Associated Press - June 29, 2009 6:34 PM ET
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Louisiana gets welcome rain as farmers worry about vulnerable crops and some areas consider whether to ban family fireworks.
National Weather Service forecasters said the northwest and southeast remain well behind average rainfall.
Meteorologist Gary Chatelain says Shreveport got about a half-inch Monday, and rainfall in northwest Louisiana probably ranged from an inch to a trace. He says rainfall was an inch below normal at the start of June - and 4 1/2 inches below normal as of Sunday.
Slidell meteorologist Tim Destri says the New Orleans area is more than 10 1/2 inches below normal - or about two-thirds the usual amount for the first half of the year.
Farmers say crops are at a vulnerable stage. In Rapides and Lafourche parishes, officials are considering individual fireworks bans.
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