Fires
January 14 – According to Texas and Forest Service officials the beginning of wildfire season has gotten off to a quiet start partly because of all the rains. Officials say that one county in the Big Country, Eastland County, has a burn ban in effect until March 14th.
The Abilene Reporter News
January 23 – Wildfire season is expected to be tamer than in recent years due to greater soil moisture and the expectation of a wetter than normal winter. However, at least three large fires were reported by Rio Grande Valley fire authorities, including a major blaze that charred 205 acres near San Manuel.
The Rio Grande Valley
Drought
Monthly Change in Drought Monitor Classification
January 2 – The drought of 2009 was one of Victoria Advocate's most popular stories, detailing the extreme dryness as long ago as 2007. However, rains returned in September thanks to El Nino, providing needed rainfall to residents after the first 8 months of 2009 were the driest and third warmest on record.
The Victoria Advocate
Water Supply
January 1 – The Texas Court of Appeals dismissed a lawsuit filed by the City of Austin that challenged water quality protection plans of a Buda quarry, which had been approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on October 28, 2005.
The Austin Statesman
January 17 – The Hidalgo County Drainage District is considering a plan to sell the abundant water supply in its extensive drainage network. The district would initially build a water treatment plant that would cost between $20 million and $50 million and would treat and sell the water to South Texas water suppliers.
The Rio Grande Monitor
January 24 – The issue of water availability ranks near the top of the list of important issues for potential residents of San Angelo and the Concho Valley. The three reservoirs that surround San Angelo make the city much better equipped to deal with future droughts than those in the past.
The San Angelo Standard-Times
January 25 – According to the Lower Colorado River Authority have told cities along the Colorado River that the recent rainfall has been sufficient to lift their drought restrictions. However, the LCRA says that if you measure the water streaming into the lakes, Central Texas water have an inflow deficit of about 240,000 acre-feet.
The Austin Statesman
Agricultural Impacts
January 1 – Two Texas AgriLife scientists were awarded a $500,000 grant to breed corn for drought tolerance and aflatoxin resistance. The overall goal is to improve corn quality and yield by applying the knowledge gained in previous studies of corn genetics.
NTXE News
January 1 – Recent rains in the Coastal Bend have certainly been welcome, but a prolonged period of standing water in area fields could result in nutrient loss for crops in 2010. The carryover of nutrients from unused fertilizer is difficult to estimate in the year following a substantial drought.
The Nueces Record Star
January 2 – A "schizophrenic" Mother Nature played havoc with agriculture in 2009 and led to mixed results for the cotton crop in the Panhandle. A dry first few months of 2009 was followed by a normal moisture pattern during the summer and another dry period in the fall.
My Plainview
January 4 – Texas ranchers and farmers say that they hope 2010 will bring better weather. Agronomists with the Texas AgriLife Extension service and members from the Governor's Texas Drought Preparedness Council say that drought, hard freezes, and flooding caused many setbacks for producers.
Country World News
January 5 – The first Texas A&M AgriLife Extension's first regional crop report of the year emphasizes that Coastal Bend area field work has been held up because of below-normal temperatures and rain, but the 2010 growing season looks much improved because of the recent rains. In North Texas, the cold weather has killed calves and livestock has been fed more hay and supplements than last winter. In the Rolling Plains, several inches of snow and blizzard-like conditions have helped replenish soil moisture levels, which will help with winter wheat production.
The Dallas Morning News
January 6 – Freezing cold weather in Amarillo that has come and gone all winter might have ruined wheat crops. Agriculture experts say that the winter wheat crops might have a chance to survive if they get covered by snow, and that snow is a must for survival.
KWES News
January 6 – As Midland residents brace for another cold blast, farmers in the Midland area are excited for the cold weather. Midland cotton farmer Perry Lewis says that the cold blast will kill the bugs that have been swarming the winter crops, and in addition kill troublesome weeds.
KOSA News
January 10 – The snowfall in the South Plains helped the condition of winter wheat. In the Panhandle, cattle were in good condition but rangeland for grazing was in poor condition, forcing producers to use supplemental feed. Freezing weather in West Texas caused pecan harvests to fall behind.
Lubbock Avalanche Journal
January 11 – After a long drought, winter blew into Texas early and brought wetter than normal conditions that been great for pastures in South and Central Texas. To help pastures further germinate, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension officials recommend aeration to help pastures that have been compacted during the drought.
Country World
January 14 – In Central Texas, the unusual cold weather had led producers to supplementally feed livestock and forced producers to go into the field and break ice on water troughs and stock ponds. In East Texas, winter pastures have been set back by freezing weather and in the Rolling Plains severe temperatures have made things difficult on remaining cotton crops and livestock.
The Dallas Morning News
January 14 – According to the USDA's National Statistics Service, the harvest of dryland field crops has done well despite the drought. Officials say that Texas cotton crops are about 10% up from 2008, but before they can close the books for 2009, they need to review about 200,000 more bales of hay.
Reporter News
January 15 – The Arctic freeze might have been rough on residents, crops, and cattle, but the grapevines of Texas handled the cold just fine. Producers in West Texas say there has been no damages to the vines even with the falling snow and that the cold weather will be good for the vines as long as West Texas does not have a late spring freeze.
My San Antonio
January 17 – South Plains pastures and ranges are reported in good condition, with improvements because of the recent rains. The unusually cold temperatures have led to supplemental feeding of livestock and wet conditions have prevented producers from being able to plow fields in Central Texas. Cold temperatures in Southwest Texas interrupted the harvesting of spinach, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce and carrots.
AgriLife News, Texas A&M University
January 18 – When freezing temperatures came to Texas, producers were forced to spend hours pouring out supplemental feed for livestock and chop through ice in water troughs. Following the cold, operators were happy with rain that fell, because it turned winter wheat crops into carpets of green fields.
San Angelo Standard Times
January 18 – To assist producers with monitoring changes in the weather and soil conditions in their fields, Texas AgriLife Extension Service and the Victoria County Crops Committee will hold a Crop Weather Station Systems program.
The Victoria Advocate
January 19 – The current citrus crop from South Texas has escaped any significant damage from the cold weather that has plagued Texas through much of January. The Texas Citrus Fiesta held in the Rio Grande Valley is a direct beneficiary of the crop's good fortune.
Star Telegram
January 21 – Coastal Bend area producers were able to get spring wheat planted before heavy rains came and oversaturated the grounds. North Texas cold weather has put farming on hold, and because of the cold and wetness, small grain has seen little growth.
The Dallas Morning News
January 23 – Extreme weather conditions, coupled with the rising cost of fertilizer, has made it very hard for East Texans to get hay. Producers say the demand for hay is so high that they are being forced to sell more hay than usual, which has caused suffering to cattle.
KTRE News
January 24 – Despite the recent cold weather that brought several hours of below-freezing temperatures, experts say that the majority of pests and weeds in crops will survive. However, a Texas A&M entomologist says the unusually cold weather through the remainder of the winter could help cotton farmers make great strides in eradicating the boll weevil.
Country World
Inclement Weather
Cold/Winter Weather
January 1 – The New Year was accompanied by frigid temperatures and a stiff wind in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, putting a damper on New Year's Eve celebrations taking place throughout the area.
Star Telegram
January 4 – Hard freezes were expected in South Texas in places not accustomed to dealing with sub-freezing temperatures. The forecast low in Victoria was forecast to be in the upper 10s, a point temperatures had not plummeted to in almost 50 years.
My Victoria Online
January 6 – As the temperatures drop officials around the state were keen to remind residents that pipes can burst, crops can be killed, and roads can become unsafe. To protect their pipes, residents should wrap all exposed pipes located outside of their homes and remove garden hoses from outside faucets.
YNN News
January 6 – As an Arctic front sweeps through Austin, city officials, homeless advocates, and service providers are working hard to determine where all the homeless people will sleep. With temperatures expected to drop into the single digits, the city's winter plan includes providing extra shelters throughout the city and a free Capital Metro Bus ride to shelters.
The Austin Statesman
January 7 – The coldest weather in more than a decade in East Texas is expected to cause a record winter electricity demand, a record expected to last only a matter of hours. According to Electric Reliability Council of Texas officials the demand is expected to reach 51,691 megawatts, topping the previous record of 50,408 megawatts set in February of 2007.
The Star Telegram
January 7 – Austin residents piled on their clothes as winter weather brought the coldest temperatures the area has seen in a long time. Gusting winds, along with freezing temperatures, forced school children to run from busses and cars into school buildings.
KVUE News
January 8 – Ingram city officials say that the death of a 75-year-old homeless man is likely related to the extreme cold. Officials believe that the homeless man was using a portable heater or burning pallets during freezing cold nights when his belongings caught fire.
My San Antonio
January 9 – The recent cold weather broke several old temperature records in the Austin area, including Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, where temperatures dipped down to 10 degrees and broke the old record set back in January of 1976. Camp Mabry also broke a previous record set in 1962 when the low reached 17 degrees. The lowest temperature recorded around the state was in Marfa, where the mercury dipped to a frigid 3 degrees above zero.
The Austin Statesman
January 12 – A Forth Worth women died after falling through an ice covered pond while trying to save her dog. Police say that the 34-year-old women was pulled from freezing cold waters two hours after witnesses reported seeing a dog on the pond.
The Weatherford Democrat
January 13 – Just when Flower Mound thought they had escaped the impact of the cold weather, fire officials say as temperatures began to warm up, more and more burst pipes and weather damages were found. During a two hour period the Fire Department received about 30 calls about burst pipes and three of the Children's Courtyard facilities in Flower Mound suffered damages.
Flower Mound Leader
January 26 – Although experts at power companies in North Texas don't anticipate the massive power outages associated with an ice storm around the Christmas of 2000, preparations are being made for the worst ahead of an impending ice storm.
KTEN News
January 27 – The Texas Department of Public Safety has deployed units along major roadways ahead of a storm expected to dump nearly a foot of snow in the Texas Panhandle. The city of Amarillo also has crews working around the clock, though they are warning everyone to stay home for the day.
Amarillo Globe News
January 28 – A winter storm that rampaged through West Texas has left behind miserably cold temperatures in addition to several inches of snow on the ground. Residents of El Paso were forced to bundle up as temperatures were below freezing and snow flurries filled the air.
Your Houston News
Flooding/Rainfall
January 14 – In the Victoria area, rain showers and isolated thunderstorms caused flooding in low lying areas and made some roads impassable about thirty-minutes into the storm. The flooding was caused by a slow moving system that brought 4-6 inches of rain, with isolated placed getting up to 10 inches of rain.
Crossroads Today Online
January 16 – Already saturated grounds are causing flooding concerns in many areas of Port Lavaca. In a period of 3 days the area received 4.6 inches of rain. The problem according to a weather watcher is that the grounds are already saturated and now three rivers that run into Matagorda Bay are beyond capacity and near flood stage. Even with all this rain there are still a few drought areas left near Corpus Christi and South of Del Rio.
KHOU News
January 16 – Recent rains in the Corpus Christi area have forced the closure of Chapman Ranch Road according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Oso Creek on the south side of Corpus Christi leveled at 19.99 feet, Copano Creek reached 12.13 feet, and the Aransas River topped out at 19.03 feet, which is considered to be at moderate flood stage. Officials for the South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center say that all the wetlands in the Corpus Christi area are full of water.
Corpus Christi Caller
January 29 – Excessive rainfall in Central Texas produced the widespread flooding of rivers and forced numerous road closures due to rising waters. Several rivers and streams were under flood warnings, including the North Bosque River in Coryell County, which was nearly two feet above flood stage.
KWTX News
Hurricanes/Tropics
January 3 – The Federal Emergency Management Agency is paying for the cost to clean up the debris that has piled up in Galveston storm drains since Hurricane Ike hit more than a year ago. The work will be done by 10 vacuum trucks and must be completed by March 12, with the sand and silt picked up used to elevate the city's recycling center.
The Galveston Daily News
January 4 – Numerous people are still living in mobile homes provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after their homes were destroyed by Hurricane Ike. Many were not aware of assistance available that includes a $99 million housing assistance program being offered by the Galveston County Restore and Rebuild program.
KHOU News
January 10 – Since Hurricane Ike, the free parking residents of Galveston have enjoyed downtown will soon be coming to an end. The city of Galveston plans to replace more than 900 parking meters that were damaged by Hurricane Ike within the next 90 days. City officials say they are excited for the new meters because it will turn downtown Galveston into a merchant area rather than a free parking lot.
The Galveston Daily News
January 30 – Contractors and artists are taking advantage of large trees that were killed during Hurricane Ike following the removal of more than 10,000 dead trees by crews from the city of Galveston. Some of the trees are being handpicked for the restoration of the Charles W. Morgan, an 1841 whaling ship based in Connecticut.
The Galveston Daily News
January 31 – Chevrolet is designing a new advertising campaign that focuses on the role Chevy trucks played in the rebuilding effort following Hurricane Ike. Several locations in Galveston County will be the used in the commercial, in addition other areas of Southeast Texas.
KHOU News
Severe Weather
January 3 – A tornado that ripped through Lubbock Street in Lufkin on December 23rd caused EF3 damage and more than a week later, the area could be described as a "war zone." There are no tornado sirens in Lufkin, though sirens would not have been sounded anyway, since there was no official tornado warning for Angelina County when the storm struck.
The Lufkin Daily News
January 5 – Low interest loans are now being offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration to Lufkin residents and business owners affected by last month's severe storms and the tornado. Loans up to $200,000 for homeowners and up to $40,000 for renters are also available to residents in Angelina, Cherokee, Houston, Jasper, Nacogdoches, Polk, San Augustine, Trinity and Tyler counties.
The Daily Progress, Jacksonville, TX
January 5 – After being damaged by a tornado, the city of Lufkin can start repairs after a $75,000 check was delivered to the city by the Deep East Texas Council of Governments. The money will be distributed by the Red Cross to Lufkin residents who need assistance in repairs.
The Lufkin Daily News
January 20 – A mass of severe thunderstorms has been blamed for damages in Hunt County, where officials reported downed electric pole and very large hail. Along with the hail, the storm brought winds up to 60 miles per hour in Hopkins County, causing two tractor trailers to be overturned.
The Herald Banner
January 21 – According to the National Weather Service, at least 5 tornadoes hit East Texas near Canton, Sulphur Springs, Larue and Poynor. The storms uprooted trees, destroyed or damaged over 100 homes, over turned trucks, and injured two people according to the American Red Cross.
WFAA News
January 21 – Tornadoes caused substantial damage in Sabine, where a farm in the Sabine National Forest was destroyed. A home on the same property, where family members gathered just a few days earlier, was completely destroyed. A pecan tree in the front yard of the home that is the oldest Pecan Tree in Sabine County was ripped out of the ground by the storm.
KLTV News
January 21 – Although not directly hit by the tornadoes that hit East Texas, nearly 1,200 residents in the Jacksonville area were left without power. The Jacksonville Fire Chief said that the power was out for about five-and-a-half hours, but that the city fortunately received no emergency calls resulting from the storm.
The Daily Progress, Jacksonville, TX
January 22 – A severe storm that hit El Paso caught many students at UTEP off guard and many expressed that they were under-prepared for the weather. During the storm, winds in West El Paso knocked over a 60-foot pine tree, which landed on a neighboring home causing at least $3,000 in damages.
KVIA News
January 22 – The tornado that damaged businesses and homes in Waskom was categorized as an EF3 by the National Weather Service with winds believed to be between 150 and 160 mph. With a path length of 15.6 miles and width of 0.75 miles, city officials say that the tornado broke 17 poles along with several homes and businesses.
The Marshall News Messenger
January 23 – A 62-year-old women was released from the hospital after surviving being tossed 20 feet by an East Texas tornado. Unfortunately, the dream home that she and her husband were building in Sand Flat was destroyed by the tornado. Sarlida Routier is a former Lubbock resident who is known for claiming the innocence of her daughter-in-law, who currently sits on Texas' death row.
KLTV News
January 24 – High winds in San Antonio blew wooden boards off a high-rise under construction in the downtown area and forced police to close Houston Street. The winds caused the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning to 25 South Texas counties, including Bexar County.
My San Antonio
January 25 – Following the news that five tornadoes have been confirmed in Northeast Texas from severe weather on the 20th, the National Weather Service is presenting an area-wide weather preparedness campaign. The campaign is aimed at teaching the public about thunderstorm formation, severe weather production, features associated with severe weather, and the formation and behavior of tornadoes.
The Palestine Herald
Other Climate Impacts
Academics/Athletics
January 13 – The Arctic blast and its freezing temperatures forced Dallas area soccer players to cancel several matches. Coaches explained that the winter weather is something that winter soccer players have to deal with, but the temperatures have just been too cold for players to play.
The Dallas Morning News
January 29 – Freezing rain and snow made it impossible for the Texas Tech indoor track team to depart Lubbock, forcing the cancellation of their track meet against Nebraska.
KLTV News
Animals/Aquatic Life
January 13 – Recent freezing temperatures in the Corpus Christi area had Texas Parks & Wildlife officials ready to implement a coastal fishing ban in deepwater. Although the ban was not put in place, many officials were worried of fish-killing freezes that occur when fish instinctively seek the protection of deep water when the bay temperatures drop.
The Corpus Christi Caller
January 19 – State wildlife officials said in just over a week's time, more than 425 turtles have been rescued after washing up along the shorelines from East Matagorda Bay to the Lower Laguna Madre. Experts say a drop of 10 degrees in the water temperature can cause sea turtles to go into a hypothermic state.
KVUE News
January 20 – The cold weather has not only threatened the life of many sea turtles, but also the life of many other wildlife species throughout Texas. Many dead swallows have also been found, and hummingbirds have also been affected by the recent cold weather.
The Victoria Advocate
January 30 – According to one Texan, the whooping crane is a treasure to Texas that is worth preserving, as recent drought and excessive heat have played havoc with their feeding habitat. Nearly two dozen of the only 300 living whooping cranes died last year because of the reduced crab populations in their feeding waters.
The Austin Statesman
Climate/Environment
January 2 – Proposed climate change legislation would force Texas Instruments, which uses chemicals that are thousands of times stronger than carbon dioxide as greenhouse gases, to buy pollution allowances. Texas Instruments is also concerned about the increased cost of electricity associated with reduced greenhouse emissions.
The Dallas Morning News
January 8 – After a very hot and dry summer, Texas is in a deep freeze as state is seeing are the coldest temperatures in decades, with the source of the air coming from the Arctic Ocean and Siberia.
KBTX News
January 17 – Though the weather of 2009 took Dallas residents on a seemingly endless roller coaster ride, the overall temperatures showed that the year as a whole was quite average. The Farmer's Almanac predicts lower-than-normal winter temperatures for 75 percent of the country, including Texas.
The Dallas Morning News
January 30 – The National Ecological Observatory Network will be built in the rolling prairies and woodlands of the Caddo-LBJ National Grasslands to study the "the effects of climate change, biodiversity, land-use changes, invasive species, pollution and other issues." The National Science Foundation recently approved plans for a final design, one of the last major hurdles before the implementation of the network.
The San Angelo Standard Times
January 30 – The National Ecological Observatory Network will be built in the rolling prairies and woodlands of the Caddo-LBJ National Grasslands to study the "the effects of climate change, biodiversity, land-use changes, invasive species, pollution and other issues." The National Science Foundation recently approved plans for a final design, one of the last major hurdles before the implementation of the network.
The San Angelo Standard Times
January 31 – The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has issued an advisory that warns of the current danger when consuming fish from a large area near the Clear, West, and Lower West forks of the Trinity River. Recent tests have revealed unhealthy levels of PCBs, which were banned in the 1970s in the production of electrical equipment after they proved to be a cause of liver disorders.
NBCDFW News
Construction/Repairs
January 11 – Over 600 calls were made to the Austin Water Utilities and over 1,000 calls to the Austin Fire Department after the recent sub-freezing temperatures caused pipes to burst. The broken pipes forced Utility crews to make hundreds of repairs on one weekend that would normally have taken them about a week to do.
January 11 – The cold temperatures that West Texas has experience recently caused many pipes in home and businesses to freeze and then burst. The service supervisor for Black Plumbing said that they had about 45 calls in a two day period and most of the calls were for freezing pipes, which plumbers say can be prevented with proper insulation.
January 12 – The Army Corps of Engineers say that repairs costing an estimated $18 million to Galveston's seawall should be finished by April 1st. The seawall was damaged September 13th, 2008 when Hurricane Ike came ashore and damaged the rock groins, which caused sinkholes.
January 15 – A family of 15 in Kemah received a new home from ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition after their home was destroyed by Hurricane Ike. Even though the reveal of the new home was in cold, rain, wind and muddy conditions, the excitement of the family and volunteers was not dampened one bit.
January 15 – The state of Texas has been awarded $6.4 million by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse the state for the cost of emergency response services during Hurricane Ike. The state provided resources to Port San Antonio where 1,291 busses and 525 ambulances and also accepted about 9,401 evacuees.
January 24 – The $4.6 million awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to repair the hurricane-damaged Texas City Dike three months ago has not yet arrived. The original start date for repairs to the dike was scheduled for March, but FEMA has indicated more paperwork is necessary for the city to receive funding.
January 26 – Gregg County in Northeast Texas was awarded a $1,001,500 grant for generators to ensure electricity is flowing when the power is out during severe weather. The Disaster Recovery Texas Community Development Block Grant Program awarded grants to seven counties in East Texas for the generators, which will be incorporated into each county's disaster plan.
January 31 – The National Wind Resource Center is looking to enhance the economic development of West Texas by increasing wind-related business and construction. The group was formed by Texas Tech University and has requested $10-30 million dollars to develop the center.
Economics
January 8 – The lower the temperatures drop around Texas, the more electricity residents use to stay warm, which could lead in an increase in electric bills in the near future. According to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas a new winter record for electricity use was set between 7 and 8 in the morning when the grid hit 55,856 megawatts.
January 10 – After 53 consecutive hours of below freezing temperatures plagued Longview, the temperature finally rose above the freezing mark. The lowest temperature recorded during the 53-hour event was 13 degrees, and although high temperatures began to hit the upper 30s, a hard freeze warning has been issued.
January 12 – Farmers Insurance Group has agreed to scale back their double-digit rate increase for homeowners in Texas, after it had planned a rate increase due to property losses and to help pay claims after Hurricane Ike. The increase was called excessive and unfair by the State Insurance Commissioner and the new increase will only be about 4.5%.
January 17 – A leading economist says that while the recession has affected Texas, the Lone Star state will be "last in, first out" among states battling the recession. The weather was cited as one of several reasons for the resiliency of Texas in the struggling worldwide economy.
January 20 – Colder than normal temperatures in North Texas are to blame for high electric bills, though some residents believe new meters installed at their apartment complex are partly to blame. The electric company forecasts that bills could be even higher by the end of January after the recent cold snaps in the region.
January 30 – Coryell County Commissioners passed a resolution to delay the starting date of a new floodplain map, which is supposed to go into effect on February 17th. The Federal Emergency Management Agency resolution, which if implemented would likely raise insurance rates, has drawn concern from at least a dozen residents who question the accuracy of the map.
Homes/Gardening/Trees
January 3 – A palm tree that had become a part of local lore in Arlington after being rescued more than a decade ago was moved to Carrollton to avoid being a casualty of planned roadwork in the area. The tree was planted on a roadside after falling out a truck passing through the area several years ago. A Carrolton man intent on preserving the tree nursed it through the 2006 drought by hauling water from his home 25 miles away.
January 5 – The summer drought brought many problems to the San Antonio area, but it did not shrivel up the mountain cedar trees as many hoped. The cedar trees put out pollen that aggravated many allergy sufferers. Mountain cedar pollen is considered the leading allergen in South and Central Texas and is usually pollinated between December and February.
January 9 – Although January and February are cold month, this time of year is an excellent time to plant trees or move established small trees to a new location. The cooler temperatures can allow the roots to become established in the new ground before spring and summer temperatures warm up the grounds. Trees not only help conserve energy but they help to clean the air by removing dust and pollen.
January 13 – Temperatures this winter have dipped down far enough and for long enough in Galveston to damage plants. From a record hurricane, to drought to an early December snow followed by periods of bitter cold temperatures landscapes in the Galveston area have taken a beating this past year.
January 19 – Allergy and Asthma doctors fear that 2010 will be the worst year for allergy sufferers in a long time. In Central Texas cedar trees are very healthy and have already started pollinating, after rain, cold, and windy weather was followed by an extended period of dry weather and sunshine.
January 22 – During the drought and extreme heat of the past summer, many Texas residents lost trees, with the hardest hit including stately live oaks, Ashe junipers, and any newly planted trees. Experts say winter is the time to start replanting trees and shrubs.
January 23 – With wetter weather than a year ago, gardeners and farmers can expect to see more lawn pests, insects and diseases. Experts say that the recent rains will also increase fire ant activity later this spring and caution residents to apply treatment to the mounds built by the fire ants.
Hunting/Fishing
January 2 – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department held its annual Trails to Trout fishing event designed for kids to get outdoors during the cold winter months. Held in Tyler, more than 150 people showed up to fish in a pond that was stocked with more than a thousand trout.
January 26 – January was a banner month for duck hunting with the cold weather and a good way to end an otherwise poor season for hunters. Although duck populations were high, the lack of bitter cold to the north until this late in the season was one of the reasons for blame, as it delayed duck migration into Texas.
January 27 – Texas lakes have turned into fishing paradises after the prolonged summer drought eventually gave way to rainfall that flooded the lakes with new water. New vegetation grows in the soil during periods of drought, creating an environment that is favorable for fish to dwell.
Recreation/Leisure
January 3 – For those who prefer an outdoor workout routine, it is possible to comfortably run outside if you are dressed in layers. Texas has numerous road races during the winter months, and the recent cold weather has made it difficult to get outdoors and train in the elements.
January 9 – Chili cookers in Big Spring braved freezing temperatures to participate in the eighth annual West Texas Centers for Mental Health and Mental Retardation cook-off to benefit the organization's Children in Need Fund. 38 teams cooked in the cold weather and many of the cooks said that the cold weather made the event more fun.
January 19 – Inclement weather has been to blame for the late reopening of the renovated South golf course in South Shore Harbour. The weather has damaged lush fairways and greens and delayed the reopening several weeks.
January 26 – Proper hydration is an issue that often is neglected in the colder winter months but should be taken seriously during vigorous exercise, even when perspiration in minimal. Experts advise to drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water a day and even more when exercising regularly.
Roads/Traffic/Travel
January 7 – As cold weather hit Texas, Governor Rick Perry activated state resources to help Texas communities deal with the Arctic blast. The Texas Department of Transportation was ready to de-ice roads, and all district offices in areas affected by the cold were put on high-level of readiness.
January 7 – Sanding crews with the Department of Transportation in the Dallas/Fort Worth area were fully deployed as the area dealt with more winter weather. Along with the winter weather came many traffic accidents and long delays for drivers. Tarrant and Denton County closed schools for the day while others delayed start of classes.
January 8 – Freezing temperatures in Dallas caused roads to ice over, leading to several traffic accidents. The University of North Dallas in Denton canceled classes for the day and schools in Tarrant, Denton and Collin counties had a delay in starting school to lessen the danger of the morning commute.
January 28 – A line of thunderstorms that rolled through the Metroplex cancelled several flights at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and also delayed many others. However, the departure rate of flights at DFW was much higher than airports in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and across most of West Texas.
January 29 – Activity in the city of Plainview ground to a halt following a winter storm that dumped three inches of snow on the town. Numerous traffic accidents were reported in the area as almost an inch of ice coated the roadways beneath the snow.
January 29 – The Texas Department of Transportation was forced to shut down Interstate 40 on stretches both entering and exiting Amarillo on the 28th. Treacherous snow and ice remained the following day when roads were reopened, forcing drivers to reduce their speed and drive with extra caution.
