PUBLIC INFORMATION MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1130 AM CST TUE JAN 22 2002

HYDROLOGIC IMPACTS...
STORAGE HAS REMAINED NEARLY STEADY AT THE FALCON AND
AMISTAD RESERVOIRS. THESE TWO RESERVOIRS PROVIDE MUCH
THE WATER FOR THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY. AMISTAD
RESERVOIR HELD 30 PERCENT OF STORAGE CAPACITY. EVEN
THOUGH STORAGE HAS INCREASED, LEVELS REMAIN WELL
BELOW NORMAL. STORAGE AT FALCON RESERVOIR IS GREATER
THAN IT HAS BEEN SINCE EARLY 2000, BUT STILL HELD ONLY 17
PERCENT OF STORAGE CAPACITY. STORAGE IS EXPECTED TO
FALL AS PRE-PLANTING IRRIGATION BEGINS IN THE LOWER
VALLEY.

FIRE DANGER...
THE CURRENT KETCH-BYRAN INDEX OF 200-300 OVER THE AREA
INDICATES THAT THERE IS A MODERATE TO HIGH RISK OF FIRE
DANGER. THE DAILY EVAPORATING RATES ACROSS THE REGION
CURRENTLY RANGE FROM 0.15 TO 0.25 OF AN INCH. THE LATEST
FREEZE HAS WORSENED THE FIRE DANGER AS IT KILLED QUITE
A BIT OF VEGETATION IN THE AREA. GRASS FIRES HAVE BEEN
COMMON IN THE AREA THE PAST FEW DAYS. ADDING TO THE
DANGER WILL BE THE DRY CONDITIONS AND STRONG
NORTHERLY WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONTAL
PASSAGE EXPECTED ON THURSDAY. ALL RESIDENTS ARE
URGED TO USE EXTREME CAUTION AND NOT TO LEAVE ANY
FIRES UNATTENDED.

AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS...
LAND PREPARATION HAS BEGUN FOR PRE-PLANTING. PASTURE
CONDITIONS ARE UNDER STRESS. ACCORDING TO THE STATE OF
TEXAS DROUGHT PREPAREDNESS COUNCIL "FARMERS AND
RANCHERS IN THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY ARE VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF MAKING A CROP IN 2002,
AS SOIL MOISTURE CONDITIONS ARE VERY MARGINAL WITH
PLANTING SEASON FOR GRAIN CROPS ONLY A MONTH AWAY.
IRRIGATION WATER SUPPLIES ARE VERY LOW, AND WATER
DISTRICTS ARE EXPECTING AVAILABLE ALLOCATIONS OF
IRRIGATION WATER MAY BE EXPENDED WITH PRE-IRRIGATIONS
IN FEBRUARY."