"Torrential rainfall from Hurricane Isaac hurt rice, cotton, soybean and sugar cane crops in the Deep South, but elsewhere the storm will bring relief to American farmers suffering from the worst drought in more than 50 years, an agricultural meteorologist said on Thursday."
"'The (moisture) deficits are so great that it will take up to 10 or 15 inches of rain over a longer period of time to replenish soil moisture supplies,' said Andy Karst, meteorologist for World Weather Inc. 'However, this will help and it will bring some rivers back up and help speed up barge traffic.'
Karst said the heaviest rainfall from the storm - up to 15 inches - was in southeast Louisiana, southern Mississippi and southwest Alabama. Two to five inches or more are expected on Thursday in central Mississippi and southeast Arkansas, he said."
Sam Nelson reports for Reuters August 31, 2012.
SEE ALSO:
"Despite Drought, Some Corn Farmers Reap Bounty" (NPR)
