West Texas Hit By Staggering Drought

The area around Midland and to its southwest has been hit by drought levels so high that water shortages, crop losses, and wildfires are common.

Drought Monitor

According to the US Drought Monitor, this drought level is called “exceptional.”

According to the San Antonio Report, Larry Stein, a professor and horticulturist for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, said, “The heat is bearable if you have water, but the big challenge we have is we’ve had some rain, but not rain to ease the drought. We have wells that are going dry, so there’s less and less water available.”  Many of the businesses in the area may never recover. 

Field Corn

Field corn, grain sorghum, cotton, and sesame are among the crops grown in the area, as well as cabbage, onions, spinach, strawberries, and hay. Forecasts indicate that the likelihood of meaningful rain is extremely low. 

The Texas Tribune commented on the problem. “They add that Texas will likely see a growing gap between wet and dry parts of the state as climate change alters precipitation patterns and warms oceans.” Houston, in particular, has been hit by heavy rainstorms and Hurricane Beryl last year.

Hurricanes

Although it is rare today, the climate in some parts of the world has permanently changed from decades ago. This will become more common.

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