Experts fear TX heading into another drought

HOUSTON State climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon told the Houston Chronicle that continuing dry weather is likely to persist at least into the spring. Nielsen-Gammon, who's also a professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University, says "it's probably going to get worse before it gets better."

The U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday indicated 85 percent of Texas is between abnormally dry and in extreme drought, compared to about 29 percent a year ago.

Tropical Storm Hermine drenched Central Texas in September. Since then large swaths of Texas have received less than 10 percent of normal rainfall levels.

The six-month hurricane season ended Nov. 30.

Dry conditions have led at least 80 Texas counties to enact burn bans.