Drought in Live Oak, Texas

Continued D2.

Dry, hot, and breezy conditions persisted across much of the region, with only scattered light rainfall that offered little relief to parched soils. Topsoil and subsoil moisture remained critically short, and surface water levels stayed extremely low. While cotton and sesame harvests produced above-average yields, grain sorghum and corn yields were mostly below average due to lack of moisture. Pasture and rangeland conditions continued to deteriorate under the heat, forcing ranchers to increase culling, sell lighter calves, and rely heavily on costly supplemental feed and hay. Irrigation was necessary to sustain citrus, peanuts, and vegetable crops, but limited rainfall left forage and turf production slowing, with wildfire risks rising in ungrazed areas. Despite strong livestock and wildlife conditions overall, the persistent dryness and high demand for feed underscored the ongoing drought stress across agriculture and natural resources.