Tropical Storm Harvey has re-entered the Gulf of Mexico after coming onshore last week, spreading flooding rains into northern portions of the Coastal Bend of Texas. The rains have resulted in some damage to unharvested cotton and rice across far northern portions of the Coastal Bend. Further south in the Coastal Bend, less crop damage has been noted as harvesting had already largely occurred there. The storm is now expected to track northeastward into the Delta over the next several days where it will continue to produce locally heavy rainfall. “While some minor crop damage will be possible to unharvested crops, widespread losses are not expected,” said Don Keeney, Senior Agricultural Meteorologist for MDA Weather Services. Corn harvesting is nearly complete in southern portions of the Delta, with rice, cotton, and soybean harvesting beginning. “The rains will, however, certainly slow fieldwork and will increase disease pressure,” added Keeney. Drier weather next week should allow wet conditions to subside and producers to slowly get back into the fields.
