As Tropical Storm Debby lingers and brings estimated historic flooding to much of Florida, Georgia and now the Carolinas, a guide was created to help Southeast cotton producers better prepare and respond to tropical weather.

In an Aug. 6 post to the North Carolina State University Cotton Page, NC State Extension cotton specialist Keith Edmisten addressed Debby, and the storm’s potential effect on the state’s cotton crop at this time.

“We participated in developing a USDA document on hurricane preparation and recovery a few years back. Thankfully, Debby is not occurring while we have open cotton in the field, when the damage could be most severe,” Edmisten says. “The greatest risk to cotton from this storm will be possible flooding in a few areas, and perhaps some leaching, but moderate rains could also help finish this crop out, or at least carry us closer through a good portion of August.”

The document he refers to can be found at Southeast cotton farmers to the Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeastern United States. It can come in handy now and as the tropical season continues to heat up.

The guide’s introduction explains its purpose:

People who live and work in the Southeastern United States are unfortunately familiar with the devastation and loss of life and property that can accompany a hurricane event. While hurricanes have always been a threat to the Southeast, with an average of over two strikes per year since 1900, the threat posed by hurricanes is growing. Recent studies suggest that as ocean temperatures continue to rise, hurricane intensity is increasing. Hurricanes of the future will likely be slower moving, higher category hurricanes that produce destructive winds and flooding.

To help producers remain resilient and productive in the face of this threat, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Southeast Climate Hub developed this guide containing steps that can be taken to prepare for and recover from hurricane events.

This guide is separated into four primary sections: