A Drought of Historic Proportions

The current drought began in October 2010. Though the situation has improved recently, the drought is far from over — and the conditions that caused it aren’t going away anytime soon.

Texas is a place susceptible to extreme weather, and the last year was no exception. Thousands of square miles were burned in wildfires, billions were lost in agriculture, and its impact could still linger in years to come.

The interactive map to the right shows how extreme drought conditions enveloped Texas, beginning in the early summer of 2010. The chart below shows how much of the state was under drought conditions over time. The slide show includes a timeline of how the drought affected Texans. Share your story.