“It takes a flood to break a drought”

“It takes a flood to break/end a drought” is an old weather saying of uncertain origin. “It takes a flood to end a drought and it takes a drought to end a flood” was cited in a Texas newspaper in 2001. “Mark Twain said it best. ‘It takes a flood to end a drought’” was said by Minnesota Public Radio in 2007, but there is no evidence that the saying is from Mark Twain, the pen name of author Samuel Langhorne Clemons (1835-1910).
 
“In Texas, it takes a flood to break a drought” was cited on Twitter on May 13, 2015. The saying was frequently used during the May 2015 Texas floods.
 
     
Newspapers.com
10 March 2001, Hood County News (Granbury, TX), “Rain delay,” pg. 1:
It takes a flood to end a drought and it takes a drought to end a flood. Hood County certainly knows the meaning of this saying.
 
MPR (Minnesota Public Radio)
It Takes A Flood…
Paul Huttner September 27, 2007, 7:24 AM
Mark Twain said it best. “It takes a flood to end a drought.”
   
Hillsboro (KS) Free Press
Rains end drought, but new concerns grow for crops
IN AGRICULTURE NEWS / BY DON RATZLAFF / ON AUGUST 21, 2013 AT 1:48 PM /
(...)
“There is that old saying that it takes a flood to break a drought,” said Rickey Roberts, the county’s K-State Extension agent for agriculture. “I think in this case, that’s true.”
 
Twitter
Jeff Jamison
‏@CBS11JeffJam
Takes a flood to end a drought RT @BrendansWeather: CO extreme drought drops from 18% to 4% in one week. 
10:18 AM - 19 Sep 2013
 
Dallas (TX) Morning News—The Scoop Blog
Update: Parts of Tarrant County under severe thunderstorm warning until 9:45 p.m., chances of ping pong sized hail
Naheed Rajwani Follow @naheedrajwani Email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Published: May 9, 2015 3:12 pm
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But NBC 5 Meteorologist David Finfrock says he’s most worried about the flash flood watch that is in effect through Monday morning.
 
Rainfall in the last six weeks, and especially this week, may put an end to the drought area lakes have experienced in the last four years, Finfrock said.
 
“We’ve really had a change in our luck. … It takes a flood to end a drought — that’s what appears to be what’s happening right now,” he said.
 
Twitter
Chris Mergerson
‏@chrishazards Chris Mergerson retweeted Margaret Orr
I’ve got Texas roots as well, and I’ve always heard, “In Texas, it takes a flood to break a drought.” Chris Mergerson added,
Margaret Orr @MargaretOrr
My grandfather was a rancher/ farmer in Texas. He was either praying for rain, or praying for the rain to stop. #fb #texasfarmers
10:15 AM - 13 May 2015
   
Glen Rose (TX) Reporter
Stormy Weather Continues in Somervell
Posted: Wednesday, May 27, 2015 2:00 pm | Updated: 2:04 pm, Wed May 27, 2015.
COLLEEN HORNING .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
It has been said that it takes a flood to break a drought, and many parts of Somervell, Erath, Hood and Johnson counties have experienced more than one flash flood warning in the past few weeks.
 
Waxahachie (TX) Daily Light
Column: It takes a flood to attract ducks
Posted: Thursday, May 28, 2015 7:05 pm
By Geoff Gorman Daily Light Sports Editor
(...)
Yes, as the old saying goes, it takes a flood to break a drought.