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September in Texas started off wet, warmed up, and then cooled off with the first significant cold front of the fall. Numerous rainfall records were broken across the state including wettest two year period in North Texas. The finalized August rainfall observations indicated last August was the second wettest on record. Towards the end of the month, about 40 high water rescues were completed in San Antonio, according to the San Antonio Fire Department, after a rainfall event where 7 inches of rain fell on the city. Two separate rainfall events caused some housing and infrastructure damage in west Texas, knocking out power to 1,600 homes in Odessa, 4,500 in Snyder, and 2,600 in Cedar Park. The Texas Reds Festival, West Texas Fair & Rodeo, Old Settlers Reunion, and many sporting activities had below average attendance or delays due to inclement weather. Planning to help stem flooding in central Texas is ongoing in Round Rock, which is moving forward with a plan to construct two new dams at $20 million apiece. The State Climatologist does not expect La Niña to emerge following a El Niño this past year and Texas should continue to see above normal temperatures and rainfall through the winter.

Rainfall will likely affect the cotton crop across the state. Southeast Texas was hammered by late season rainfall that stalled farmers from getting into the fields to harvest. About 375,000 acres have been damaged by rains and farmers are in dire need of a good season to continue to run their business. West Texas is faring better, however, and estimates are still leaning towards 6.6 million bales, 15 percent higher than last year; the High Plains are expected to account for 4.15 million of that, which would make 2016 the first year since 2010 that saw more than 4 million. During the warmer parts of the month, farmers in Central Texas had to worry about armyworms in their field. In far south and northwest Texas, farmers missed out on the heavy rains and are expected to have a decent cotton season. Grocery prices continued to fall as crops have been doing well statewide over the past few years.
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