Mixed bag of rain and drought for Texas growers

Texas producers are facing another year of hit-or-miss rainfall, with stark contrasts across the state, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts.

While many areas received spring and early summer rains, drought lingers across parts of South and Southwest Texas, from El Paso through the Hill Country and into South Texas, raising concerns about agriculture and water supplies.

Panhandle, Central and Upper Coast crops off to solid start

Jourdan Bell, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist, Amarillo, and associate professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, said the High Plains are in much better shape this year compared to 2024.

“We are not in drought, and this is a major improvement from previous planting seasons,” Bell said. “Most of the region received 4-8 inches of rainfall since mid-May, refilling soil moisture profiles.”

Stored subsoil moisture will help irrigated crops in a region where irrigation often falls short of meeting crop water demands during hot months. Early rainfall supported uniform stands of corn, sorghum and cotton. However, hail and high winds damaged some crops.

“Numerous wheat fields were lost to hail, and some summer crops required replanting,” Bell said. “Winds have also dried fields quickly, limiting the benefit of recent rain.”

Other areas, such as the Rio Grande Valley and Hondo region, also saw timely rain, boosting late-planted crops, said Ronnie Schnell, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension cropping systems specialist and professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Bryan-College Station.

“In some places, irrigation combined with timely rain gave growers a chance at good yields,” Schnell said. “But early plantings still suffered from poor emergence due to dry conditions.”

The steady rain in the Panhandle and Red River regions are helping dryland sorghum and cotton get off to a good start, he said.

More rainfall will be needed in most areas to maintain that momentum, Schnell added.

But other areas are struggling with oversaturation. Prolonged wet soils can stunt development and reduce yields, Schnell said. Corn and cotton are especially vulnerable to waterlogged conditions, while sorghum is more resilient.

Summer rain outlook unclear

John Nielsen-Gammon, Ph.D., Texas state climatologist and Regents Fellow in the Texas A&M University College of Geosciences Department of Atmospheric Sciences said while rainfall has improved conditions around the state, about 30% of Texas remains in drought.  

Drought-stricken areas stretch from far West Texas through the Hill Country and reach between Houston and San Antonio. Nielsen-Gammon said much of the drought is hydrologic, affecting lakes and reservoirs. Some of those areas did receive rain that improved crop conditions.

Nielsen-Gammon said there’s no strong signal for a wet or dry summer, though temperatures will likely remain above average. However, a predicted active hurricane season could shift conditions quickly.

“Hurricanes are rainfall concentrators,” he said. “They can dump water in one area and leave others dry. Producers prefer steady, widespread rain.”

Storms pushing moisture north can bring cool, cloudy conditions that delay fall crop development, Bell said.

“Cloud cover and low temperatures can slow cotton fiber development and grain fill,” she added. “We need not just rain, but the right conditions.”

Bright spots amid variability

Schnell said areas in Central Texas and along the Upper Gulf Coast could see excellent corn yields.

“It’s easy to slip into water stress in a hot, dry summer,” he said. “We’re off to a good start, but we need just enough moisture, especially heading into fall.”

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

Central

Drying conditions allowed field access after prolonged rain. Stock tanks remained full, and crop conditions ranged from good to excellent. Hay harvesting picked up amid concerns about quality. Corn performed well, despite some corn leafhopper sightings. Cotton continued to progress, and pest management remained a priority. Livestock were in good condition, aided by improved grazing and strong cattle markets.

Rolling Plains

Abundant sunshine and warm temperatures were reported across the district. Farmers were focusing on finishing cotton planting and hay baling. Pastures looked the best they have looked in several years and so did cattle. With rain chances dwindling over the next week, farmers were expected to focus on controlling sand damage to the young cotton.  

Coastal Bend

Rain continued in some areas, though dry conditions late in the week allowed limited fieldwork. Sorghum harvest resumed, and corn neared readiness. Cotton looked promising, though some fields shed squares due to saturated soils. Rice heading progressed well. Pastures and forage improved significantly, boosting livestock conditions. Haying resumed, with some areas completing a third cutting. Livestock appeared healthy and slick, with strong market prices. Water availability improved but remained a concern for herd expansion.

East

Most areas remained too wet for equipment, though Panola County experienced drier conditions. Soil moisture was surplus, and pastures were in good shape. Harvests of watermelon, blackberries, blueberries and vegetables continued. Cattle were in fair to good condition. Feral hog activity remained a problem for landowners.

Southeast

Heavy rain affected Chambers, Liberty and Hardin counties, while other areas benefited from the moisture. Rice performed well under warm, wet conditions, though some pastures appeared waterlogged. Corn and sorghum showed strong progress, with Brazos and Fort Bend counties reporting excellent crop conditions. Replanted cotton recovered well. Livestock were in fair to good condition, supported by strong forage. Hay cutting was ongoing, despite challenges from wet ground. Mosquitoes and flies were reported in wetter counties. Pasture and rangeland ratings ranged from very poor to excellent, depending on location. Soil moisture was mostly adequate to surplus.

South Plains

Mild temperatures gave way to heat and high winds, drying out soil and prompting irrigation. Some hail-damaged areas awaited crop insurance assessments. Producers weighed replanting cotton versus switching to grain sorghum. Surviving crops responded well to the heat. Corn began tasseling, and silage cutting neared completion. Wheat harvest produced good yields. Cucumber and black-eyed pea planting continued. Livestock were in good condition, supported by ample forage.

Panhandle

Temperatures rose with no new rainfall. Full sun and wind increased evapotranspiration. Supplemental irrigation resumed in fields previously harvested for silage to aid germination of cover crops. Dryland wheat showed more disease pressure than irrigated fields. Soil moisture ranged from short to adequate. Pasture and rangeland were in fair to good condition. Crops were rated fair to good.

North

Conditions were mostly warm and sunny with some scattered showers. Pasture and rangeland conditions were mostly good to excellent, with adequate soil moisture reported. Ponds remained full, and grass growth was vigorous. Livestock were in mostly good condition, with some variation. Corn, oats, sorghum, soybeans, sunflowers and winter wheat were in fair to good condition, with planting largely complete. Bowie County reported rice was in fair to good shape. Grayson County had more than 95% of peanuts planted, and fields were mostly in good condition. Harvest activities included winter crops, hay, blackberries, peaches, plums, apricots and figs. Some wheat fields showed minor sprout damage and rutting from equipment. Yields ranged from 40-65 bushels per acre, varying by location. Pests such as headworms, stink bugs, sorghum aphids and grasshoppers increased in some sorghum fields and johnsongrass was becoming a problem. Flies and tabanid flies affected livestock.

West Central

Hot, humid and dry weather returned after recent rain. Conditions dried rapidly, stressing some plants, though pastures remained productive. Hay cutting and baling were widespread. Cotton planting progressed rapidly ahead of the June 20 deadline, with some replanting needed after storm damage. Grain sorghum and irrigated cotton showed strong early growth. Wheat harvest was nearly complete. Pecan trees were setting nuts, though reports varied on crop prospects. Some walnut caterpillar activity was noted. Pastures greened up but some began showing signs of stress from heat and wind. Livestock looked good, with markets reporting strong prices.

Southwest

Scattered showers brought up to 0.53 inches of rain. Cloudy skies and cooler temperatures helped maintain soil moisture. Dry conditions enabled hay baling and corn harvest. A second hay cutting was expected in July. Herbicide spraying resumed as winds calmed. Row crops were in fair to good shape. Grain sorghum performed well, but some corn was beyond recovery. Pastures and rangeland showed improvement. Armyworms and grasshoppers were reported. Livestock remained in fair condition. Fawns were frequently observed. Stock tanks remained stable.

South

Scattered showers brought 1-4 inches of rain and maintained adequate soil moisture. Temperatures remained in the 90s with high humidity. Some producers paused sorghum and sunflower harvests due to wet conditions. Corn harvest was near. Cotton and sesame benefited from moisture, while peanut planting continued. Hay grazer and Bermuda grass fields were being cut and baled. Vegetable and cantaloupe harvests continued. Citrus appeared healthy with ongoing pest treatments. Grazing conditions improved with increased forage. Livestock were in good condition. Cattle prices remained high.