The National Weather Service defines measurable precipitation as more than 0.01 inches of rain. Amounts below the threshold are recorded as a “trace” and do not break a dry streak.
TBA/Staff Photographer
Dallas-Fort Worth has gone 46 days without measurable rain, tying a record dry streak from 1974 as drought and wildfire concerns grow across the region.
The National Weather Service defines measurable precipitation as more than 0.01 inches of rain. Amounts below the threshold are recorded as a “trace” and do not break a dry streak.
Here’s what to know about the region’s rainfree streak.
Article continues below this ad
How long has the current Dallas-Fort Worth dry streak lasted?
The dry streak began July 16, the day after DFW International Airport, the region’s official climate site, last recorded 0.07 inches of measurable rainfall.
The current 46-day streak ties one recorded in 1974, when D-FW went without measurable rain from June 13 to July 28, according to the weather service’s Fort Worth office. An upper-level ridge of high pressure has been impacting the Dallas-Fort Worth region for the last several weeks, preventing rain from forming.
Related: With a heat wave roasting North Texas, when could Dallas cool off?
The longest dry streak on record came in 2000, when D-FW went 84 consecutive days without measurable rain.
Article continues below this ad
With low chances of rain in this week’s forecast, the current streak could stretch through several more days, according to the weather service.
How does this August compare to previous years?
This August was among the “driest on record” for Dallas-Fort Worth, according to the weather service.
While some areas of North Texas saw scattered storms last week, DFW Airport only saw a trace of rain. Normal rainfall for August in Dallas-Fort Worth is just over 2 inches, according to the weather service.
Related: Dallas rain tracker: How much has fallen in 2026 compared to past record years?
Article continues below this ad
The region recorded a “trace” of rain a handful of days in July and August, but those amounts were not enough to break the dry streak.
This August will rank among one of seven other years in which D-FW recorded only a trace of rain for the entire 31-day period. The most recent was 2023, according to the weather service.
The dry stretch comes after a particularly rainy June, when Dallas-Fort Worth received twice its normal rainfall for the month.
Related: Dallas-Fort Worth got twice the normal amount of rain in June
Why is Texas seeing more wildfires this month?
The prolonged lack of rain has also increased wildfire concerns across North Texas as vegetation and other fuels dry out. Dallas-Fort Worth is also seeing growing drought concerns as dry conditions spread across the state.
Article continues below this ad
Parts of the state facing moderate drought have increased from 36.11% to 57.36% in the last week, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. In comparison, just over 19% of Texas was experiencing moderate drought this time last year.
As of Aug. 31, the Texas A&M Forest Service has received 34 requests for assistance since Friday on wildfires burning more than 8,615 acres.
Related: Ross fire remains at 31% contained a week after the historically large North Texas fire started
North Texas counties, particularly those west of Interstate 35, will see a very high or extreme fire danger Monday, according to the Texas Weather Connection. By Tuesday, the Dallas-Fort Worth area is forecast to see a high fire danger.
Article continues below this ad
However, the weather service expects moisture levels to increase as the week continues, which could assist with lowering the region’s fire danger threat.
Related: Texas heat can damage your home’s foundation. Here’s how to protect it