Burn Bans/Drought/Fires/Water Supply
Burn Bans
February 14 – After 19 fires were reported in a single weekend, Grimes County officials decided to put a burn ban into effect.
The Examiner Navasota, Scott MacDonald, February 14, 2011.
February 28 – The National Weather service in Corpus Christi says that February 2011 was the 13th driest February in nearly 125 years.
Caller News Corpus Christi, Steven Alford, February 28, 2011.
Drought
Monthly Change in Drought Monitor Classification
Fires
February 9 – An unattended space heater used during freezing temperatures in a North Dallas apartment complex is thought to be the cause of a fire that left 12 residents homeless.
The Dallas Morning News, Amber Bell, February 9, 2011.
February 11 – A Wichita Falls man died after seeking shelter from the cold in a storage unit that caught fire.
Times Record News, Matt Ledesma, February 12, 2011.
February 15 – Even a foot and a half of snow in the Amarillo area was not enough to replenish soil moisture in the Panhandle, and this forced the National Weather Service in Amarillo to issue a red flag warning.
Amarillo Globe-News, February 15, 2011.
February 17 – Areas of the Big Country were issued red flag warnings and fire weather watches because of the recent heat, high winds and lack of humidity.
KTXS News Abilene, Danielle Dozier, February 17, 2011.
February 17 – Officials in Bexar County say that a recent hard freeze and lack of moisture has increased the wildfire threats in the area.
KSAT News San Antonio, February 17.
February 20 - Warm temperatures, wind and low humidity levels are the perfect ingredients for grass fires in North Texas.
The Star-Telegram, Domingo Ramirez, February 20, 2011.
February 22 – The Texas Forest Service is placing water-carrying airplanes around the state on standby in anticipation of wild fires.
Amarillo Globe-News, Joe Gamm, February 22, 2011.
February 24 – The Texas Department of Public Safety say that several wildfires burned in the Big Country, causing traffic accidents and burning several hundred acres.
Reporter News Abilene, Jane Pratt, February 24, 2011.
February 26 – The Texas Forest Service issued a high risk for wildfires because of drought conditions, windy weather, and low humidity levels in the Big Country.
KTXS News Abilene, Jacqueline Hince, February 26, 2011.
February 27 – Wildfires in the Texas Panhandle destroyed 60 homes and burned more than 32,000 acres in Potter and Randall counties.
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Kevin Welch, February 28, 2011.
February 27 – Dry and windy conditions were to blame for the rapid spreading of wildfires in the Midland area.
My West Texas, Sara Higgins, February 27, 2011.
February 28 – The wildfires in West Texas that burned down nearly 60 homes also claimed the life of a 5-year-old boy who was part of an eight-vehicle car accident caused by smoke from the wildfires.
KFDA News Amarillo, February 28, 2011.
Water Supply
February 5 – A lack of rain in recent months has prompted the city of Odessa to put a 10 percent city water restriction upon the city for the summer.
OA Online, Sarah Mueller, February 07, 2011.
February 20 – Producers in McAllen are worried about the fight between the water district and the city officials, because the dispute could threaten the irrigation water supply.
The Monitor Rio Grande Valley, Dave Hendricks, February 21, 2011.
February 26 – League City has received the go ahead to begin building a 3-acre WaterSmart Park that will educate residents and developers on how to reduce water usage.
The Galveston Daily News, Hayley Kappes, February 27, 2011.
Agricultural Impacts
February 6 – Recent rains and freezing cold temperatures in the Corpus Christi have kept the topsoil very moist for spring planting and the freezing cold temperatures have kept weeds from growing in fields.
Caller News, Fanny Chirinos, February 6, 2011.
February 13 – Soil moisture levels were lacking in the South Plains, leaving winter wheat and pastures in poor condition.
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, February 13, 2011.
February 17 – Sweet onion crops in Smith County have been devastated by the recent sub-freezing weather, with producers estimating that at least 50% of their crops have been destroyed.
KETK News East Texas, February 17, 2011.
February 19 – In the Rolling Plains, a winter storm brought record low temperatures with an intensification of drought conditions accompanying the cold weather.
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, February 19, 2011.
February 21 - According to the Brownsville Farmers’ Market officials, farmers who were negatively affected by recent cold weather have bounced back and the market and vendors are doing fine.
The Brownsville Herald, Steve Clark, February 21, 2011.
February 23 – According to the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, recent cold weather has ravaged produce crops in Texas, leaving consumers to pay higher prices for produce.
The Houston Chronicle, William Pack & David Kaplan, February 24, 2011.
February 23 – Agriculture experts say cold snaps in Texas, Florida, and Mexico have negatively affected the winter tomato crop and they expect tomatoes to be in short supply in the short-term future.
KETK News East Texas, February 23, 2011.
February 25 - Producers in the Wichita Falls area are concerned about crops and soil moisture levels because of the recent swing in weather.
Times Record News, February 26, 2011.
February 26 – Warmer weather and windy conditions in Central Texas have quickly dried topsoils and freezes in West Texas heavily damaged the winter wheat crop.
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, February 27, 2011.
February 28 – Experts say that wildfires and abnormally dry weather are combining to pose a significant threat to the winter wheat crop.
Standard-Times San Angelo, Jerry Lackey, February 28, 2011.
Inclement Weather
Cold/Wintry Weather
February 1 – The coldest weather Dallas saw in twenty years caused most of the Dallas area schools to close and also was to blame for several traffic accidents.
The Dallas Morning News, Michael E. Young, February 01, 2011.
February 2 – Meteorologists in Tyler say that during a recent winter weather event, lake effect snow fell in a nearby lake, an event that is extremely rare in Texas.
KLTV News East Texas, Grant Dade, February 02, 2011.
February 2 – The 3.4 inches of snow that fell in Abilene broke a daily record, which was nearly the average annual snowfall total of 5 inches.
KTXS News Abilene, February 02, 2011.
February 2 – A recent arctic blast that hit North Texas caused Oncor Electric to order rolling blackouts throughout the entire state and showed several flaws in Texas electric policies.
KDFW News Dallas/Fort Worth, Kevin Boie, February 02, 2011.
February 6 – Wet snow along with dust on insulators caused a power pole to catch on fire and knock out power for electric customers in Amarillo.
Amarillo Globe-News, Joe Gamm, February 7, 2011.
February 10 – The cold weather on February 3rd set a Texas record for peak electricity demand during winter months.
Standard-Times San Angelo, Matthew Waller, February 10, 2011.
February 10 – Officials at Fort Bliss say that they are cleaning up after broken pipes flooded homes during a recent snowstorm and freeze that hit the base.
KVIA News West Texas, Gaby Loria, February 10, 2011.
February 12 - The El Paso Fire Department chief thought he had used a power generator for the last time after moving to the Borderland from hurricane-ravaged Florida in 2009.
The El Paso Times, Ramon Renteria, February 12, 2011.
February 12 - Residents of El Paso are wondering if the recent extreme cold will become more commonplace in the future.
KVIA News West Texas, Gaby Loria, February 12, 2011.
February 14 - The recent cold-related rolling blackouts have prompted the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to make changes to its emergency plan. The El Paso Company wrote a detailed report about what went wrong during the period of sub-freezing temperatures.
The Houston Chronicle, Tom Fowler, February 15, 2011.
February 15 – Flooding that resulted from frozen water pipes in the home of Dallas Mavericks guard Jason forced the Terry family to find a temporary residence.
Star-Telegram, Dwain Price, February 16, 2011.
February 16 – Texas senators questioned the head of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas over rolling blackouts during a recent cold snap.
Statesman, Eric Dexheimer, February 16, 2011.
February 16 – During recent cold weather employees and customers of the Super S grocery store in Bandera were forced wear their scarves, jackets and gloves because the store's heating system was not properly functioning.
The Bandera Bulletin, Jessica Hawley-Jerome, February 16, 2011.
February 19 – Residents in the Frisco area are still trying to recover after a recent winter storm left pipes broken and vehicles damaged.
The Frisco Enterprise, Bill Conrad, February 18, 2011.
February 24 – Brewster County Commissioners are looking into the why there were so many problems during what they are deeming the “Big Freeze of February 2011”.
The Alpine Avalanche, Cindy Perry, February 24, 2011.
Hurricanes
February 25 - A historic four-level, Orange hotel built in 1957 that was damaged by Hurricane Ike has finally been torn down to start construction on a new development.
KIII News South Texas, Bert Charan, February 25, 2011.
Severe Weather
February 19 - Government officials in Huntsville have started preparing for severe weather in Texas by talking to residents about what they can do before a storm strikes.
The Huntsville Item, Matthew Jackson, February 19, 2011.
February 21 – The National Weather Service declared the start of Severe Weather Awareness Week on February 21st.
KVUE News Austin, February 21, 2011.
February 22 – Many residents of Central Texas are worried that cuts in funding could severely hamper the ability of the National Weather Service to provide ample warning during severe weather events.
KXAN News Austin, Rhonda Lee, February 22, 2011.
February 27 – A dust storm warning had to be issued for Far West Texas and Southeast New Mexico after winds reduced visibility and made driving conditions extremely hazardous for motorists.
KWES News West Texas, February 27, 2011.
February 28 – The Secretary of Agriculture has named Hale County as a "contiguous disaster county" after being hit by Hurricane Alex, part of a relief program associated with the Farm Service Agency.
My Plainview, February 28, 2011.
Other Climate Impacts
Animals/Aquatic Life
February 3 – More than 330 sea turtles were rescued from freezing cold waters off of South Padre Island.
The Brownsville Herald, Steve Sinclair, February 03, 2011.
February 5 – Nearly 1040 cold-stunned turtles have been rescued off the Corpus Christi coast setting a new record and breaking the old record of 450 turtles rescued last winter.
Caller News Corpus Christi, Mike Baird & Rhiannon Meyers, February 5, 2011.
February 10 – The recent cold weather in East Texas has killed off large numbers of pesky bugs but has also killed some of the important insect species that act as pollinators, such as bees.
KTRE News East Texas, Morgan Thomas, February 10, 2011.
February 12 – A major benefit of the recent arctic blasts is that many insect populations, including ants and mosquitoes, have been greatly reduced.
KVUE News Austin, Andrew Chung, February 12, 2011.
February 18 – Recent cold weather in North Texas has forced goldfinches to head to bird feeders in South Texas for food.
The Houston Chronicle, Gary Clark, February 18, 2011.
February 24 – A Texas A&M University researcher says that the recent cold weather will not stop the are from seeing a large amount of monarch butterflies this season.
KTRK News Houston, February 24, 2011.
Construction
February 17 – Two years after Hurricane Ike destroyed the Moody Gardens' Rainforest Pyramid in Galveston, the 10-sotry building is in the final phases of its $25 million redesign.
The Houston Chronicle, Robert Stanton, February 17, 2011.
February 20 – A Houston contractor helped a Crosby family get a new roof of their home more than two years after Hurricane Ike destroyed it.
KTRK News Houston, February 21, 2011.
February 22 – Two years after Hurricane Ike hit Galveston, construction work is nearly complete on the Scholes International Airport that will restore the terminal to its original design.
The Houston Chronicle, February 22, 2011.
Economics
February 8 – The head of the Energy Reliability Council of Texas announced that recent cold weather has caused a "substantial" loss of natural gas production in Texas.
The Star-Telegram, Jack Smith, February 09, 2011.
February 8 – The recent snow and ice storms in East Texas caused an increase in insurance claims, due in large part to busted pipes and traffic accidents, which caused a rise in automobile claims.
KLTV News East Texas,Annette Falconer, February 08, 2011.
February 12 – The recent cold winter that hit Texas could translate into higher Valentine's Day prices for consumers buying flowers.
KHOU News Houston, Allison Triarsi, February 12, 2011.
February 13 – The El Paso Times is claiming that the price tag for the recent winter storm that hit the area could be as high as $10 million.
The El Paso Times, February 13, 2011.
February 13 – Officials in Texarkana’s say that the recent snowstorms that hit the area could cost the city more than $10,000 in overtime pay and other expenditures.
The Texarkana Gazette, Greg Bischof, February 13, 2011.
February 14 – The recent cold weather that damaged a power generator in Central Texas could cost Energy Future Holdings more than $30 million in first-quarter earnings.
The Star Telegram, Jack Smith, February 14, 2011.
February 16 – Residents of Bryan should not be surprised to see higher than normal electric bills because of the record cold temperatures that recently hit the area.
KBTX News Central Texas, Clay Falls, February 16, 2011.
February 18 - The Federal Emergency Management Agency reported that more than 3,000 families who were displaced by hurricanes in 2008 have been granted a five-moth extension on the federal assistance program.
The Houston Chronicle, February 18, 2011.
February 19 – A waterfront apartment complex in Galveston damaged by Hurricane Ike will finally receive a $26.5 million rebuild.
The Galveston Daily News, Chris Paschenko, February 20, 2011.
February 23 – The barrage of recent snowstorms in the Dallas area led the Dallas City Council to approve funds for the construction of a snow-removal system at Dallas Love Field.
The Dallas Morning News, Steve Thompson & Rudolph Bush, February 23, 2011.
Health/Lifestyle
February 2 – Freezing rain, sleet, and snow forced both SMU’s main and Plano campuses to be closed. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field were forced to shut down and cancel flights due to the winter weather.
The Daily Campus, Sarah Kramer, February 2, 2011.
February 3 - A recent winter weather event forced the Dallas Independent School District to close school for four days.
The Dallas Morning News, Matthew Haag, February 3, 2011.
February 6 – Texas A&M University was forced to close for a day after a snow and ice hit the area.
The Battalion, Joanna Raines, February 6, 2011.
February 7 – A layer of ice and half an inch of snow forced the Alamo Community College in San Antonio to cancel classes.
The Ranger, Laura Garcia, February 7, 2011.
February 7 –The American Red Cross chapter in Dallas was forced to announce an emergency appeal for financial donations and blood donations after their resources were depleted in response to many emergencies caused by the winter weather.
KDFW News Dallas-Fort Worth, February 7, 2011.
February 7 – Sub-zero temperatures in Abilene forced Abilene Christian University to be canceled and caused traffic accidents all over the campus.
The Optimist, Jeff Craig, February 7, 2011.
February 8 – Teachers in the Wichita Falls area say that the four days lost to snow could cause problems when students start to take TAKS tests.
Times Record News Wichita Falls, Ann Work, February 9, 2011.
February 9 – Workers at the San Antonio blood donation centers say that recent cold weather has kept citizens from donating blood, causing a shortage in the blood supply.
KENS News San Antonio, Wendy Rigby, February 9, 2011.
February 11 – The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center says that blood donors are needed to help rebuild blood bank supplies low after cold weather stopped all planned blood drives.
The Houston Chronicle, Jessica Fraz, February 11, 2011.
February 11 – Health officials in San Antonio are blaming recent cold weather for a rise in the number of flu and other respiratory illnesses.
My San Antonio, Richard A. Marini, February 11, 2011.
February 11 – Officials say that recent cold weather has taken a large toll on plants like the prickly pear.
KWES News West Texas, February 11, 2011.
February 13 – The 5 snow days that closed many Dallas–Fort Worth area schools have teachers working extra hard to fit in all missed materials.
The Star-Telegram, Jessamy Brown, February 13, 2011.
February 14 - Snow in Weatherford forced schools to close for four days (and counting) and now school officials are worried about how students will make up the days and learn material that was not taught.
The Weatherford Democrat, Sally Sexton, February 14, 2011.
February 16 – The weather is to blame for many packages arriving late, as snow in the Panhandle has caused a backlog at the UPS facilities in Amarillo and Pampa.
Connect Amarillo, Lucas Jefferson, February 16, 2011.
February 26 – Even though things seem to have warmed up in East Texas, lake waters are still very cold and water hypothermia is still possible if someone was to stay in the water too long.
NTXE News Tulsa, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, February 27, 2011.
Homes/Gardening/Trees
February 10 – Residents in the Austin area have said that many of their plants and vegetables have not been able to survive the recent cold blasts, even when protected by blankets and sheets.
KXAN News Austin, Natalie Stoll, February 10, 2011.
February 18 – Plant experts in San Antonio say that the magnitude and length of cold temperatures will determine if a plant can survive the winter.
My San Antonio, Calvin R. Finch, February 18, 2011.
February 25 – Gardening experts say that now is the time of the year to plant established trees and shrubs.
The San Angelo Standard-Times, John Begnaud, February 25, 2011.
February 15 - Gardening experts warn that temperatures in the 20s damage and kill citrus plants, and it is important to provide protection when temperatures are forecasted to drop to that level.
The Galveston Daily News, Dr. William Johnson, February 16, 2011.
Hunting/Fishing
February 23 – A Central Texas outdoorsman is concerned about the possibility of a very dry and harsh spring and summer based on dead vegetation and hot February temperatures.
Statesman News Austin, Mike Legget, February 23, 2011.
Recreation/Leisure/Athletics
February 1 – Players trying out for the Houston Dynamos soccer team had a rough start due to recent unusually cold weather and freezing temperatures.
The Houston Chronicle, Jose De Jesus Ortiz, February 2, 2011.
February 1 – A recent winter storm had Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Super Bowl organizers worried after high winds knocked down a giant tent that was meant to host concerts during Super Bowl week.
The Houston Chronicle, Tom Orsborn, February 1, 2011.
February 5 – Several Friday night basketball games in Central Texas had to be rescheduled because of cold, icy conditions caused by a winter storm that struck the area.
The Daily Press, Mike Craven, February 6, 2011.
February 5 – Six Cowboys Stadium workers were injured when patches of snow and ice fell of the stadium roof.
Myona News, February 6, 2011.
February 6 – Football fans that bought tickets to stand and watch the Super Bowl outside of Cowboys Stadium were forced to leave when rain started falling around halftime.
KDFW News Dallas-Fort Worth, February 6, 2011.
February 20 - Warm weather was a pleasant surprise for runners at the Galveston Mardi Gras Marathon.
The Galveston Daily News, Bernice Torregrossa, February 20, 2011.
February 22 – Despite cold weather, marathoners took to the track for the 20th Annual Livestrong Austin Marathon.
Hilltop Views, David Bobb, February 22, 2011.
February 24 - Rain in Palestine forced the first game of the Howard Estes high school baseball tournament to be rescheduled.
The Palestine Herald, February 24, 2011.
Roads/Traffic/Travel
February 1 – Cold temperatures, rain, sleet, snow and icy roads during the week leading up to the Super Bowl have forced city workers to work double shifts to clear roads.
KDAF News Dallas-Fort Worth, Shana Franklin, February 1, 2011.
February 3 – The Texas Department of Transportation brought in extra crews and extra snow plows from Amarillo to deal with the winter weather mess in North Texas.
KXAS News Dallas-Forth Worth, Ken Kalthoff, February 3, 2011.
February 4 – Passengers of waiting for the DART in Dallas were left waiting for several hours because of a recent snowstorm, which froze the doors in many of the trains and covered the navigational switches on the tracks.
The Dallas Morning News, Michael Lindenberger, February, 4, 2011.
February 4 – American Airlines said they were forced to cancel 739 flights because of a snowstorm that hit the Dallas area, which left the airport with only 4 open runways.
Sky Talk by The Star-Telegram, February 04, 2011.
February 4 – Winter weather in the Dallas area stopped all Greyhound buses from reaching their destinations and nearly 400 passengers were stranded in the station for the snow to clear.
The Dallas Morning News, Tom Benning, February 04, 2011.
February 4 – The snow in the North Texas area forced officials from the Texas Department of Transportation to call in reinforcements to get the roads cleared and salted.
The Dallas Morning News, Michael Lindenberger, February 04
February 9 – School closures, electricity blackouts, and canceled airline flights all resulted from a winter blast that hit Texas.
The Houston Chronicle, February 9, 2011.
February 9 – Freezing rain and iced over roads made the morning commute very dangerous for drivers in the Brazos Valley.
KBTX News Central Texas, Michael Oder, February 9, 2011.
February 18 – Car repair businesses in Amarillo say that their business has tripled as cars damaged by recent winter weather have been entering the shop in droves.
KFDA News Amarillo, Diana Crawford, February 18, 2011.
February 21 – Street cleaning crews in Fort Worth were working hard to clean up sand and dirt that was left behind by recent snowstorms, with the need for the clean up prompted because of windy weather that is kicking up dirt.
KXAS News Dallas-Fort Worth, Chris Van Horne, February 21, 2011.
February 25 – The Hurricane Ike Disaster Recovery Street Improvement Project has officially begun in the city of West Orange.
The Record Orange County, February 25, 2011.
