Texas 2011 Drought, Tropical Storm Deluges--By the Numbers

2011 has been hot and dry in Texas: dry enough to produce a drought of epic proportions and one that could last until 2020. Dry conditions launched a record-breaking number of wildfires in September. Climate experts from NWS and NOAA are meeting to address the drought.

What's so ironic about the Texas dry spell is that in the east and southeast, they are getting an equal and opposite drenching. The east coast and FEMA are still cleaning up flood damage from Hurricane Irene a month ago. Next door to Texas, Tropical Storm Lee flooded much of New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana. Hurricane Ophelia and Tropical Storm Philippe are dropping more rain in the south and east coast, too.

In other parts of the world, there's also too much water. The Philippines was blasted first by Typhoon Nesat (Pedring) last week and then by Nalgae (Typhoon Quiel) over the weekend. In 24 hours, 14.7 inches of water fell in Deat province. Yet in beleaguered Texas, it's dry as a bone. Here is a look at this catastrophic weather emergency by the numbers.

$5 billion: The amount this prolonged drought has cost the state in agriculture and cattle industries alone. Even the pumpkins look smaller in this drought year, locals say. That's the cost so far. If the experts are right, this drought isn't over, not by a long chalk.

96-97 percent: The amount of Texas land under Level 4, or exceptional, drought conditions. Most of the rest of the state is under Level 3, extreme drought, with only a few areas only at severe drought. Georgia is also in extreme drought conditions.

$200: The amount Texas ranchers have been paying per bale for drought-inflated hay.

$30-$40: The normal rate for hay. Kindly church members in Louisiana are collecting hay at non-inflated prices to send to ranchers in Texas to help.

8,000 years: The age of artifacts unearthed at drought-revealed caves at Lake Whitney State Park in Texas. Normally, these caves are underwater. It's been 20 years since the water level has been low enough to make the caves accessible. 30 cave looters searching for unearthed treasure were arrested over the weekend for "crimes against history."

9.6 inches: The amount of rain that Tropical Storm Lee could have dumped on the entire drought-stricken state of Texas, had the storm brought precipitation and not just high winds.

125,000: The number of acres burned by wildfires earlier in the month.

$250 million: The cost of the damage done by wildfires.

10-15 years: The length of time this drought could last.

1950s: The last decade in which such a severe drought hit Texas. That one lasted for seven years.

Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben writes about wild weather from 25 years teaching science.