2011 SE TX/SW LA Weather: Nice weather next several days

[wxman57]

I've been having a hard time reading my rain gauge. Last time it rained (May), I couldn't tell if I got 0.01" or 0.02" as there were 3 dead bugs floating in there.

[vbhoutex]

I've been having a hard time reading my rain gauge. Last time it rained (May), I couldn't tell if I got 0.01" or 0.02" as there were 3 dead bugs floating in there.

LOL!!! I feel ya!! I finally had to wash mine out in case we had any rain. Not sure why I bothered though

[JenBayles]

I'm rather surprised that the public displays in the Houston area are still on. I'm in unincorporated Harris County and very glad to see the full ban in effect. I just wish someone would tell the people who stockpile these things and fire them off whenever they're feeling frisky. Got a bad feeling about the upcoming holiday...

COMMISSIONERS COURT BANS FIREWORKS IN RESPONSE TO HISTORIC DROUGHT CONDITIONS
Judge Emmett Signs Disaster Order Restricting Sale Or Use
Of All Fireworks Throughout Unincorporated Harris County

(Harris Co., TX) -- Harris County Judge Ed Emmett signed an order this morning declaring a drought disaster and banning the sale or use of any fireworks anywhere in unincorporated Harris County. Commissioners Court unanimously ratified Emmett’s order moments later, extending its provisions and sending it on to Gov. Rick Perry. With Perry’s approval, the disaster order remains in effect until rescinded by Emmett.

Because all 34 municipalities in Harris County already have permanent bans on the sale or use of fireworks within their jurisdictions, the action by Harris County means fireworks are illegal to sell or use throughout the entire county. In addition, most neighboring counties and municipalities have banned or are considering banning fireworks. The only exception to the ban is for a public display “conducted by a person holding a valid pyrotechnic operator’s license or a valid pyrotechnics special effects operator’s license.”

“All of us on Commissioners Court recognize public safety as our top responsibility,” Emmett said Tuesday. “I think everyone, from Fire Marshal Mike Montgomery and local fire officials to representatives of the fireworks industry and the general public at large, understands the overwhelming need to take serious preventive action to avert disastrous wildfires from threatening our property, our homes and our families.”

Harris County is experiencing unprecedented drought conditions this year, with measurements on the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) approaching 750. The KBDI, which ranges from 0 to 800, is a measure of soil moisture and an indicator of fire potential. Commissioners Court implemented a burn ban until July 19 for unincorporated Harris County earlier this year when the KBDI reached 500. Court members extended that ban for 90 days this morning, keeping the county under a full burn ban until mid-October.

Violators of the fireworks ban face a $1,000 fine and/or 180 days in jail. Violators of the burn ban face a fine of up to $500 for each violation.

[jasons2k]

So far, nothing here. I'm watching the storms to the northeast though...the cloud tops are still cool in the infrared satellite images. Maybe they can hold together for a while longer.

I just looked outside and off to the north I can see the tops of the thunderheads in the distance.

[vbhoutex]

I too wish ALL fireworks were banned, but what is shot off commercially is probably safer than anything we shoot off, basically because it is supposed to go so high that it should be out by the time anything gets back to earth. Either way I will be at my house with a hose at the ready and a phone in my hand, just in case. We normally go out to my son's in Cypress and shoot off all kinds of fireworks. He will be out of town and I pray there are no problems in his area.
Gotta keep posting about the temps. Only 98.8F today.
Honestly, from everything I am seeing, I am not expecting much more in the way of liquid from the sky tomorrow or tonight even with the returns that are currently on radar. I pray I am wrong and that I am in here eating crow after tomorrow because we had a couple of inches of rain.

Forgot to add we also have another wildfire in the metro area. It is S of I10 near Mason Rd. and is threatening two different subdivisions if it isn't controlled soon.

[jasons2k]

The cloud tops are warming in the system to the NE. I hope we see something tomorrow...

[Garnet1995]

I saw the smoke plume from the mason fire....waaaay to close for comfort!!!! Please let it rain!!!!

[Ptarmigan]

000
FXUS64 KHGX 220347
AFDHGX

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1047 PM CDT TUE JUN 21 2011

.UPDATE...
UPDATED THE FORECAST PACKAGE TO REFLECT THE POTENTIAL FOR INCREASING
RAIN CHANCES DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AS THE ACTIVITY OUT WEST CONTINUES
TO RACE THIS WAY. GENERALLY WENT WITH HIGHER POPS NORTH AND LOWER POPS
SOUTH AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT...AND CARRIED CHANCE POPS AREA WIDE TOMORROW.
ALSO MADE SOME UPWARD ADJUSTMENTS ON QPF.

WORD HAS IT THAT A LOT OF SOUTHEAST TEXANS WOULD NOT MIND BEING WOKEN
UP TO RAIN AND THUNDER TONIGHT. HEY MOTHER NATURE - PLEASE DON`T
DISAPPOINT US. 42
&&

http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php ... glossary=1

We may see rain and storms tonight. Some may even wake up to thunder.

[CajunMama]

Now y'all share that rain! Don't be a and keep it all to yourselves!

[srainhoutx]

We'll try to send some E, but boy what a sight for sore eyes after so many months of little to nothing, rainfall wise.

[horselattitudesfarm]

I'm glad you guys are getting some rain. The storm system rolled through the Dallas area last night as a linear MCS. Strangest storm I ever saw though. Constant cloud-cloud lightning, lots of wind......and hardly a drop of rain. The radar showed a solid line of red going over us with high precip. echoes, but when I went outside, all the ingredients for a storm were there....except the rain

[vbhoutex]

I like my crow cooked slowly on a smoker and basted with a nice Texas barbq sauce please. I am more than happy to eat crow today. We have had half an inch and it is still raining. I have had more rain today than I have had in the last 3 months!! It looks like this system may have stalled over us. That is fine as long as it doesn't turn into a flood situation. We won't be breaking the drought but as Steve said, WHAT A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES!!! And also the temp is currently 67F right now!! We haven't seen anything that low in well over a month. Unfortunately the forecast is for what we have been having to come back with a vengeance starting with this weekend. Hey, I'll take it where I can get it.

[vbhoutex]

The latest from Jeff:

Yes, that would be Rain‏


What a sight to behold on the radar this morning!

Many areas will see more rainfall in a few hours today than in the last 100 days across the area.

Widespread moderate to heavy rain along a massive MCS over the area stretching from northern Liberty County to the north side of Houston to near Victoria drifting southeast. All major wildfires have seen at least .50-1.0 inch of rain overnight and have likely been extinguished. Leading edge of MCS is moving southeast around 5-10mph as flow has become increasingly parallel to the surface cold pool boundary. Cells are also moving south to north out of the Gulf of Mexico and into this line leading to cell mergers and a quick burst of heavy rainfall. Dry ground is soaking up what falls and after the initial line a widespread soaking moderate to light rain is falling…just what is needed over such a parched area. While this will help with the fire danger it will do little to end the drought with rainfall departures running 20-26 inches over the area we would need days of rainfall.

Expect the current activity to gradually weaken as it moves southward toward the coast while additional storms develop over the waters and move inland. Satellite shows widespread cirrus anvil canopy over the state and it will take time for this to burn off today and allowing heating to recover the low level air mass. Air mass should recover by late afternoon and leftover meso scale boundaries from this morning’s activity should start to fire off along with possibly the seabreeze front. Not overly impressive with the potential given the widespread overturning the air mass is undergoing currently, and typically after large MCS’s cross the region it takes about 12 hours to recover the air mass and destabilize again which puts us close to dark and the loss of heating.

Tonight should see less activity and what does form should be focused near the coast where a possible coastal trough forms. Activity that develops near the coast will spread inland early Thursday, but moisture already begins to decrease from north to south and rain chances fall, so we will take what we can get today.

Friday-next week:

Upper ridge rebuilds over the area with the air mass drying and capping returning ending the possibility of additional rains. Seabreeze will not have enough moisture to work with and will not be able to overcome the warm layer aloft. Surface fuels will begin to dry out and winds will increase out of the south so the wildfire danger will be increasing. Given the widespread soaking rains this morning, would expect some of the surface grasses to recover some greenness and hold back the fire threat some next week, but larger trees are dying rapidly especially north of I-10 and this will add greater fuels that will not green due to rainfall. So the fire threat will be returning, but not as severe as this past week.

[CajunMama]

We'll try to send some E, but boy what a sight for sore eyes after so many months of little to nothing, rainfall wise.

Oh I know! It's not just Texas that's in a drought...and this is something south central LA has gone through the 4 of the last 5 years. LA was generous and sent the drought to brent in 2009.

[vbhoutex]

I do believe I have died and gone to heaven!!! It has been raining since sometime around 7am this morning and is still coming down. We are closing in on an inch now. There is a chorus of flora and fauna outside singing Hallelujah!! Apparently the front/boundary has stalled right on top of Houston. For once this is a good thing since we are not getting flooding rains, just good drenching rains that are soaking in instead of just running off. When we are done(in about two weeks )we'll go ahead and send some East CM.

[vbhoutex]

We'll try to send some E, but boy what a sight for sore eyes after so many months of little to nothing, rainfall wise.

Oh I know! It's not just Texas that's in a drought...and this is something south central LA has gone through the 4 of the last 5 years. LA was generous and sent the drought to brent in 2009.

You should be asking Brent for some rain too. He has had a lot more than our entire areas combined over the last few months.

[BigB0882]

That radar looks beautiful. Wonder if it will come East or will it lift North too quickly?

[jasons2k]

I'm so happy My rain gauge has spilled over into the bigger collection bucket which means I have over an inch here and it is still raining. I just heard a decent rumble of thunder too.

[JenBayles]

1.7 inches here in Bear Creek!

[jasons2k]

1.55" here - I'll gladly take it!