Andy Andersen, chief meteorologist for KCEN-TV, said most areas received less than an inch of rain.

Typical of Texas weather, residents went to bed Sunday night to balmy weather only to wake up to discover temperatures had dropped significantly.

The rain was much needed by farmers who are preparing to plant this year’s crops. Planting corn, a more than 60,000-acre crop in Bell County, usually begins at the beginning of March and continues through the month.

Even though the area just had the wettest year on record, rainfall is way below normal, said Agriculture Dirk Aaron, Bell County extension agent.

The soil moisture prior to Monday was not what it should have been for planting, he said.

“We are at the very beginning of planting corn, which is our primary crop for this county … the rains couldn’t have come at a better time,” Aaron said.

Farmers, he said, had been very nervous about the lack of rainfall.

Some farmers planted last week, while others are now waiting for the fields to dry out after this latest rain, Aaron said.

“They don’t mind waiting,” he said.

The rain is also significant for ranchers, Aaron said.

Grasses are beginning to come out of dormancy and if it’s dry during that time it can be disastrous for producers, he said.

The next chance for rain, according to Andersen, will be Thursday, when there’s a 20 percent chance.

So far this year, according to AccuWeather, Temple has received 2.26 inches of rain, compared to 7.73 inches in 2007. Normal rainfall year-to-date is 5.01 inches.