Texas Summer 2023

[rwfromkansas]

Most desert landscaping is ugly, hideous and depressing. Please don’t.

There are ways to put GREEN stuff in the yard besides grass. There are low plants that are good ground cover and things that don’t need as much water as Bermuda.

I finally have given up watering purely for cost reasons. It’s so hot some parts of the grass are not fully green anyway.

[Cpv17]

No water bill for me! I live way out in the country lol

[weatherdude1108]

I'm late to post, but I was at work when it smelled like rain, then the heavens opened up in north Austin! Went from desert to sauna.lol Was 99 but cooled off to 81! Not sure what office got, and streets were already dry by my house.

I measured 0.01" in my gauge. Last measureable was 0.04" on July 22nd in my yard.

It evaporated in 5 minutes, but none-the-less, it gave me hope, especially since Mabry broke it's 45-day 100 streak!

It's muggy and hot today, but more typical of a Texas August, with clouds around (and not a Phoenix desert blast inferno). I can feel a subtle change in the pattern.

[lukem]

Midland getting a nice tropical rain this afternoon from the remnants of Harold. First moisture we've had in a long time.

[rwfromkansas]

Geez, looked at the Euro and GFS models out of morbid curiosity for the first time in months. No hope. None.

[rwfromkansas]

Also, I think they need to stop with the excessive heat warnings. We get it. They don't keep issuing freeze warnings after the first one. This should be like that. We know it's hot. Just mention the heat index.

[Edwards Limestone]

Midland getting a nice tropical rain this afternoon from the remnants of Harold. First moisture we've had in a long time.

That's my hometown! My parents have (and still do) lived there since the 1950s.

Glad you guys are getting some moisture finally!!!

[TropicalTundra]

This summer has easily been our worst EVER. The temps are brutal enough, wildfires running rampant and killing our trees is not helping at all either. We haven't recorded even DRIZZLE since June.

I'm done.

[dpep4]

I only checked some of the west side of DFW, but temps again topped out a degree below predicted. Highs for the next few days, although still expected to go up some, have been lowered a degree or two from the previous several days forecasts, so I'm starting to think the 90's highs predicted for Mon and Tue may actually happen. Incremental progress.

[tajmahal]

Also, I think they need to stop with the excessive heat warnings. We get it. They don't keep issuing freeze warnings after the first one. This should be like that. We know it's hot. Just mention the heat index.

Nope. Freeze warnings are about plants and the growing season. Heat products are about saving lives. The equivalent are winter storm warnings, ice storm warnings, heavy snow warnings, and blizzard warnings.

[tajmahal]

At Austin Camp Mabry, the probability that 2023 will eclipse 2011 for hottest summer on record has been decreasing.

[Nederlander]

Geez, looked at the Euro and GFS models out of morbid curiosity for the first time in months. No hope. None.

This… I feel like the goal posts keep moving. First it was “wait until mid-August, then pattern change late August, then it was just get to Labor Day and everything will be better……..” still waiting

[Cpv17]

Geez, looked at the Euro and GFS models out of morbid curiosity for the first time in months. No hope. None.

This… I feel like the goal posts keep moving. First it was “wait until mid-August, then pattern change late August, then it was just get to Labor Day and everything will be better……..” still waiting

I’ve been under the impression for the past few weeks now that things won’t really change till sometime in October.

[rwfromkansas]

Also, I think they need to stop with the excessive heat warnings. We get it. They don't keep issuing freeze warnings after the first one. This should be like that. We know it's hot. Just mention the heat index.

Nope. Freeze warnings are about plants and the growing season. Heat products are about saving lives. The equivalent are winter storm warnings, ice storm warnings, heavy snow warnings, and blizzard warnings.

Fair point. I guess they do have different reasoning. Just getting old.

[Brent]

Well our heat indexes are going the right way... For now

[lukem]

EPAC is blowing up. At some point in fall this will work to our advantage. Just a waiting game for now.

[Iceresistance]

EPAC is blowing up. At some point in fall this will work to our advantage. Just a waiting game for now.

CanSIPS has above-average rainfall in October for Texas and Oklahoma.

The model only runs on the 1st of every month, it did remarkable on predicting a very dry August for Texas

https://s11.gifyu.com/images/Sg7Xz.png

[JDawg512]

There’s a house down the street from us that went with the desert, fine gravel and cactus/yucca landscaping during a recent remodel.

It looks great and they’re taking those hundreds (thousands?) of dollars in water bill savings to the bank I’m sure.

But as another poster alluded to, I fear what the temps in Dallas would be if everyone did that. Talk about heat island. We’d be Phoenix but with the occasional major street flooding from runoff after the deluges we’re sure to also get.

The problem with urban desertification is that it wipes out habitats for creatures we want around like bees, fireflies, butterflies. What's more it doesn't actually help with the environment. Simply plant native grass, native plants and trees. Once established they require little care and are so important to keeping beneficial urban wildlife. What happens to those rock/sand yards once the rain comes back? Grass and other plants will grow and what usually happens is the homeowners spray weed poison all over to kill it which in turn isn't very good. You can be water wise and still have a lovely landscaped yard focusing on natives. I encourage everyone not in the Austin area to check out The National Wildflower Center. They partner with Native American Seed co. out of Junction and you can get all sorts of seeds native to your specific region as they cover all the ecological regions.

[Edwards Limestone]

 https://twitter.com/NWSSanAntonio/status/1694692896526758342

[bubba hotep]

 https://twitter.com/Climatologist49/status/1694740110414426289