"There has been a lot of misinformation flying around lately, so let me clarify: the Texas Department of Agriculture has absolutely no connection to cloud seeding or any form of weather modification," Miller said in a statement.

Texas leads the country in flood deaths. Steep hills, shallow soils and a fault zone have made Hill Country, also called "flash flood alley," one of the state's most dangerous regions.

Heavy rain poured over parts of central Texas, dumping more than a month's worth of rain for places like San Angelo.

NBC News is tracking online price levels for dozens of items at major retailers to determine when and how much they may fluctuate throughout the rest of the year.

"A lot of the weather forecast offices now are not operating at full complement of staff," said the former lead of NOAA.

Flood watches have been issued by the National Weather Service until at least 7 p.m. CT July 6 in Hill Country and along the I-35 corridor. The Weather Prediction Center added that scattered thunderstorms are likely to drop "torrential downpours over sensitive soils across parts of the Texas Hill Country."

As climate change increases the frequency of environmental disasters, experts say federal cuts could leave California and other states vulnerable in the years ahead.