**3. Results**

### *3.1. Level 1 Results*

In the year 1978, Randall County encountered a storm event during the grain sorghum crop-growing period (26–27 May) (Figure 4). The 4-day maximum precipitation during the crop growing period was 182.9 mm (7.2 inches) which is 206% more than the average 4-day maximum precipitation (60.9 mm [2.4 inches]) that occurred during the sorghum crop growing period between 1973 and 2000. Also, the growing season total precipitation during the 1978 grain sorghum crop growing period was 271.8 mm (10.7 inches) which is 72.3% more than the average of the growing season total precipitation (157.5 mm (6.2 inches)) that occurred during the sorghum crop growing period between 1973 and 2000. The storm event could have brought down the rainfed sorghum yield by 27.5% (corresponding to the year 1978) when compared to the average rainfed sorghum yield from 1973 to 2000. This is evident from Figures 5 and 6, which show the sharp declines in crop yields based on 4-day maximum precipitation and growing season total precipitation separately.

**Figure 4.** Storm event of May 1978 in Randall County.

**Figure 5.** Sorghum yield reductions for Randall County in 1978 coming from maximum 4-day total precipitation.

**Figure 6.** Sorghum yield reductions for Randall County in 1978 coming from excess growing season precipitation.
