Panhandle
Hot, dry and windy conditions dominated the district; afternoon temperatures exceeded 100 degrees in some areas. Rainfall was scarce and highly localized, with one county reporting 0.6 of an inch, bringing its yearly total to 2.51 inches. Drought conditions intensified, and much of the district slipped further into moderate to severe drought categories. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels ranged from very short to adequate. Evapotranspiration climbed sharply as feed grains and cotton crops transitioned from vegetative to reproductive growth. Conditions strained soil moisture reserves and irrigation systems. Some producers were nearing decisions to terminate irrigation on portions of their acres to salvage the remainder. Pasture and rangeland were in very poor to good condition. Cattle were receiving hay with deeper culling or liquidation likely for many producers if rain does not come soon.
South Plains
Scattered showers moved across parts of the district, with reports ranging from a trace to 1.25 inches, but most areas received too little to reverse ongoing drought stress. Cracks in the ground continued to widen in some counties, and producers were watching forecasts closely as another chance of rain and slightly cooler temperatures approached. Irrigated corn looked good and early corn was near pollination, while dryland cotton and sorghum lagged. Cotton fruit retention was holding at about 90% with low pest populations, though corn leafhopper was confirmed in one field at very low levels. High winds earlier in the reporting period blasted some cotton fields and set the crop back. Weeds remained the most pressing issue, particularly where herbicide programs had been interrupted by sporadic rain. Livestock were in fair to good condition, and pasture and rangeland ranged from very poor to fair.
Rolling Plains
Hot, windy and mostly dry conditions continued to grip the district, with 100-degree days accelerating stress on crops and pastures. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels ranged from very short to adequate. Scattered showers fell in a few areas, but hail accompanied rain in the southern portions of the district and set cotton and peanut crops back further. Cotton emerged unevenly and, in some areas, showed little progress under the heat. Producers were giving up on Sudan grass plantings in some places due to lack of moisture. Sorghum fields began showing afternoon moisture stress, and armyworm activity was reported. Pastures continued to decline, and livestock diets were being supplemented in several counties. Pasture and rangeland ranged from very poor to good.
North
Temperatures hovered around 100 degrees with high humidity across much of the district, and 1-4 inches of rain fell in some areas over the weekend. Corn was drying down rapidly, and harvest was expected to start early, while soybeans looked strong and were blooming and setting pods. Sorghum aphids were showing up in grain sorghum, and armyworms were spotted in isolated areas. Hay harvest was active, with good yields but some quality losses were tied to maturity at cutting. Producers harvested grapes and blackberries, watermelons, okra and figs with tomatoes and peppers still producing, squash tapering off and peach, plum and pear harvests wrapping up. Feral hogs were active in some areas, and drought was creeping into parts of the district that missed the recent rains. Livestock conditions were fair to excellent, and pasture and rangeland ranged from poor to excellent.
East
Rainfall was highly uneven, with some areas picking up 1-3.5 inches while storms missed other areas entirely. Grazing and forages were browning up where rain was scarce, and regrowth after hay cutting had stalled in drier pockets. Elsewhere, pastures and hay fields remained in excellent shape, with many producers well into a second cutting. Bermuda stem maggot and armyworm infestations were reported in hay fields, and pasture mealybug had producers worried across several counties. Livestock markets stayed exceptionally strong with prices steady to higher. Livestock were in fair to excellent condition, and pasture and rangeland were in poor to excellent condition.
Far West
Hot, windy conditions with daytime highs in the upper 90s to near 100 degrees prevailed across much of the district, though scattered showers brought relief to some areas and heavier rain was expected in parts of the district. Cotton conditions were mixed, with some irrigated fields blooming and dryland fields struggling to square. Melon harvest continued in some areas, with yields picking up as second pickings began on many fields. In the El Paso area, cotton was thriving on quality river irrigation water that was expected to end soon. Pecans looked healthy despite minor stinkbug pressure, and alfalfa production was favorable. Grain sorghum was in good condition, with most fields headed and earlier planted irrigated fields beginning to color. Pastures were declining in some areas as cattle worked through remaining grazing from earlier rains, and supplemental feeding was beginning to pick up. Producers continued monitoring for New World screwworm. Livestock were in poor to good condition, and topsoil and subsoil moisture ranged from very short to adequate.
West Central
Hot, dry conditions dominated most of the district, with highs in the upper 90s to 100 degrees drying out pastures and stressing crops. Rainfall was spotty. Parts of the district recorded 0.25-2 inches, and one county reported microbursts delivering between 0.6-4.25 inches in localized spots. Cotton was in mostly fair condition but faltering in some counties as heat and moisture stress mounted. Some forage sorghum was being harvested for hay, and hay producers were finishing first cuttings. Land preparation for wheat field fertilization and planting continued. Pasture mealybug infestations were verified in parts of the district. Pasture and rangeland ranged from very poor to excellent, and livestock conditions ranged from poor to excellent, with the best cattle conditions where grazing remained strong.
Central
Hot, dry conditions with strong south winds continued across the district. A few areas caught 0.5-1 inch of rain over the weekend with more expected. Corn dried down rapidly, corn silage harvest wrapped up, and limited grain harvest operations began. Sorghum approached maturity, and sorghum aphid populations were a concern. Cotton progressed nicely with all fields blooming and setting bolls, though a short bloom cycle from the dry weather pushed many fields to or near cutout. Stink bugs and spider mites were the primary cotton pest concerns, with some fields already being treated for stink bugs. Hay was being cut and baled, and pasture mealybug was reported in multiple counties. Ponds were dropping in some areas, with signs of fish kill in the driest spots. Fire danger climbed as vegetation cured out. Livestock were in poor to good condition, and pasture and rangeland ranged from very poor to good.
Southeast
Midsummer heat and high humidity gripped the district, with rainfall arriving late in the reporting period in many areas and heavy rain in the forecast. Corn and sorghum harvests started in some counties but were halted by wet weather. Rice was progressing and getting close to harvest, though uneven maturity was expected to affect quality. Hay cutting resumed in several counties during the dry window, but many producers had still not baled a first cutting. Pasture mealybug damage continued across Bahia, Bermuda and Tifton pastures and hay fields. Livestock were in fair to excellent condition, and pasture and rangeland were in fair to excellent condition.
Southwest
Scattered rainfall brought relief across much of the district, with some areas receiving 1.25-2 inches and pockets picking up as much as 5 inches. Pastures and rangelands greened up where rain fell, though drier areas slowed on forage growth. Hay production continued between showers, and summer calving cows were beginning to drop calves in some herds. Pasture mealybug infestations were prevalent and limiting forage for livestock. New World screwworm remained a major focus, with travel restrictions weighing on producers. Livestock conditions were fair to good, and pasture and rangeland were in poor to good condition. Whitetail buck antler growth looked strong, and the fawn crop was described as robust. A wildfire burned 1,370 acres of rangeland in one county.
Coastal Bend
Rainfall returned to parts of the district after a dry stretch, with two-day rain events saturating ground in some counties while other areas stayed hot and dry. Grain sorghum harvest was underway, though wet, humid conditions caused head sprouting and molding in some fields. Corn harvest was starting in some areas but stalled elsewhere as grain moisture tests were still too high for combining. Cotton was progressing, with early planted fields receiving first defoliation applications and more acres expected to follow in the coming week. Continued wetness had hurt some cotton fields. Hay production was in full swing between rain events, with many bales already put up. Pasture mealybug was inflicting significant damage, and producers were spraying with limited labeled control options. Bermuda grass stem maggot and fall armyworms were also hitting hay fields. Livestock stayed in fair to excellent condition, and pasture and rangeland ranged from poor to excellent.
South
Hot, humid conditions dominated the district, with scattered showers delivering trace amounts up to 6 inches in the wettest spots. Extreme heat and high humidity persisted across much of the district. Corn harvest was underway with good early yield reports, and grain sorghum harvest was in full swing, though later-planted sorghum was just beginning to color. Cotton progressed well in the drier, warmer weather with most fields having open bolls and some later-planted fields still developing; lower bolls in some areas showed damage from earlier rains. Peanuts continued to progress in the pegging stage under irrigation. Sesame and citrus were also progressing. Hay producers put up large numbers of round bales under ideal curing conditions. Pasture mealybug damage was widespread and evident along roadsides in some counties. New World screwworm remained an active concern. Cattle futures softened somewhat, but cash prices remained firm across all classes with strong demand for replacement cows and heifers. Wildlife continued to recover from winter drought, with fawns hitting the ground and a second hatch of quail reported. Livestock were in fair to excellent condition, and pasture and rangeland ranged from very poor to good.
