth rainfall measuring site, the National Weather Service said.

The previous record of 58 consecutive days was set in 1934 ( May 25 through July 21) and repeated in 1950 (November 4 through December 31).

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National Weather Service meteorologist "Skip" Ely said the dry pattern is due to a persistent area of high pressure that has dominated North Texas weather since the end of June, blocking normal moisture flows across the south.

The pattern is common when La Nina's cool waters in the eastern equatorial Pacific influence upper air patterns across the southern United States.

"It steers all the rain-making systems either around us to the north, or underneath us to the south," said Ely. Compounding matters, Dallas has had 36 straight days of 100-degree temperatures this year.

This is the area's third consecutive summer with extended heat and drought. There were 56 rainless days between July and the beginning of September 1999, and 1998 saw the driest April through September on record in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Texans who live off the land have been hardest hit, with agriculture losses estimated at nearly $600 million.

Lack of rain has sent water levels in Texas lakes plunging, threatening drinking supplies in scores of towns.

Lake Lewisville, a major source of drinking water for Dallas, is 15 feet below normal levels, while water consumption is at a record high, with most of it going to keep lawns green.

"A lot of times people feel in this type of climate they need to water every day -- every single day -- and that's simply not true," said Terrace Stewart of the Dallas Water Utilities.

The drought has even damaged homes. Soil around Bobbie Jones' Dallas house has compressed so much because of a lack of moisture that the foundation is cracking and the walls have separated from the frame.

"There was enough room that birds were actually flying in and out of this space in here," Jones said pointing at the damage.

The National Weather Service's extended forecast for North Texas calls for continued clear skies and daily temperatures peaking at around 100 degrees. Forecasters fear rain won't come until October.

With no rain in sight, officials fear an outbreak of wildfires across Texas could worsen during the Labor Day weekend.

National Weather Service Southern Regional Director Bill Proenza said the drought is also affecting the southern United States. "While southern wildfires have not been as plentiful as those in the West, the drought conditions in this region are even more extreme," he said. "The heat and lack of rain has dramatically decreased soil moisture in the south. Agriculture across the southern United States is suffering."

CNN Correspondent Charles Zewe contributed to this report.

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National Weather Service

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