AUSTIN — Rainfall throughout June strengthened crops across the state, but an agronomist with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service says drought conditions continue to prevail over much of the state.
“Two-thirds of the state is still in one level or another of drought,” said Travis Miller, an Extension agronomist. Miller and other members of the Texas Drought Preparedness Council met Thursday for the council’s monthly drought update meeting.
According to weather forecast models, seasonal patterns of dry weather will continue to prevail throughout the summer months.
“From the weather models I’ve seen, they are predicting near normal conditions,” Miller said. “Of course, summer in Texas means dry. Even if you get rainfall in these really hot conditions, it doesn’t last long. It dries out quickly.”
The Palmer Drought Severity Index, an index that factors in precipitation, evaporation and soil moisture, indicates the Edwards Plateau region of the state is in a severe drought, while South Central, South Texas and the Trans Pecos regions currently are experiencing moderate drought conditions.
The North Central and Rolling Plains regions are in mild drought, while the High Plains is experiencing a wet spell. Near normal conditions prevail in East Texas.
“June rains were beneficial to West Texas,” Miller said. “San Angelo received 4-1/2 inches in June, and Abilene received 4 inches there. That improved a lot of things as farmers were able to plant cotton with that moisture in the ground. The plains received a lot of rain as well, but you have to consider that those farmers didn’t get their cotton planted until late in the season because there just wasn’t any moisture. They’re going to have to have a good fall to make a good cotton crop.”
Miller said soil profiles were not full in the West, Central and Edwards Plateau regions of the state despite heavy rains that fell in June.
“They are going to have to have some decent rains during the summer to make those crops,” he said.
In Far West Texas, Miller said, June rains that averaged an inch to 1-1/2 inches were only half the normal amount of rainfall received in that part of the state.
“That’s essentially all they’ve received over a period of three months,” Miller said. “Things are greening up a bit, but they’re still in a pretty good hurt in Far West Texas. An inch and a half doesn’t go that far when you’re dry.”
South Texas, the Rio Grande Valley and Central Texas are “beginning to dry pretty good,” Miller said. “Fortunately, most of the crops are far enough along that they are not going to burn up except for some of the cotton.”
Grain crops in the Central Texas region are in excellent shape, as well as for the South Texas and Gulf Coast regions of the state.
However, numerous rain showers through June in Northeast Texas damaged some of the state’s best wheat crops, Miller said.
“It’s been really wet up on the Red River,” Miller said. “As a consequence, most of the wheat crop is destroyed. Some (producers) were cutting this week. A lot of hay crops haven’t been able to be harvested because of excessive moisture.”
The wheat harvest is expected to be at 70 million bushels this year, down from 122 million in 1999 and 136 million harvested in 1998.
“The best wheat in the state is up in Northeast Texas, but it isn’t suitable for flour because of all of the rain.”
Drought, hail, diseases and the worst infestation of greenbugs in 20 years also have presented problems to wheat farmers, Miller noted.
He said 80 percent of the state’s corn crop is rated good to excellent, but a large portion of the growing season still looms ahead.
“Overall, we’re going to have to continue to have rain during the summer months to strengthen these crops and to have a good harvest,” Miller said.
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