Monday, June 3, 1996

Rains bring relief, but not end to drought

By STEFANI G. KOPENEC
Associated Press

Weekend rains brought some relief to a thirsty Texas, but not enough to end the devastating drought that has gripped the state, meteorologists said Sunday.

The day before, a storm that lashed the Dallas-Fort Worth area with winds gusting higher than 100 mph dropped an average of a half-inch to an inch of rain. Other showers and thunderstorms over the weekend dumped 3 to 4 inches of rain over isolated parts of North Texas.

"The rains that we've had in the last couple of days have been beneficial, but it's nowhere near the deficit that we have," said Jesse Moore, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.

"It's nowhere close to breaking the drought itself. The drought is a long-term thing that has been going on for 10 months."

State agriculture officials say the drought could become the worst natural disaster to hit Texas this century, costing farmers and ranchers billions of dollars in losses.

While the recent precipitation has helped fill some small ponds and boosted the levels of some area lakes by a couple of inches, Moore said, "what you need is heavier rain over a larger area than we've had."

This weekend, portions of Central and South Texas reported rain totals of between 3 and 6 inches.

"Some counties picked up some good amounts, but it still wasn't a widespread event it would need to be to help the drought situation," said meteorologist Bruce Thoren at the weather service office in San Antonio.

"I'm sure some people are very happy - just not everybody."

The story has been much the same in the Panhandle where thunderstorms have fallen - just not everywhere.

"Ever since Friday a week ago we've had scattered thunderstorms that have brought beneficial rain, but it's been spotty," said meteorologist John Cockrell at the weather service office in Amarillo. "It hasn't brought widespread relief."

The forecast holds some hope for more rain, which already was showing up Sunday in portions of West Central Texas.

Severe thunderstorms dumped up to 3 inches of rain over Coke County in two hours, resulting in flash flooding of roads and low lying areas. Scattered thunderstorms dropped as much as 2.5 inches of rain on the San Angelo area.

A severe thunderstorm watch covered portions of the Panhandle and extreme northwest Texas most of Sunday evening, bringing with it the threat of hail and damaging winds.

"Of course, we could do without the severe thunderstorms," Moore said, "but we need the rain badly."