Hot, rain free, and breezy weather from the 9th through the 24th brought an end to the temporary relief that Don had brought at the end of July near the coast.  The dry conditions manifest themselves into Severe (D2) Drought across the eastern half of Cameron and Willacy County beginning August 23rd and continuing through month's end.
Crop impacts were fully realized by the end of August, when a combination of crop damage with production loss of cotton, corn, and sorghum totaled more $25 million (preliminary insured) for the Rio Grande Valley as a whole (Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy), as reported by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.  This was an increase of more than $17 million from the preliminary numbers ($8.8 million) which were largely realized during the late spring (May/June).  In total, $26,721,548 in corn, cotton, and sorghum damage and loss was realized by the 2010/2011 drought at the end of August.  Values listed for each county are based on the additional $17,886,641 added since last report (in late July).

Drought in CAMERON, TEXAS
From 23-AUG-11 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 4.65M
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Severe (D2) Drought conditions developed across the northern and eastern two thirds of Cameron County near the end of the month of August as dry conditions and a lack of rainfall continued across the county.  While some rainfall returned to these areas, particularly on the 25th/26th and 31st, it was not enough to recover rainfall back toward the climatological averages, which typically increase by month's end.
Preliminary insured damage and production loss to cotton, corn, and sorghum totaled more than $4.5 million for the second reporting period (late July through the end of August).

Drought in COASTAL CAMERON, TEXAS
From 23-AUG-11 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Severe (D2) Drought conditions developed across coastal Cameron County near the end of the month of August as dry conditions and a lack of rainfall continued across the county.  While some rainfall returned to these areas, particularly on the 31st, it was not enough to recover rainfall back toward the climatological averages, which typically increase by month's end.

Drought in COASTAL WILLACY, TEXAS
From 23-AUG-11 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Severe (D2) Drought conditions developed across coastal Willacy County near the end of August, as dry, hot, and breezy conditions continued across the region.  Though some rain fell on August 25th and 31st, it was not enough to quench the increasingly dry conditions, in part based on climatological average values of rain which peak from the end of August into September.

Drought in WILLACY, TEXAS
From 23-AUG-11 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 7.25M
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Severe (D2) Drought conditions developed across the northwestern quarter and eastern third of Willacy County near the end of August, as dry, hot, and breezy conditions continued across the county.  Though some rain fell on August 25th and 31st, it was not enough to quench the increasingly dry conditions, in part based on climatological average values of rain which peak from the end of August into September.
Preliminary insured crop damage to corn, cotton, and sorghum was highest in Willacy County for all preliminary data for the Rio Grande Valley during the 2010/2011 season.  In all, $7,249,055.17 was damaged or lost, with the vast majority from failed dryland cotton.