Tuesday’s light showers were some of the first of the New Year for portions of southeast Texas. Houston has only seen three days with measurable rainfall since Jan. 1, totaling just under an inch so far for 2026. And believe it or not, that’s already behind in what the city’s average typically is for the first two weeks of the year.
According to the climate and observation site at Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston rounded out 2025 with a large rainfall deficit. 38.99 inches of rain fell in Houston in 2025. While that might seem like a lot, it’s actually over a foot of rain less than the annual climate norm of 51.84 inches.
This is one reason why drought conditions continue to persist across southeast Texas. And while there was some improvement in recent weeks, like in portions of Harris, Montgomery and Wharton counties, drought conditions could expand once again or get worse with this drier January outlook. It’s especially concerning for counties with extreme drought conditions west of the Brazos River.
Unfortunately, this dry pattern for Texas very much reflects a typical La Niña wintertime pattern. This is one reason why drought conditions are expected to continue or develop across much of the southern half of the country, while regions like the Pacific Northwest or the Great Lakes could see an improvement in any local drought conditions, thanks to the jet stream system active over that part of the country. And for the first time in 25 years, the entire state of California is completely drought free.
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