The latter half of August saw Drought conditions deteriorate, a result of days of heat and wind after the first, which continued for most days until month's end - with only a few periods of welcome rainfall, particularly on the 26th and again on the 31st.  Along and west of Highway 281, high temperatures reached 100 or higher on twenty days of more, with McAllen/Miller Airport falling one day shy of their 2009 record (28 vs. 29). Dry, hot weather peaked on the 28th and 29th, when even areas near the coast pushed past 100 degrees.
Crop impacts were fully realized by the end of August, when a combination of crop damage with production loss of cotton, corn, and sorghum totalled more $25 million (preliminary insured) for the Rio Grande Valley as a whole (Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy).  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).  Preliminary totals were $26,721,548, including earlier damage recorded this year.  For each event, values listed are totals based on an additional lump sum of $17,886,641, added since last report (late July).

Drought in ZAPATA, TEXAS
From 16-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

D4 Exceptional drought conditions developed across the extreme northern portions of Zapata County as the month of August progressed due to the lack of rainfall across the county.  Extreme D3 drought conditions prevailed across the rest of Zapata County the second week of August.

Drought in JIM HOGG, TEXAS
From 16-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

The drought conditions intensified across Jim Hogg County as the month of August progressed. Exceptional D4 drought conditions prevailed across the northern one third of the county and Extreme D3 drought conditions continued across the southern and central two thirds of the county.

Drought in STARR, TEXAS
From 16-AUG-11 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 1.28M
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

The drought conditions intensified across Starr County as the month of August progressed. Extreme D3 drought conditions engulfed the entire county due to the continued lack of rainfall.  By month's end, the annual total crop loss and damage to cotton, corn, and sorghum totaled $1,277,473.37.

Drought in BROOKS, TEXAS
From 16-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

Exceptional D4 drought conditions developed across the northern one third of Brooks County as the month of August progressed. Extreme (D3) Drought conditions prevailed across the south and central two thirds of Brooks County.

Drought in KENEDY, TEXAS
From 16-AUG-11 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Exceptional (D4) Drought conditions developed across the northern one quarter of Kenedy County as the month of August progressed due to the lack of rainfall. Extreme (D3) Drought conditions prevailed across the north central and western one half of the county; while Severe (D2) Drought conditions prevailed across the central and west central one quarter of the County.
Extreme conditions would spread to all but the southern quarter of the county, with Severe conditions covering the southern quarter, from the 23rd through the end of the month.

Drought in HIDALGO, TEXAS
From 16-AUG-11 00:00:00 to 31-AUG-11 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 4.69M
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Lack of rainfall across the north and west portions of Hidalgo County would deteriorate drought conditions by mid month, with these areas reaching Extreme (D3) by the 16th.  Severe (D2) Drought expanded east across Highway 281, but Abnormally Dry (D0) to Moderate (D1) conditions would prevail across the Lower Valley portion (Pharr to the Cameron County line, generally south of Highway 83) through the remainder of the month, aided by additional pockets of rain, particularly on the 26th and the 31st.
A bit to the north, Extreme (D3) conditions would expand to all areas west of Highway 281 from Edinburg South, and to all of northern Hidalgo County, by the 23rd; Severe Conditions would cover all but the southeast corner from the 23rd through the 31st.  This increase occurred despite some of the aforementioned rain, which was not enough to counter the climatological rise in rain frequency that occurs from late August into September.
By month's end, preliminary crop damage and production loss to corn, cotton, and sorghum totaled $4,690,154.80.