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Texas Crop and Weather Report – June 11, 2024
by Adam Russell
When it comes to rainfall and the subsequent soil moisture that fuels agricultural production, the state is haves and have-nots, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts.
Larry Stein, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension horticulturist in the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences, Uvalde, and Jourdan Bell, Ph.D., Amarillo, and Ronnie Schnell, Ph.D., Bryan-College Station, both AgriLife Extension agronomists in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, gave mixed reports on soil moisture levels around the state.
According to the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor map for Texas, more than half the state, primarily east of U.S. Interstate 35, is free from drought. However, more than 45% of the state lacks rainfall, ranging from abnormally dry to extreme drought.
That is a significant change compared to the drought monitor map for Texas on Sept. 26, 2023, when 97% of the state was experiencing abnormally dry to exceptional drought conditions. Much of the state’s eastern half was experiencing extreme to exceptional drought at that time.
Rainfall haves and have-nots
John Nielsen-Gammon, Ph.D., Texas state climatologist and Regents Professor in the Texas A&M Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Bryan-College Station, said parts of Texas have experienced records on both ends of the rainfall spectrum.
Nielsen-Gammon said the highest recent rain totals occurred in a triangle between Beaumont, Brady, and Longview.
May was the wettest month on record for Waco and Goldthwaite, which received 15.28 inches and 17 inches, respectively. Town Bluff Dam/Lake B.A. Steinhagen, an hour north of Beaumont, reported the wettest two-month period in its 70-year history during April and May with 40.5 inches.
Nielsen-Gammon said the weather station set a new two-month record despite reporting 25 inches of rain during Hurricane Harvey alone.
“May is normally the wettest month of the year for Texas, but not this wet,” he said. “We have record warm sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico for this time of year, so there has been extra moisture flowing into Texas, which means increased instability and the chances for thunderstorms.”
On the drier end of the spectrum, Nielsen-Gammon said there is a strong gradient in drought levels south and west of that rainfall-heavy triangle. Kerr, Bandera, and Kendall counties continue to experience persistent extreme drought.
He said Kerrville has experienced the driest 36-month period on record. Southwest and far West Texas are experiencing moderate to extreme drought, while parts of the Panhandle range from none to moderate drought.
Sprinkles and showers don’t end droughts.
Stein said the Winter Garden area, just south of the Edwards Plateau region, has received sprinkles and showers that have improved landscape aesthetics but done little for agriculture.
“We’ve had some rain, but it takes more than a little rain to curtail drought,” Stein said. “Lake levels are way down. Wells and livestock tanks are going dry, and there is no running water (in creeks and rivers). It’s not good.”
Stein said major reservoirs like Canyon Lake between San Antonio and Austin and Lake Amistad and Falcon Lake continue to drop due to a lack of runoff rainfall in their respective watersheds.
Dropping well and reservoir capacity could directly impact Texas crop producers’ ability to irrigate, but Stein said even water applied by irrigation pivots only supplements plant rainfall.
“There are some corn fields in the Winter Garden area that were able to emerge and grow some, but they never received more than half an inch of rainfall,” he said. “Producers are rolling them up for hay now.”
Texas Panhandle short on soil moisture
Bell said that soil moisture levels are slightly better in the Texas Plains and Panhandle but added the storm fronts that delivered rainfall also brought hail and wind damage.
She said rainfall that improved moisture indexes in the Panhandle between fall and early spring left distinct lines between the haves and have-nots. While there is little drought in the eastern and southeastern portions of the Panhandle, western and northwestern areas still need rainfall.
Some of the recent moisture came at a cost. Bell said golf ball-sized hail and sandblasting from high winds caused significant damage to fledgling cotton fields and established corn.
“Hot, windy conditions have followed rainfall events, which has dried fields out and driven crop water demand,” she said. “So, we’re still looking at dry soil moisture in many areas.”
However, Bell reported that much of the central and southern Panhandle benefited from a slow, soaking rain on Monday – 0.5 to 2 inches in areas – with moderate temperatures and no hail. While this will delay wheat harvest, she said it will benefit dryland and irrigated summer crops.
Excess rain in East Texas
On the other end of the spectrum, crop producers in the eastern half of the state have been experiencing good growing conditions. Schnell said that in some areas, excess rainwater has led to delays and poor crop conditions.
Crops looked very good in fields not subject to constant saturation and flooding. Most wheat fields were harvested, but Schnell said some in lower-lying areas have not because of soggy conditions. Wet field conditions have also prevented some growers from getting seeds before planting deadlines have passed.
Schnell said some of those growers may have planting options depending on location, but outcomes are “iffy” for Central and North Texas.
Despite problems associated with excess moisture for some, most growers east of Interstate 35 are optimistic about the season. Early-planted corn fields entering the denting stage have caught reasonable rainfall over recent months and may not need rain to harvest.
Other later-planted corn, sorghum, and cotton fields will need additional rainfall as they progress toward harvest, but conditions are positive for early summer.
“Moisture has been a big story, but one thing that has helped is the lack of extreme heat early in the season,” he said. “We’re getting into the mid-and upper-90s, but we didn’t see any triple digits like last year. That’s been an important part of crop development.”
AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:
Central
The district received beneficial rainfall, significantly reducing drought conditions in most areas. Lake levels continued to climb. Wheat heads were beginning to sprout, resulting in crop losses. The later harvest cut back the window for planting alternate rotation crops. Corn looked good overall despite plants in low-lying areas severely depressed due to excess water. After the pollination and silking stages, they reported some damage with the loss of leaves showing some reduced kernel fill, which could significantly impact yield. Cotton planting remained at a standstill, with only half of the crop planted. Producers saw many leafhoppers, and thrips remained a concern in some late-planted fields. Soil moisture conditions were excellent, but record-high temperatures started drying out fields. They had cut the hay, but the wet ground made drying hard, and forage crops were beginning to have more weeds than usual. The livestock was in good condition, and some cattle work was in progress.
Rolling Plains
The district experienced drier conditions and reported rainfall in some areas. Rain delayed wheat harvest but fared well, with no rust reported. Cotton planting was almost complete, but some areas needed replanting due to the heavy rains. Cattle grazed well on pastures that received ample rainfall, but flies and grasshoppers were becoming a problem. Producers in some areas were cutting and baling Coastal Bermuda grass pastures with above-average yields, and sorghum and corn fields improved as they dried out.
Coastal Bend
The district experienced a mix of weather conditions. Recent rains provided much-needed relief to field crops, though they reported hail damage in some corn and cotton. Corn looked good and was in the dough stage, while sorghum headed out and coloring and both crops were on schedule for harvest two weeks earlier than expected. Some corn and sorghum fields were drying down, and rice was beginning to head. Cotton was blooming and setting bolls, but producers were fighting flea hoppers and stinkbugs. Pasture conditions were bleak due to the dry, hot, and windy conditions. Hay baling continued despite the recent rainfall impacting harvest. Producers were supplementing forage and making tough management decisions due to weather conditions in most counties. Livestock fared well, and markets were strong.
East
More rainfall and severe storms were reported, with many areas reporting property damage and downed trees. Ponds, creeks, and lakes continued to be complete or even overflowing, which caused flooding in most areas. Gopher and fire ant control began in some places, and fly populations rose. Pasture and rangeland conditions were fair, while soil conditions ranged from adequate to surplus. Hay production slowed to a crawl or halted due to saturated pastures. Livestock were in fair to good condition, and markets remained strong.
Southeast
Weather conditions were drier, and some areas in the district received rainfall. Hay yields continued to be excellent in most areas, but some fields could not be cut due to the weather conditions.
Rangeland and pasture ratings were very poor to excellent, while soil moisture levels ranged from short to adequate. The rice fields were flooded but in good condition. Due to the excess moisture, flies were beginning to be a problem for livestock farmers in most areas. Cattle markets remained steady in most areas, with a few markets reporting slightly higher prices. They reported mosquitoes in most areas due to recent rains and saturated soil.
South Plains
Scattered rain showers were reported districtwide, with rainfall totals varying from zero to 2.1 inches. The first post-emergence herbicide applications were underway in cotton. There were reports of irrigated and dryland cotton replanting due to spotty emergence. Producers were preparing to plant black-eyed peas, and yields were high for the irrigated wheat grain harvest.
Panhandle
The district received scattered showers, and they reported varying rainfall amounts. Overall, soil moisture conditions ranged from short to adequate. Dryland wheat was passing through final maturity stages quickly, and irrigated fields were close behind due to high daytime temperatures. Many irrigated wheat and triticale fields were also harvested for silage. A few cotton fields were lost due to hail. Pasture and range conditions varied from poor to good, with crop conditions ranging from poor to good.
North
The district received varying amounts of rain, with some areas receiving 3-5 inches. A few areas reported high winds that uprooted some trees. Many wheat and oat fields were past maturity and unable to be harvested due to wet soil conditions. The corn crop looked good in well-drained fields, but some fields received wind damage. Due to very moist soils, soybean, cotton, and grain sorghum planting were minimal. Producers were baling hay in drier areas. Soil moisture was adequate to surplus, and pasture conditions were good to excellent, with a few areas reporting fair to good conditions. Livestock conditions were still favorable, but they reported nuisance flies, mosquitoes, and horse flies became more prevalent.
Far West
High temperatures in the district ranged from the upper-90s to low-100s, with rainfall amounts ranging between traces and 0.5 of an inch. Cotton looked good in most areas but showed some windburn. Rattlesnake sightings increased significantly due to the heat. Corn looked good, but the hot weather was beginning to take a toll. Melons looked good, and pecan trees were pollinating. They were selling livestock at a high rate due to the drought conditions. Cattle were in good condition, but producers had to work hard to keep cattle fed and hydrated.
West Central
The district reported hot and dry conditions in the past week, with average rainfall amounts ranging from nothing to almost half an inch. Wheat and oat harvest was wrapping up with few acres left in most areas. Cotton planting was in progress, and sorghum was beginning to head. Pecan trees looked good despite slow growth and some drought-related tree damage. Pasture and range conditions varied from fair to good, with warm-season forages beginning to grow. Grasshoppers were reported but were not a significant concern in most areas. Livestock looked excellent, but sheep and goat producers were managing for internal parasites. The cattle were in good condition.
Southwest
The hot, dry conditions persisted, with the heat index above 100 for most of the week. Rainfall amounts ranged from 0.8 to 1.5 inches in most areas. Row crops looked good to excellent, but signs of drought were prevalent in pastures and rangeland. There were sightings of desert termites in some regions, and they reported aphid infestations in others. Warm-season hay baling began, and Dallis grass and other warm-season grass seeding was underway. Rangeland conditions may result in early weaning of lamb and kid crops. Livestock and wildlife were in fair condition and under heavy supplementation.
South
The district reported hot and dry conditions with high temperatures ranging in the upper 90s and into the triple digits. Corn and grain sorghum crops were drying down, and harvest was beginning in most areas. Cotton was in the flowering stage, and quality varied from poor to good. Producers were applying plant growth regulators and spraying for insects on irrigated cotton fields. Sesame crops looked good, with producers reporting some blooming and pod emergence. Pasture and range conditions varied from poor to sound, and soil moisture levels ranged from poor to fair. Livestock and wildlife conditions were good, but most areas needed supplemental feeding due to dry conditions. Cattle conditions ranged from poor to good while markets remained strong.