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Water reserves remained low, and ranchers provided supplemental feed to livestock at above average rates. Some ranchers were selling yearling livestock early. Kiowa County Press (Eads, Colo.), Feb 19, 2022

Ranges and livestock in Sheridan County were affected by dry conditions as good forage was lacking. Kiowa County Press (Eads, Colo.), Feb 19, 2022

Some parts of eastern Colorado fared better than others in terms of received moisture and recent snowfall. Winter wheat benefitted from better snow cover. Concerns remained going forward for fall-seeded crops and pasture conditions. Kiowa County Press (Eads, Colo.), Feb 19, 2022

Some people think that drought may be contributing to the browning of junipers in New Mexico and could indicate a die-off is looming. While junipers typically bronze in the winter and are drought-resistant, the megadrought could be affecting the trees. Santa Fe New Mexican (N.M.), Feb. 21, 2022

In less than two months, 112 fires in southern Arkansas have burned 1,200 acres in the southern part of the state. The De Queen Bee (Ark.), Feb 18, 2022

The number of grass fires has been higher than usual since Jan. 1 in the Hammond area. The fire department usually gets 12 to 14 calls each day, but since Jan. 1, the department has received an average of 17 calls a day. The area has not gotten heavy rain in a while, and has a burn ban in effect. Hammond Daily Star (La.), Feb 18, 2022

The fire danger remains high in central Texas with strong winds and dry vegetation, given drought conditions in the Waco area. Fire departments ask the public to do their part in preventing additional blazes as fire departments are “getting whooped.” McLennan County also has a burn ban in effect, as does Coryell and 112 other counties in Texas. KWTX-TV 10 News Waco (Texas), Feb 21, 2022

Southern Arkansas counties with burn bans included Ashley, Chicot, Columbia, Hempstead, Howard, Jefferson, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, Ouachita, Pike, Sevier and Union. In less than two months, 112 fires have burned 1,200 acres in the southern part of the state. There were no burn bans in east Texas or southeast Oklahoma, and Louisiana remained under a statewide burn ban. The De Queen Bee (Ark.), Feb 18, 2022 Eight Arkansas counties adopted burn bans due to worsening drought conditions and more grass fires. The affected counties are Ashley, Bradley, Hempstead, Howard, Miller, Pike, Ouachita and Union. KPXJ-TV & KTBS-TV (Shreveport, La.), Feb 11, 2022

Drought in 2021 resulted in many North Dakota livestock producers buying hay and others feeds from outside the region as it was not able to be grown locally. While many ranchers made their purchases early, harsh weather has led to further purchases. Jamestown Sun (N.D.), Feb 20, 2022

Drought in Oklahoma has limited growth of wheat for forage. The warm December, for instance, would have promoted growth, but the soil moisture was absent. Chickasha Daily Express (Okla.), Feb 20, 2022

Extreme drought conditions in East Texas have resulted in many burns escaping control. The Rusk County Fire Department responded to 26 burning fires in one weekend, but typically when there are no drought conditions that number is zero. KETK (Tyler, Texas), Feb 10, 2022

“People were really coming together and out on their lawns and out in front of their homes and chatting and making sure everybody was okay. It’s definitely good to see that kind of aloha alive and well here in Kona,” Rogers said. KHON-TV FOX 2 (Honolulu, Hawaii), Feb 16, 2022

The Airport Fire near Bishop is the largest of the three wildfires that have sparked in California since the start of the year. The blaze began early on the afternoon of Feb. 16, had grown to 3,900 acres and was 0% contained on the morning of Feb. 17. In Bishop, California State Route 168 was still closed east of U.S. 395 as of late Thursday morning, as was Warm Springs Road east of U.S. 395. Freight Waves (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Feb 17, 2022

The 755 Fire, located near Encino in Brooks County, started on the afternoon of February 16, 2022 off of County Road 755. Multiple local fire departments responded to assist with the wildfire along with state resources from Texas A&M Forest Service. Texas A&M Forest Service established unified command with the local jurisdiction.The fire exhibited erratic behavior, moving quickly in grass and thick brush. Approximately 50 structures were threatened and saved. Aviation assisted ground crews with a Large Air Tanker (LAT) making two retardant drops and an Air Attack (AA) providing aerial surveillance. Heavy equipment from Texas A&M Forest Service, Brooks County, and private entities were also utilized to secure a perimeter. A voluntary evacuation was placed for residences along County Road 304 but has since been lifted. The fire was caused by a roadside ignition which spread quickly with high wind speeds and dry

No watches are valid as of Fri Feb 18 14:24:02 UTC 2022.

No Mesoscale Discussions are in effect as of Fri Feb 18 14:24:02 UTC 2022.

SPC 1300Z Day 1 Outlook
Day 1 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0652 AM CST Fri Feb 18 2022 Valid 181300Z - 191200Z ...NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AREAS FORECAST... ...SUMMARY... Isolated thunderstorms are possible today from the coastal Carolinas to northern Florida. ...Synopsis/Discussion... In mid/upper levels, mean troughing will persist from the Canadian Arctic Islands and Hudson Bay to the east-central CONUS through the period. Initially, a positively tilted trough and associated lengthy vorticity banner were apparent from southern ON across parts of the Ohio Valley to the Ozarks, northwest TX and northwestern MX. This feature will elongate further and weaken, with its northern portion moving offshore from New England and the Mid-Atlantic, while the southern part slowly loses definition within a broad cyclonic- flow field. A trailing/northern-stream shortwave trough -- evident in moisture-channel imagery from southern MB to northwestern MN -- will reach southeastern ON and southern Lower MI by 12Z tomorrow. At the surface, 11Z analysis showed a cold front across portions of New England, the near-coastal Mid-Atlantic, central VA, western SC, the west-central FL Panhandle, and the north-central/west-central Gulf. This front will move offshore from all but northern FL by 03Z, then southeastward to south-central FL by 12Z. Isolated thunderstorms will remain possible in a narrow band of mostly prefrontal convection now located from coastal NC to the eastern FL Panhandle. With nearly front-parallel flow aloft, poor mid/upper- level lapse rates, weakening large-scale to frontal-scale lift, and veering prefrontal surface winds with time, severe potential appears minimal, despite lingering strong flow aloft. In the continental/polar air mass behind that cold front, another low (associated with the MB/MN perturbation aloft) was drawn over extreme southern MB, with cold front across northern parts of ND/MT. The latter front is forecast to sweep southward/southeastward over the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes and lower/middle Missouri Valley, to near the Ohio Valley by the end of the period. Dry/stable low-level conditions in the prefrontal sector will prevent associated thunderstorm development. ..Edwards/Gleason.. 02/18/2022 Read more

Pennington Creek is low, prompting Tishomingo’s city manager to request stage one water conservation. City officials have been monitoring the creek for about a month, given the extreme drought. KXII-TV CBS 12 Sherman (Texas), Feb 17, 2022

The driest January on record leaves Santa Clara in a drought emergency. The Santa Clara Valley Water District anticipates needing to buy costly emergency water so the city has enough for the year. More conservation is needed. The Silicon Valley Voice (Santa Clara, Calif.), Feb 17, 2022