Welcome heavy rains this month visited all of the South Plains, portions of the adjacent Rolling Plains and southwestern Texas Panhandle. Total monthly rainfall ranged from a few inches in the southwest Texas Panhandle to between 5 and 13 inches from the southern South Plains east to southern Garza County. Unfortunately, much of the southeast Texas Panhandle missed out on this deluge of rainfall where monthly totals ranged from just 0.65 inches to around 1.5 inches. Several instances of flooding were noted on the 18th and 20th as the remnants of Pacific Hurricane Odile drifted over West Texas accompanied by torrential rainfall at times. A large portion of the heaviest rains fell in the Lake Alan Henry watershed and pushed lake levels to significant values not recorded since late 2012.
By September 25th, nearly all of the South Plains and the far southwest Texas Panhandle improved to abnormally dry (D0) levels with a steady progression to moderate drought (D1) noted over the eastern South Plains into much of Crosby, Garza and Kent Counties. The remainder of the Rolling Plains and far southeast Texas Panhandle saw minimal change as widespread severe to extreme drought levels (D2 through D3) continued. Exceptional drought (D4) conditions lingered across southeast Cottle County.
Fire weather conditions were non-existent given abnormally moist fuels and well-below normal ERC values. The heavy rains did cause some economic strife for cotton farmers whose plants had either bolled out and suffered water damage or were delayed in bolling out due to the prolonged cool and wet conditions which hindered the required heat units. Losses from the diminished yield and reduced cotton quality were estimated to reach at least $3 million; however, cotton prices by September fell to their lowest levels seen in years which partially offset the total monetary damage. Sorghum harvesting was delayed by several weeks due to saturated fields and full playa lakes. This deep soil moisture will likely benefit upcoming winter wheat plantings and even aid next spring's cotton planting. Supplemental feeding of area livestock was no longer required due to readily available grazing land.
Since the start of the multi-year drought in late 2010, estimated economic losses plateaued around $3.01 billion. With all of the South Plains now below D2 drought levels, the running economic impact will be reset until conditions here return to D2. Although moderate or worse drought levels persist in the Rolling Plains, limited farming there and subsequent drought impacts are markedly lower from a monetary perspective.

Drought in PARMER, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 08-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in CASTRO, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 08-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in BAILEY, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 15-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in COCHRAN, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 22-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in YOAKUM, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 22-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HOCKLEY, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 29-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in TERRY, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 29-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HALE, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 29-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in LUBBOCK, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 29-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 3.00M
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in LYNN, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 29-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in CROSBY, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 29-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in GARZA, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 29-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in KENT, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 29-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in SWISHER, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 30-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in BRISCOE, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 30-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HALL, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 30-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in CHILDRESS, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 30-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in FLOYD, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 30-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in MOTLEY, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 30-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in COTTLE, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 30-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in DICKENS, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 30-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in KING, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 30-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in STONEWALL, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 30-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in LAMB, TEXAS
From 01-SEP-14 00:00:00 to 15-SEP-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor