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

[bvigal]

It's too bad you guys can't channel some of that river flooding and spray it on all the parched and burning acres of the SCentral/SW! And it's terrible to see crops and trees dying! (did you see the Dust Bowl special on TWC?)

I always get nervous when it's drought is bad enough that people hope for tropical activity to break the pattern. Sometimes you get what you wish for, in spades!

As to the 100+degree temps, well, I have a hard time feeling sorry for you. Our heat index was 100F yesterday, 102.x in San Juan, and we don't have air conditioning. Well, some places do, most homes don't. Sitting in front of a fan makes it bearable (and keeps the computer from overheating). But when the power goes out (almost every day) it's pretty tough to tolerate. It's not that it's so hot here, it's only in the 80's, it's the high humidity and absence of wind that makes it so oppressive. Yes, yes, we usually have a week or two of this, in AUGUST!!

[Tireman4]

TXDOT Sign on the roadways (I45 South going to Houston)...:

"Extreme Wildfire Danger"



http://traffic.houstontranstar.org/layers/

Click on the signs....wow...just wow....

[Flyinman]

I agree in the fact that this is being downplayed. This quite possibly is the worst drought in 100 years. I think people in the area are so used to the feast or famine idea the reality is not sinking in and thinking we will get rain soon. IF and I mean IF we do not get rain as advertised by the end of next week, the situation will become very bad. It is already bad but seems we are still within the range of IF we get a couple inches of rain, it will not be a drought buster, but would at least satisfy the brush for a little while.

While I cannot remember a drought this bad, the one close to mind is the summer of 2000. It seemed we did not receive rain almost all summer and excessive temps were in place. Once we finally did receive rain in Beaumont, it was heavy and trees began falling due to the weakend state of the root system.

Oh and we ALL remember what the drought buster was in 2001.

[StormClouds63]

Lafayette station (KLFY-TV) 14-day forecast hinting at that future low in the GOM:

[vbhoutex]

I agree in the fact that this is being downplayed. This quite possibly is the worst drought in 100 years. I think people in the area are so used to the feast or famine idea the reality is not sinking in and thinking we will get rain soon. IF and I mean IF we do not get rain as advertised by the end of next week, the situation will become very bad. It is already bad but seems we are still within the range of IF we get a couple inches of rain, it will not be a drought buster, but would at least satisfy the brush for a little while.

While I cannot remember a drought this bad, the one close to mind is the summer of 2000. It seemed we did not receive rain almost all summer and excessive temps were in place. Once we finally did receive rain in Beaumont, it was heavy and trees began falling due to the weakend state of the root system.

Oh and we ALL remember what the drought buster was in 2001.

Sh!!! They'll hear you!
Yep IIRC at my house we had 36 days at or over 100F in 2000. That was also the year we recorded 112F at the house on Labor day or at least that week.
I won't say the A word, but in 2001 we got 16" of rain at our house that week, with 11" coming that Friday night/Saturday morning.
Frank Billingsley mentioned the possible low being in the GOM in about 10 days also. We can always hope. Not about to hold my breath though!!
After 40+ years in Houston I don't remember a drought this pervasive and especially with this kind of heat. Anthony Yanez on Channel 2 said something today about this drought could go on for 9 years. I didn't hear it, I was told about it, so I am not sure that statement was heard correctly. I have a feeling he said we could easily break our 109F all time high if this continues the way it has been.
To top it off to day we now have a brush fire that has shut down one of our major beltways around the city. Sam Houston Tollway feeder roads are closed at Mykawa on the South side. Not a good scenario at anytime and especially not at rush hour.

[Shoshana]

I agree in the fact that this is being downplayed. This quite possibly is the worst drought in 100 years. I think people in the area are so used to the feast or famine idea the reality is not sinking in and thinking we will get rain soon. IF and I mean IF we do not get rain as advertised by the end of next week, the situation will become very bad. It is already bad but seems we are still within the range of IF we get a couple inches of rain, it will not be a drought buster, but would at least satisfy the brush for a little while.

While I cannot remember a drought this bad, the one close to mind is the summer of 2000. It seemed we did not receive rain almost all summer and excessive temps were in place. Once we finally did receive rain in Beaumont, it was heavy and trees began falling due to the weakend state of the root system.

Oh and we ALL remember what the drought buster was in 2001.

Sh!!! They'll hear you!
Yep IIRC at my house we had 36 days at or over 100F in 2000. That was also the year we recorded 112F at the house on Labor day or at least that week.
I won't say the A word, but in 2001 we got 16" of rain at our house that week, with 11" coming that Friday night/Saturday morning.
Frank Billingsley mentioned the possible low being in the GOM in about 10 days also. We can always hope. Not about to hold my breath though!!
After 40+ years in Houston I don't remember a drought this pervasive and especially with this kind of heat. Anthony Yanez on Channel 2 said something today about this drought could go on for 9 years. I didn't hear it, I was told about it, so I am not sure that statement was heard correctly. I have a feeling he said we could easily break our 109F all time high if this continues the way it has been.
To top it off to day we now have a brush fire that has shut down one of our major beltways around the city. Sam Houston Tollway feeder roads are closed at Mykawa on the South side. Not a good scenario at anytime and especially not at rush hour.

Uncharted Territory – Our Drought

The honest answer is we don’t know how long the drought is going to last. If we get a slow-moving tropical storm that brings more than 15 inches of rain, it would end this summer. That is unlikely. It could also last 10 years. There have been two decade-long droughts in Texas the past 100 years. No one really knows when the drought will end. It’s a lot of speculation. I can tell you this: Since Hurricane Ike, we’ve been below average with rain. We’ve been in at least a minor drought since 2009, but it started getting really bad in October of 2010 and the last four months have been awful. To get out of the drought, we’ll need an extended wet pattern that lasts several months, and that won’t happen this summer. We are in uncharted territory with this drought. I go into the details on this webcast. Click the image above to watch the webcast, or click here:

http://www.click2houston.com/video/28230621/index.html

I think this is what you were referring to.

[vbhoutex]

Yes that is what it was. I only saw parts of that on different forecasts today. I hope he is wrong, wrong, wrong on the possible length of the drought. As he said though, what we are seeing is unprecedented.

[KatDaddy]

Yep VB this the worst drought I can remember. This surpasses the 1980 Summer drought and the heat is not far behind. Already 105F in early June. August 1980 we hit 107F. Tireman has also posted on the wildfire that closed down a portion of the beltway. We really need rain. I will be headed back to Houston tomorrow to see a very dry yard.

[vbhoutex]

I think I am going to quit posting about triple digit temps and just post when something weird like temps in the 90s happens. Oh before I stop posting about triple digits it was 101.7F at the house today.

[Tireman4]

I am hoping for cool weather...95 for daytime highs....LOL

[Flyinman]

Does anyone have any data on the amount of rain the area actually needs to sustain vegetation life and lake/pond levels? I know we are always given our normal rainfall amount and what it should be based on history but I have never seen what the minumum amount of annual rainfall this area needs. I would be interested to know what others think since we are getting into unchartered territory. Unfortunately I think this year would be a good year to start such records if there are none.

[Ptarmigan]

Yep VB this the worst drought I can remember. This surpasses the 1980 Summer drought and the heat is not far behind. Already 105F in early June. August 1980 we hit 107F. Tireman has also posted on the wildfire that closed down a portion of the beltway. We really need rain. I will be headed back to Houston tomorrow to see a very dry yard.

This is even worse than 2009. This drought is up there with 1917-1918 and 1884-1886 drought. Early 1886 was really dry from what I have read. Also, three hurricanes made landfall on Texas that year in 1886. The 1884-1886 drought is considered one of the worst droughts in Texas history.

[PTrackerLA]

Don't see any way out of this drought without tropical activity. With that being said GFS continues to advertise a possible low in the gulf and a bonafide monsoon impacting our area starting next weekend. We can only hope...

[Shoshana]

How far inland is said monsoon going to track? All the way to Austin?

[vbhoutex]

How far inland is said monsoon going to track? All the way to Austin?

Said monsoon, if it verifies will probably miss Austin and maybe even Houston(based on the last model I saw). It appears to be a LA "landfaller" if it even happens.

[Ptarmigan]

How far inland is said monsoon going to track? All the way to Austin?

Said monsoon, if it verifies will probably miss Austin and maybe even Houston(based on the last model I saw). It appears to be a LA "landfaller" if it even happens.

Hope it ends up in Texas. Those models always change.

[Yankeegirl]

I hate this weather, is it winter yet???

[Flyinman]

It's sad when we get so excited about the possibility of normal rainfall:

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/p ... cp.new.gif

Also, if you define winter by temps dropping below 100, that will hopefully be next week. I have decided I will not need a heater this winter as the temperature on my brick will not fall below 80 degrees until next March at this rate

[southerngale]

And the drought gets even worse:




Unreal!!

[vbhoutex]

It's sad when we get so excited about the possibility of normal rainfall:

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/p ... cp.new.gif

Also, if you define winter by temps dropping below 100, that will hopefully be next week. I have decided I will not need a heater this winter as the temperature on my brick will not fall below 80 degrees until next March at this rate

I am in total agreement!!