The latest Texas Drought Monitor map reveals 74 percent of the state is in moderate to exceptional drought and more than half the state is suffering severe “or worse” conditions.
The unyielding drought takes its toll on Texas crops. Corn inspected on May 5 in the Brazos Bottom looked good, but the plants are entering a rapid-growing stage, leading to the critical flowering stage. Without rain, these plants enter this critical stage under moisture stress, according to Southwest Farm Press Daily. Under conditions seen recently in large parts of the Southwest, high winds, soaring temperatures and the continued drought spell disaster on much of the wheat and summer crops.
Recent rains have brought little more than a trace. The last time the state was not in drought was November 2010 and much of the region has been in exceptional drought since.