Severe storms pound Texas, relieving drought

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- After suffering the worst drought in a century, North Texas has been drenched this month with above-normal rainfall and more is expected, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

November's rainfall total as of Friday was 4.6 inches, or 3.8 inches above normal for the month, NOAA said.

Much of that came in a huge downpour last Sunday, when rainfall in the Dallas-Fort Worth area set a new 24-hour record of more than two inches.

The year-to-date rainfall in North Texas through Friday totaled 30.32 inches, compared to the normal level of 30.36 inches, NOAA said.

Earlier this year, Dallas-Fort Worth suffered 84 consecutive days without rain -- making for the worst drought in the area since the government started keeping weather records more than 100 years ago.

The parched conditions cost farmers and ranchers throughout the state losses that were estimated at $595 million. More than 150 Texas counties were declared agricultural disaster areas because of the drought.

While the rain during the first week of November has provided welcome relief for north Texas, NOAA said it did not mean the drought was over.

"We have to remember that the devastating effects of this drought are not just the result of one dry summer but of several years of high temperatures and low rainfall," said Bill Proenza, director of the National Weather Service for the southern United States.

"The good news is that our outlook calls for a warmer, wetter winter throughout the southern region. If we continue to see above-normal precipitation for the rest of the year and normal precipitation in the spring, we'll be on the road to recovery," he added.

Reservoir levels in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are still 1.5 to 14.5 feet below normal, NOAA said.

The severe storms and flash flooding of recent days has been blamed for six deaths and extensive property damage.

The government said during the first week in November, forecasters issued 25 tornado warnings, 76 severe thunderstorm warnings, and 223 flash flood warnings throughout Texas.

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