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Texas In Worst Ever Drought, Hottest Ever Heat Wave

Texas is now in its worst-ever one-year drought, according to John Nielsen-Gammon, the Texas State Climatologist and professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M; University. The epic heat wave and lack of rainfall is baking Texas dry, leaving the nation’s second largest agricultural producer reeling. The records set for Texas tell the story of a polluted climate killing the state:

Hottest month ever (July)

Hottest July ever, average temperature 87.2°F (previous record 86.5°F in 1998)

Hottest June ever (fifth hottest month ever), average temperature 85.2°F

Least year-to-date precipitation, 6.53 inches (historical average 16.03 inches; previous record 9.36 inches in 1917)

Driest consecutive 8, 9, and 10 months, 7.25 inches 8.35 inches, and 9.17 inches respectively

Driest 12 months ending in July, 15.16 inches (previous record 16.46 inches in 1925)

99.93 percent of the state is in some level of drought

73.49 percent of the state is in exceptional drought

“These statistics rank the current drought as the most severe one-year drought ever for Texas,” Nielsen-Gammon explains. “Never before has so little rain been recorded prior to and during the primary growing season for crops, plants and warm-season grasses.”

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In coming years, the climate is expected to worsen for Texas, in large part because of the fossilized carbon extracted from underneath the now-dying land. “Triple-digit temperatures will be the norm in Texas within a few decades, and 115-degree heat won’t be surprising,” Nielsen-Gammon warned last year.