Southeast Texas is bracing for a La Nina winter as drought worsens and the threat of wildfires increases, with no rain in the forecast

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — It has been nearly a month since Houston has had a drop of rain, with the last measurable precipitation falling on September 24th. This, coupled with above-average and warm temperatures over the past three weeks, has resulted in worsening drought conditions across Southeast Texas.

Since October 21, dry to moderate drought conditions have prevailed across much of the region, including all of Harris County.

Some areas will need 8 inches or more of rain to offset current conditions. Unfortunately, this amount is not included in the forecast for the next two weeks or longer.

There is increasing concern that the current drought situation is worsening and the risk of local wildfires is increasing.

Matt Schwartz of the Texas Forest Service spoke with ABC13 meteorologist Elyse Smith on Monday.

The statewide office reports that they are currently moving additional resources, including aircraft and helicopters, to Southeast Texas due to current and future drought forecasts.

There are also some things you can do at home to reduce the risk of wildfires spreading in the next few weeks.

Schwartz explained that dry weather causes leaves and pine needles to fall from trees prematurely. This debris can easily catch fire if a wildfire approaches, so he recommends clearing away dry or dead vegetation around your home.

With fall activities in full swing, be careful when parking on dry grass. A car engine could produce sparks and potentially cause a fire.

Burn bans are in effect in several counties in Southeast Texas. As of October 21, 165 counties in Texas had burn bans in effect.

The developing La Niña is another reason for concern about the current drought. A La Niña winter pattern would bring warmer, drier conditions to Texas, allowing droughts occurring now to last into the fall. The last time October was this dry in Houston during an El Niño-to-La Niña transition was in 2010-2011, which also happened to be one of the worst droughts in the state’s history.

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