‘Massive Crop Losses’ Feared from South Drought

By Carey Gillam – “KANSAS CITY (Reuters) – A devastating drought intensified across Texas over the last week, with high winds and heat causing ‘massive crop losses,’ and weather experts said Thursday that little relief was in sight.

The latest report from a consortium of national climate experts, dubbed the Drought Monitor, said drought worsened along the Texas border with Oklahoma, and in western, central and southern Texas.

Ranchers were struggling to feed and water cattle, and farmers were left to watch their crops shrivel into the dusty soil. Some experts estimated that producers were giving up on up to 70 percent of the state’s wheat acreage.

‘There are some scary things going on in Texas,’ said Brian Fuchs, climatologist with the National Drought Mitigation Center, which released its weekly drought analysis Thursday morning.”  Read more.