Texas drought expected to last through December

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Texas is taking it on the chin this year.

The Lone Star state is suffering through its hottest summer on record, as well as a record drought that started more than a year ago.

And there were the fires: In the first week of September, firefighters across the state responded to 176 wildfires that burned 126,844 acres, according to the Texas Forest Service.

Now comes news that Texas and its neighbors are not likely to get a reprieve from the punishing weather anytime soon. On Thursday, the National Climate Prediction Center said the drought outlook for the central-southern portion of the United States is expected to persist or intensify through Dec. 15.

That’s right, Texas. It looks like you’ve got three more months of this.

Keep cool, and good luck.

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