Extreme Weather 2011
Southern Plains/Southwest
drought and heatwave
Spring-Fall, 2011
Drought and excessive heat created major impacts across Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, southern Kansas, and western Louisiana. In Texas and Oklahoma, a majority of range and pastures were classified in “very poor” condition for much of the 2011 crop growing season. The total direct losses to crops, livestock and timber have approached $10 billion. However, both direct and total economic losses will rise as the drought continues, as is expected by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center in its drought outlook and winter outlook for below-average precipitation.
