South Plains rains is welcome news for area cotton farmers - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) - The local $5 billion per year cotton industry needed Wednesday's rain, especially with the planting deadlines at the end of this week. 

According to the National Weather Service, we are still 2.48 inches short of the average rainfall for 2009. Lubbock County was officially in drought as shown by the U.S. Drought Monitor, which was drawn before the rain; and the next Drought Monitor Map comes out Thursday morning.

Lubbock received .39 of an inch. Around the area, average rain totals ranged generally from .22 to 1.5 inches. There were reports of three inches in Borden and Scurry counties.

©2009 KCBD NewsChannel 11. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Look Up the Latest Rain Totals for the South Plains Look up daily National Weather Service recorded rain totals for each county on the South Plains.