Burn Bans
June 12 – Montgomery County officials are discussing the possibility of issuing a fireworks ban over the Fourth of July holiday pending conditions over the next few weeks.
Drought
Monthly Change in Drought Monitor Classification
Fires
June 2 – A lack of rainfall in 2010 has officials in Montgomery County worried about the increase in the wildfire threat and a decrease in the availability of water.
Water Supply
June 8 – For more than 100 years, property owners in Texas have had the right to pump an unlimited amount of water on their land, but future decreases in water availability may open the door for changes in water supply legislation.
June 20 – Lake Meredith in the Panhandle is a record low level, and there is worry that additional drops in the water level will make the lake unsuitable as a source for the 11 cities to which it provides water.
June 22 – The Public Relations director for Farm Bureau Insurance says that Texas is in the midst of a "water crisis."
Agricultural Impacts
June 8 – Although the wheat crop in West Texas was considered to be one of the best in history, farmers were discouraged by wheat prices that were only half of what is needed to break even.
June 16 – Although the Texas blueberries have benefitted from a good crop this year, weather has delayed their arrival to Dallas area markets by about two weeks later than normal.
June 21 – Earlier than normal extreme heat is heavily stressing West Texas cotton, and rain is badly needed for the progression of the crop.
June 21 – The climate in Central Texas is excellent for growing blackberries (the fruit, not the phone).
June 28 – Peach growers in Parker County expect a bumper crop this year after several years of less than ideal harvests, thanks last winter providing plenty of rainfall.
Inclement Weather
Cold
June 1 – Memorial Day was a school day for many North Texas students because it was allocated as a make-up date for classes missed due to the record snowfall this past February.
Flooding
June 9 – Heavy rains in Comal County caused flash flooding that claimed the life of an Iowa Park man that was trapped in the Guadalupe River while camping in Hueco Springs.
June 10 – The Red Cross in several East Texas counties provided aid to residents affected by flooding caused by heavy rains.
June 10 – A storm system that dropped 8-12 inches of rainfall caused extensive damage to homes and washed out roadways in Hill and Navarro counties.
June 12 – The Guadalupe County Sheriff issued a warning that anyone seen pulling items that were washed into the Guadalupe River during the flash flooding event this past week will face prosecution.
June 17 – The Guadalupe Sheriff's Office is investigating a man accused of holding boats lost in recent flooding for ransom, though the accused says he is doing the boat owners a favor.
Heat
June 3 – Carroll ISD was forced to relocated graduation ceremonies to Cowboys Stadium in Arlington due to an excessive heat advisory and will be the first high school graduation ceremony in the new stadium.
June 4 – Temperatures forecasted to be near 100 degrees in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are arriving earlier than normal, as triple-digit high temperatures normally hold off until early July.
June 6 – A Dallas County patrol unit received nearly 80 calls a day because of overheated cars and shredded tires during the recent stretch of extreme heat.
June 7 – This marks the 30th anniversary of the first of 69 100-degree days in Dallas during the summer of 1980, a heat wave which claimed at least 20 lives.
June 7 – The group West Texas Opportunities provided an opportunity for residents to donate fans that would be given to elderly and disabled residents of Ector County.
June 14 – The need for space at homeless shelters in Fort Worth due to sweltering summer temperatures is being met by the local Salvation Army.
June 16 – The air conditioning system at Dawson State jail in Dallas has been out for the past several days, leaving the 2,200 inmates in sweltering conditions.
June 17 – The Corpus Christi Police Department is using the heat-related death of an infant in Kingsville to remind parents of the danger of leaving young children in a closed-up automobile.
June 17 – A group called the Workers Defense Project rallied in Austin claiming that 30 percent of the city's outdoor workers do not get sufficient water breaks during the summer heat.
June 18 – A resident of Wichita Falls makes the case that her city is the hottest in Texas.
June 19 – A Longview man was charged with the death of his two-year-old daughter after she was left for several hours inside a car parked in the searing heat.
June 20 – Summer heat could not keep people away from an annual Juneteenth cleanup ceremony at a historical black cemetery in Carrollton.
June 23 – The extreme heat in the Dallas area is being blamed for at least two deaths, including one in an apartment complex where the air conditioning was turned off because of repair work being done.
June 23 – A child advocate in Nacogdoches County used a mannequin to demonstrate the dangerous effects of leaving children in a car on a hot day.
June 28 – A Richardson woman is the fourth confirmed Dallas-area resident to die as the result of a heat-related illness.
Hurricanes
June 1 – Today is the official start of hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin, and this season is expected to be the most active since 2005.
June 2 – There is an overabundance of debris still concealed in Galveston Bay nearly two years after being deposited there by Hurricane Ike.
June 2 – The population of Galveston is expected to decline by 9 percent after the 2010 Census numbers roll in, with about half of the exodus due to Hurricane Ike.
June 3 – The head of Oceanography at Texas A&M University is undecided on whether a hurricane striking the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill would ultimately be positive or negative because of a lack of any definitive research on the topic.
June 7 – The Texas Engineering Extension Service has been coordinating the Texas Hurricane Exercise Program in preparation for an expected active hurricane season.
June 7 – Pilots from the Texas Department of Public Safety went through water rescue exercises in preparation for the upcoming hurricane season, which is expected to be very active.
June 12 – Members of the Texas National Guard got behind the wheel of a military humvee for the first time, part of their preparation for responding to a natural disaster.
June 16 – The Coastal Bend Region of the American Red Cross conducted a three-day drill to prepare for the management of future disaster relief operations in the region after a hurricane or other natural disaster.
June 21 – A North Texas group of relief agencies called the Mass Care Task Force is trying to raise $26 million it says is needed to cope with a major natural disaster in the area.
June 25 – A newly form tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico could potentially bring the oil spill cleanup effort to a halt in future days. A Texas Tech University professor will monitor Tropical Storm Alex as its outer bands approach areas affected by the oil spill.
June 26 – The Federal Emergency Management Agency plans to shut down its office in Texas City, which has been in a makeshift office since last spring.
June 27 – Residents of the Coastal Bend have been urged to start preparing for the possible landfall of Hurricane Alex, as recent computer models have been pushing the storm's future track further to the north.
June 28 – Residents in the Lower Valley were preparing for the worst as Tropical Storm Alex continued to strengthen while moving closer to the South Texas Gulf Coast.
June 30 – A look back at Hurricane Dolly in 2008 shows a storm similar in intensity and path to that of Hurricane Alex.
June 30 – President Obama declared 25 counties in South Texas as disaster areas before Hurricane Alex even made landfall in northern Mexico.
Severe Weather
June 2 – Lightning was the culprit for a fire that displaced five families at the Chez Moi apartments in North Austin, where no injuries were reported.
June 3 – Thunderstorms that swept through Central Texas caused several fires and power outages for 4,500 Austin Energy customers.
June 3 – After analysis by wind engineers, the National Weather Service has rated the tornado the struck Ector County in mid-May as an EF3, the strongest tornado to hit West Texas in nearly 20 years.
June 4 – The National Weather Service declared the June 2nd tornado that touched down in Rockport as an EF2 tornado with winds up to 120mph.
June 4 – Nearly 50,000 residents of the Coastal Bend were without power following severe thunderstorms on June 2nd, and 7,000 were still in the dark more than 48 hours after the storms relented.
June 8 – Storms in the San Antonio area caused more than 3,000 customers of CPS Energy to be without power during the morning hours.
June 9 – Thunderstorms and a possible tornado flipped an RV onto a car in the Jefferson County town of Nome in addition to other damage caused by the storm.
June 9 – The Barr Mansion in northeastern Travis County, which has hosted numerous upscale weddings in its 106-year history, was destroyed by a fire started after an early-morning lightning strike.
June 13 – Severe thunderstorms in the Panhandle dumped over 6 inches of rain in the Hansford County town of Morse and in Moore County, a storm dropped a massive 6-inch hailstone that was caught on video.
June 14 – The Texas Public Utility Commission has passed a measure to ensure that electricity providers have detailed plans for restoring power in the wake of severe weather.
June 15 – A long-time Gulf Coast beach activist died after lightning struck a power line running behind his Houston home.
June 24 – A Southeast Texas crabber was killed after being struck by lightning while he and another man were working in a canal. The survivor was also hit by lightning, but managed to survive his second lightning strike in four months.
June 24 – Xcel Energy in Amarillo says weather may be to blame for knocking out power to nine cities in the northern Panhandle.
June 28 – Severe weather pounded the El Paso area with hail and heavy rain and left one neighborhood without power for several hours.
June 30 – A timeline of events in South Texas while Hurricane Alex came onshore in northern Mexico included numerous reports of flooding and possible tornadoes.
Other Climate Impacts
Air/Water Quality
June 1 – Although there is no evidence that oil from the major spill in the Gulf of Mexico is headed for Texas, equipment, training, and manpower are being provided in the case the oil does reach the Texas coastline.
June 6 – Texas Governor Rick Perry is firmly against "cap-and-trade" legislation meant to limit greenhouse-gas emissions citing a study that concluded these laws would cost the average Texas family $1,200 annually.
June 18 – Leaders in the city of Austin are concerned that new Environmental Protection Agency air quality standards will drop Austin below an acceptable level, which could hurt federal funding of transportation.
June 23 – The Hays County city of Kyle has placed blue markers on its storm drains to remind residents that any debris entering the drains flows directly into local creeks and streams.
Animals/Aquatic Life
June 5 – The most active North Texas insect season in several years has been blamed on a wet (and snowy) autumn and winter that has been followed by a hot dry spring.
June 13 – The Henderson County Animal Shelter suffered major damage in the flooding event last week and is in the midst of raising money to build a new shelter.
June 15 – Recent heavy rains in San Marcos has city officials urging residents to take preventative measures to combat the breeding and spreading of mosquitoes.
June 19 – Though it is too early to determine how active rattlesnakes will be in the Trans Pecos, the peak of their activity normally occurs during the summer monsoon season.
June 20 – After being ravaged by Hurricane Ike, oyster reefs that are just now beginning to recover are in danger of being affected by the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill. However, the Meadows Foundation has provided a $250,000 grant restore 12 acres of a historic oyster reef in Matagorda Bay.
June 26 – A Fort Worth hospital has already treated nine snake bites this year and the high number is being blamed on weather conditions that have been "perfect" for snakes.
Climate
June 13 – Former Weather Channel hurricane expert Dr. Steve Lyons is now the lead forecaster at a National Weather Service office in San Angelo, forecasting for an area in no danger of seeing a landfalling hurricane.
June 22 – Recent swings in the Texas climate the past few years, a period in which "normal" weather has been uncommon, have been due to fluctuations between La Niña and El Niño.
Construction
June 8 – Repairs on the ramp leading to the Flagship Hotel have begun by demolishing the existing ramp that was pummeled by Hurricane Ike.
June 22 – Lower than expected bids by contractors will allow for extra work to be done in a levee rehabilitation project in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Economics
June 1 – The director of the Texas Coalition for Affordable Insurance Solutions is worried that a major hurricane this season would result in higher storm insurance premiums.
June 5 – More and more homeowners are opting for higher deductibles as opposed to higher premiums as Texas insurers have been forced to raise rates because of massive payouts the past couple of years.
June 6 – The average electricity bill in Texas is 43% higher than in Oklahoma, and these bills will increase as the heat of summer sets in and air conditioners are put to work.
June 11 – Financial aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency could be made available to New Braunfels flooding victims in the next few weeks following a tour of the damage by Representative Lamar Smith.
June 15 – The Texas Public Policy Foundation hosted a forum on the readiness of the Texas insurance market to handle a future major hurricane following windstorm insurance reforms in 2009.
June 23 – The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association voted in favor of plans to raise annual rates by 5 percent for coastal homeowners.
June 24 – The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association voted against paying the evacuation expenses of policy holders and paying living expenses for those displaced by storm damage to their homes.
June 25 – Home sales in Southeast Texas have plummeted due to the lack of a National Flood Insurance Program, which was suspended by Congress earlier this year. However, residents received good news when it was announced on June 30th that the US Senate extended the program through the end of September.
June 26 – The fireworks industry in Texas is expected to have a much better summer than in 2009 because of vast improvements in drought conditions since then.
Homes/Gardening/Trees
June 5 – A lightning strike caused a fire that destroyed the home of an elderly Anderson County couple, who had lived in the residence for 46 years.
June 12 – Many of the trees that were transformed into debris by recent severe weather were "weak wooded", old, or improperly pruned.
June 15 – The Fort Worth Housing Authority is cracking down on a local apartment complex that is neglecting repairs to a broken air conditioning unit.
June 16 – North Texas gardeners have had surprising success growing dahlias, which are native to Mexico and have previously failed to grow in the heat and humidity of North Texas.
June 17 – A Salado resident has become increasingly frustrated over the decision of Congress to let the National Flood Insurance Program to expire.
June 22 – Homes affected by recent flooding in New Braunfels will not be allowed to remain in a flood plain if total repairs are more than half the value of the home.
June 24 – Tomato plants can encounter several issues directly resulting from the extreme summer heat in Texas.
June 26 – A lightning strike was the culprit for a fire that destroyed a large home in Hunters Creek Village.
Hunting/Fishing
June 10 – Above average spring rainfall in the Rio Grande should provide an excellent breeding ground for the 2010 wild turkey hatch, following a dismal spring hunting season.
Recreation/Leisure/Athletics
June 4 – Game 1 of a 3-game high school baseball playoff series between Brenham and Friendswood was rescheduled to the next day because of rainfall, the third time Brenham has been delayed in the playoffs due to rain.
June 5 – Runners in Central Texas are encouraged to run early in the morning and stay hydrated in order to beat the heat.
June 6 – A spokesperson for AAA Texas expects a higher than normal turnout at Texas beaches this summer, in large part because of expected higher than normal temperatures and the damage to Gulf Coast beaches in other states caused by the massive oil spill.
June 10 – The Texas Water Safari boat race was postponed by a month due to flooding conditions on the lower Guadalupe River.
June 11 – Despite flooding that closed the Guadalupe and Comal Rivers, about half of Schlitterbahn Waterpark's attractions were open while repairs were being made to areas of the park that use river water.
June 14 – The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority have banned boating on six of its lakes until August 1st due to recent flooding and the presence of dangerous debris.
June 18 – After flooding caused more than $1 million in damage to city parks, New Braunfels gave residents good news with the announcement that the Guadalupe and Comal Rivers would be reopened to tubers in a week.
June 19 – Hot weather could not keep away record crowds from the Texas Reds steak and wine festival in downtown Bryan. However, a group has formed on Facebook petitioning organizers to move the event to a cooler date in October or November.
June 25 – Extreme summer heat has led to many East Texans cooling off at local pools, but increased attendance leads to a greater need for pool maintenance work.
June 27 – Substantial rainfall in the Barton Creek Greenbelt following two years of severe drought have large crowds taking advantage of the water.
June 27 – Despite extreme heat, fans of Twilight dressed up as their favorite character and took part in a 5K run benefitting the Central Texas Blood and Tissue Center.
Roads/Traffic/Travel
June 9 – Flood signals at five Hays County low water crossings were flashing after a morning of heavy rains, alerting drivers to crossings that were rendered impassible.
June 11 – The East Texas town of Mabank had significant street flooding after more than 10 inches of rain in a 48-hour period.
June 11 – Although most of the major roadways in Smith County were open to traffic, numerous county roads were under water after a storm system dumped several inches of rain.
June 13 – Several inches of rain inundated eastern Hill County, which caused havoc on local roads and led to the deployment of local fire fighters for residents in need of water rescues.
June 14 – Flooding in the Panhandle town of Gruver left significant damage to roads in its wake with Texas Department of Transportation crews calling the damage the worst it's seen in the past three years.
June 18 – Control of litter in Galveston has been difficult since Hurricane Ike, prompting the city to consider new ideas for keeping the streets clean of garbage.
June 19 – A harsh winter on for Abilene roads has combined with a city budget that is a fraction of what it was in 2008 to create a major dilemma for city road crews.
