C/S TX Weather: Seasonal with some rains

[Rgv20]

Rio Grande City 97

Their is a chance of rain in the long range!

Brownsville NWS Afternoon discussion

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...HIGH PRESSURE IN THE MIDDLE
LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE CENTERED INITIALLY OVER TEXAS...AND THEN
OVER MISSOURI...AND EXTENDED OVER DEEP SOUTH TEXAS WILL PRODUCE HOT
AND DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY THURSDAY
THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. THE FORMATION OF AN INVERTED SURFACE TROUGH
OF LOW PRESSURE EXTENDED FROM A WEAK LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IN THE BAY
OF CAMPECHE...COMBINED WITH THE INFLUX OF DEEPER TROPICAL MOISTURE
...MAY PRODUCE SOME ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WITHIN DEEP SOUTH TEXAS SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

[Shoshana]

Yippeee for rain!!!

Funny cartoon! That's the way I felt yesterday!

Saw this today For Texas Policymakers, Drought Exposes Limits of Power

Talks about how and why Texas droughts are handled by local authorities not at the state level and it's really interesting.

"In a practical sense, drought plans are implemented at a local level," says Chris Brown, executive director of the California Urban Water Conservation Council and a former San Antonio water expert. In Texas, he says, water is rarely moved around the state — in contrast to California, where much of the state relies on the Sierra Nevada mountains for its water supply and an aqueduct system allows for statewide transfers of water.

Then I got to

Some climatologists worry that the current drought cycle could rival that of the 1950s. Still, however, the human impact back then was greater. People were poorer in the 1950s, and far more lived in rural Texas and depended solely on the land.

The 1950s drought also spurred the Texas Legislature to create the Texas Water Development Board, in 1957. Ken Kramer, director of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, says that other droughts have spurred state action too. For example, he says, the current regional planning process put in place by the Legislature in 1997 was partly in response to a drought the previous year.

Kramer and other environmentalists wish that this drought would spur stronger conservation measures. In many cities conservation remains voluntary — such as Amarillo, which (as of late June) had had its lowest rainfall totals for the year to date in recorded history.

"Conservation needs to be taken much more seriously," says Mary Kelly, who runs an Austin environmental consulting firm called Parula.

Kramer of the Sierra Club wishes drought plans would take account of the meteorological forecast as well as the current status of water supplies. The near-term forecast is bleak through at least early fall, and now meteorologists are suggesting La Niña, a Pacific current that is a major cause of this drought, could return in the fall. With no relief in sight, Kramer says, watering restrictions in Austin should already be cut to one day a week (residents can currently water two days a week).

We haven't even been using our irrigation system this year. I was going to use it 4th July but no one seemed to be setting off fireworks. I tested the system and realized that there are a few heads that don't seem to be getting water. It's too hot to dig them up so I'm going to wait till fall when we (hopefully) will be redoing everything anyway. The back yard sprinklers are placed oddly and the front yard ones seem to be malfunctioning. The little bit of rain has helped with the trees and all but one of our bushes. I'm going to soak that bush tonight and hope it helps.

I am thinking about getting a couple of long soaker hoses for the foundation tho but I don't know how to use them.

We rarely have ever used our sprinklers so I'm used to our grass looking about the same in July as it does in January.

[Shoshana]

Oh it's 100 at Mabry. (so far) Day 30, 12 in a row.

[South Texas Storms]

It looks like we will have some pretty decent rain chances early next week. The GFS model has consistently been showing .25-.50 inch rainfall totals for our area. Every little bit helps and I hope the GFS is underestimating the amounts right now.

[gboudx]

I am thinking about getting a couple of long soaker hoses for the foundation tho but I don't know how to use them.

Soaker hoses are a good idea if you aren't using your sprinklers. Set them about 6" from the foundation. Turn the water on and let them go for a good 30 mins at the least. I still have some around my foundation from 2006 when we had a bad drought and water restrictions.

[Shoshana]

I am thinking about getting a couple of long soaker hoses for the foundation tho but I don't know how to use them.

Soaker hoses are a good idea if you aren't using your sprinklers. Set them about 6" from the foundation. Turn the water on and let them go for a good 30 mins at the least. I still have some around my foundation from 2006 when we had a bad drought and water restrictions.

Thank you! Now I need to figure out how long the hoses need to be. Did you use hose guides or just put them down?

[~FlipFlopGirl~]

for the next ten days the high is listed atleast 103 and some days 106! Guess I better get accustomed to the 101 quick- suction cups melted to my car window- and their is a heat advisory at 9pm- Loved the ice cream pic that was hilarious

[Rgv20]

96 at Rio Grande City

Good to see our friends in new mexico, west texas and the panhandle getting some rain!

[gboudx]

Thank you! Now I need to figure out how long the hoses need to be. Did you use hose guides or just put them down?

I just put them down. At first they may not cooperate because they've been wound up for so long, but once the sun starts hitting them they'll become more pliable and easier to work with. I had to buy multiple hoses and connect them together to make sure most of the foundation was covered.

[gboudx]

FWIW, JB is tweeting this morning that the worst of the summer heat for Texas (east of I-35) has probably already occurred and especially so after July 5th.

I hope that verifies and that it means a more active influence from the tropics (i.e. rainfall).

Porta, any update from JB? So far that tweet is a swing and miss.

[Shoshana]

Just hit 100 at Mabry. Day 31, 13 in a row.

Thank you! Now I need to figure out how long the hoses need to be. Did you use hose guides or just put them down?

I just put them down. At first they may not cooperate because they've been wound up for so long, but once the sun starts hitting them they'll become more pliable and easier to work with. I had to buy multiple hoses and connect them together to make sure most of the foundation was covered.

Thank you! I did some research and it seems that only in Texas are we told to water foundations - that other states mandate better made foundations that aren't as likely to crack. Supposedly it only adds 1000 to the price of a foundation to make it 27% stronger. Dunno about that.

I think I am going to try getting the sprinklers sorted out - I know they laid them too close to the foundation but the spray away from it. They do pretty much cover the area nearest the house (when they are working). I'm going on vacay and I'll deal with it when I get back - don't want the sprinklers going w/o me here to check on them. Several neighbors have had cracked irrigation pipes either from the freezes last winter or the shifting soil. Our house is surrounded by sandy soil (backfill I'm sure) and clay under that. I haven't dug past 3 feet or so (fenceposts) but don't see caliche or limestone but I know it's there somewhere (east of 35).

The reason I am concerned is that I just noticed 2 ceramic tiles with a spiderweb thickness crack (each tile is cracked but the cracks don't align) thru them in the entryway in the middle of the house. Doors are all opening and closing ok even the one closest to it.

On another note, from KXAN

Electricity conservation urged
Grid operator says demand could max out system

Updated: Thursday, 14 Jul 2011, 11:15 AM CDT
Published : Thursday, 14 Jul 2011, 11:15 AM CDT

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The Electric Reliability Council of Texas wants consumers and businesses to reduce their electricity use during peak electricity hours Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“We are expecting the statewide power supplies to be very tight over peak today, primarily due to the forecast for continued temperature extremes which causes higher than normal electricity use, and because of unexpected unit outages,” said Kent Saathoff, ERCOT's vice president of grid operations and system planning

This is getting to be all too regular!

[Portastorm]

FWIW, JB is tweeting this morning that the worst of the summer heat for Texas (east of I-35) has probably already occurred and especially so after July 5th.

I hope that verifies and that it means a more active influence from the tropics (i.e. rainfall).

Porta, any update from JB? So far that tweet is a swing and miss.

Yeah, he sure missed by several proverbial miles on that one, didn't he?!

No, I haven't seen anything other than GW rants and telling Houston that they're gonna get some rain in the next few days.

Looks like all of this "early season" tropical threat predictions were wrong as well.

[Shoshana]

Day 32, 14 in a row, 102 Mabry 100 Bergstrom

[Shoshana]

Broke the streak, 99 today.

I'm in Dallas where it not only was hot, but around 10 pm when it was 96 we had a brief but heavy downpour. Now it's gross out there - it even smells bad dunno why.

[Shoshana]

Day 33. At least it's not humid.

[Rgv20]

Got to 98 yesterday and today. Average high for my area is 99 so we have been running near normal

[Shoshana]

Day 34, 100 at Mabry. 99 Bergstrom.

Drought, heat should provide relief for ragweed sufferers

AUSTIN -- There's at least one silver lining to the drought. Our normal nine-month pollen season may be shorter this year. That's because ragweed plants have taken a hit due to the extreme heat and lack of rain.

"With this bad drought and no rainfall, most of the ragweed plants did not sprout or have died already this year," said Dr. Bill Howland, Allergy and Asthma Center of Austin. "We anticipate this ragweed season will be much easier for allergy patients.

Normally ragweed season begins in late August and usually peaks around October 1st.

"This year, it may be mid-September before we see much pollen because of the drought and the heat," said Howland.

Getting any kind of break during allergy season is something Robin Von Rosenberg can appreciate.

"The heat in the summer is so hard," said Von Rosenberg of Austin. "You can't be outside, and you look forward to fall. Then you can't be outside in the fall because of the ragweed. I'll be very glad to go outside."

Doctor Howland says the heat and drought have already killed off half the ragweed plants that would normally be about to bloom. Even if we were to get some significant rainfall, ragweed season has already taken a big hit. Ragweed is followed by Cedar and Oak season.

[South Texas Storms]

Hopefully tomorrow is our day to temporarily cool off and get some much needed rain. I'm pretty optimistic and I hope I'm not dissapointed once again!

[Rgv20]

Temperature at 2pm in Rio Grande City 100.

[Shoshana]

Day 35 100 Mabry.

Lightning really close! No rain yet though.

Update: it's raining! Yippeee!!!! Lights went out then back on. Wind coming from the SE.

Update 2: Oh well, abt 10 min of rain.