Burn Bans

Drought

Monthly Change in Drought Monitor Classification

After weeks of rain, Dallas-Fort Worth had its wettest May ever -- It seems that there was rain somewhere in Texas every day for the entire month of May. The wet pattern helped make May the wettest month ever in the history of Texas. Dallas/Fort Worth received 16.96 inches of rainfall, which tops the previous record set back in May of 1982.
KERA News, Eric Aasen, June 1, 2015

May was wettest May ever in United States -- Last month was the wettest month on record for the history of the state. The rainy weather quickly proved to be a drought buster for the state, bringing down the percentage of the state in drought drastically from the beginning of the month to the end of it.
KVUE, Staff Writer, June 8, 2015

Could spring rains make for a cooler summer in North Texas? -- This year has been compared to 1957, which was the wettest year on record, and that summer there were 20 days over 100 F. It’s too early to tell, though, what will happen this summer.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Bill Hanna, June 27, 2015

Water Supply

Arkansas, Texas Rivers Reach Major Flood Stages After Heavy May Rain -- The Trinity River near Dallas was at major flood stage at the end of May and into the start of June, but forecasts says that the water will start to slowly recede. The Red River however is expected to reach major flood stage and remain there for a few days.
AccuWeather, Alex Sosnowski, June 3, 2015

Residents concerned Medina Lake water level could drop again -- Rainfall over the past month has done wonders for Medina Lake, which has been running low for the past three years. Residents are worried that the water level could drop again though, but not as a result of the weather. An agreement between the state and the Bexar-Medina Atascosa Water Control District allows 66,000 acres of water to be taken out of the lake every year even if it leaves the lake dry.
KHOU, Staff Writer, June 9, 2015

Agriculture

Cattle drive saves hundreds of cows stranded by Texas flooding -- Volunteers alongside some cowboys moved a herd of Texas cattle that were stranded in Liberty County. The cattle were stranded on 40 acres of land that continuously shrunk as the Trinity River continued to rise. Some of the herding had to be done by airboats since the water was very high in some areas.
NPR, Bill Chappell, June 1, 2015

TX Flooding May Bring Benefits, Environmental Changes -- Arborists in Texas are having a tough time with the flooding that has destroyed up to 12,000 trees in the San Marcos area. These trees have to be removed then replanted. Some say that the downed trees should be left by the river because they could serve as nurseries for new plants to help stabilize the river.
NBC DFW, Staff Writer, June 3, 2015

Clear weather permits cotton farmers to play catch up -- A week of no significant flooding gives cotton farmers a chance to plant more of their crops since they have a specific deadline. Those with deadlines in late May were not able to get as much cotton as they predicted, while those with a deadline of early June have a better chance of getting more yields. It is difficult to plant cotton when the soil is too moist.
Southwest Farm Press, Ron Smith, June 5, 2015

USDA offering disaster assistance to farmers, ranchers -- As a result of the recent rains, many farmers have been dealing with flooded acres of land, displaced and deceased livestock, and prevented planting. The USDA is offering disaster assistance to farmers that are in need of it to help overcome the money they are losing due to property damages and loss of livestock.
The Longview News-Journal, Staff Writer, June 7, 2015

Stripe rust: Weather brings new wheat worry for South Plains farmer -- The wet weather has brought about stripe rust, which has a drastic effect on wheat in the Southern Plains. These stripes on the wheat plants decrease photosynthesis. Drier weather will cause these stripes of rust to go away, which is what most farmers are hoping happens so that their wheat crops can remain healthy.
The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Josie Musico, June 7, 2015

Rainfall to revive East Texas Cattle Industry -- There is a good side to the abundance of rainfall: the grass in East Texas is the highest it’s ever been in years. The first hay cutting of the year is going to be amazing with how tall the grass is. This means that there will be an abundance of food for livestock, which effectively will lower the costs for owning cattle.
KYTX, Andrea Martinez, June 8, 2015

Warm weather raising temperatures in East Texas lakes -- Warmer and drier weather is finally setting into East Texas, raising the temperatures in the area lakes. The surface temperature of most of the lakes are in the 80s which is causing the fishing to be a bit on the slow side in areas such as Fork Lake and Sam Rayburn Lake.
The Daily Tribune, Matt Williams, June 10, 2015

Recent rainfall delays East Texas hay harvest -- The recent rainfall is responsible for preventing farmers from harvesting hay that they rely on for the rest of the year. Farmers decide when to cut it, but with recent rains they are forced to wait for drier conditions. A typical harvest takes four weeks, and asking for a month of dry weather with the current pattern is a bit too much.
KTRE, Malcolm Hornsby, June 12, 2015

Texas Crop, weather for June 16, 2015 -- Wheat growers are going to suffer big discounts in their crops due to winter wheat sprouting. This happened because of the excess rain experienced in the region. Soil moisture is in good condition across the majority of the state due to the plentiful spring rainfall which expelled drought conditions.
AgriLife Today, Robert Burns, June 16, 2015

Ellis County peach crop bruised by bad weather -- Spring in Texas has brought its fair share of severe weather to North Texas from flooding to hail to tornadoes. One farmer from Waxahachie stated that his farm has received 35 inches of rain so far this year. The leaves on peach trees are turning yellow because they’ve absorbed too much water. The yields will be affected, but farmers say that the peaches will be as sweet as ever.
KHOU, David Goins, June 18, 2015

Wet weather delaying cotton, sorghum harvest -- The wet weather over the earlier portion of the year is causing farmers to expect weaker yield of grain sorghum, corn, and cotton across the state. High moisture is going to boost yields for some farmers, but they are expecting a weaker harvest due to late planting.
Corpus Christi Caller Times, Chris Ramirez, June 19, 2015

Texas vineyards impacted by a month of rain -- The wet weather was good for some plants, but not for the vineyards. The soils have been oversaturated with water which makes it hard for farmers to spread sulfur compounds that would prevent fungal diseases. Some vineyards were reported to have lost their entire grape crops.
The Courier of Montgomery, Ron Saikowski, June 25, 2015

Unusual problems bloom under summer sun for North Texas gardeners -- The plants in Texas have to be incredibly confused when you take into account what has happened over the past year. Late cold spells, record-breaking rainfall, then the return of hot temperatures. Farmers are worried about their current tomato crops that have been waterlogged due to the rainfall. This year has been rough for farmers, especially for those that have yet to get the chance to plant.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Neil Sperry, June 25, 2015

Wet weather may trigger parasite problems for sheep and goat flocks -- Many flocks might be affected by stomach worms due to the recent rains. These worms have a hard time surviving during drought, but the wet weather gives them the perfect opportunity to thrive.
The Eagle, Steve Byrns, June 29, 2015

South Texas Crop life after deluge -- Corpus Christi received 14 inches of rain in May and some areas closer to the coast received about 18 inches. The excess rain caused harm to crops, and in some cases also delayed planting of crops.
Southwest Farm Press, Logan Hawkes, June 29, 2015

Wildfires

Wildfires still threaten region despite rains -- A lightning strike from a passing thunderstorm caused a grass fire in Jeff Davis County. Volunteer firefighters from Fort Davis and Valentine were called in to help suppress the flames. Only 15 acres of ranchland was burned by the flames. This goes to show that even though the state has seen plentiful rain, the threat of wildfires still lurks.
Midland Reporter-Telegram, Brandon Mulder, June 10, 2015

Inclement Weather

Flooding

In Texas floods, is there a link to climate change? -- With the abundance of flash flood events that have been occurring over the past month, some ask the question: is this an effect of climate change? The wet weather can be traced to the moderate El Nino that we are experiencing, which increases the temperature difference from the tropics and high latitude locations. This causes the jet stream to be intensified and be located closer to the tropics. This puts Texas in a location where it gets in an incredibly wet pattern.
The Conversation, Dr. Nielsen-Gammon, June 2, 2015

Flood cleanup continues in Texarkana, Texas -- People along the Red River in Bowie County are finally getting some relief after the recent days of flooding. The water is starting to go down and people are finally able to start cleaning up and trying to salvage what is left of their homes. Thousands of acres of crops were destroyed along with nearly 40 homes.
KTBS, Julie Parr, June 11, 2015

Heavy rain may be on the way -- After about a week or so of dry and calm weather, rain is finally back in the forecast for North Texas. Meteorologists are predicting that areas near Wichita Falls could receive between 2 to 5 inches of rain over the next 3 days. This would be big for Wichita Falls as it is currently less than 4 inches away from receiving its total average rainfall for the year, and the year isn’t even halfway over yet.
Times Record News, Lynn Walker, June 11, 2015

Heavy rains, flooding strike parts of San Antonio, South Texas -- More flooding hit the San Antonio area as heavy rain moves through the region. Rescue crews were needed around St. Cloud and Donaldson as the floodwaters trapped some people in their cars. Additionally, at Seco Tierra and Puente, the drains were stopped-up which caused knee deep water to fill up the street.
KSAT, Katie Vossler, June 14, 2015

Tropical disturbance takes aim at Texas -- A tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico is taking aim at Southeast Texas. Forecast models give it an 80 percent chance of it becoming Tropical Storm Bill before it makes landfall. Forecasters are worried that this could be a massive flooding event, with some locations getting 6-10 inches of rain.
The Houston Chronicle, Eric Berger, June 14, 2015

Voluntary evacuation underway for parts of Galveston County as storm nears -- A voluntary evacuation has been issued for residents of the Bolivar Peninsula as meteorologists are predicting that the area could get nearly a foot of rainfall. The evacuation is intended to alert residents that rescue crews may be unable to reach them if their homes become flooded.
KTRK, Staff Writer, June 15, 2015

Tropical Storm Bill weakens as it moves across Texas -- Bill made landfall by 11:45 a.m. CDT at Matagorda Island, Texas according to the National Hurricane Center. The tropical storm brought heavy rains and 60 mph winds along with it before it weakened as it continued its trek across the state. Flash flooding and river flooding were the biggest concerns as the rain could stick around for a few days.
USA Today, John Bacon, June 16, 2015

Tropical Storm Bill moves into Texas with more flood threats -- Bill’s maximum sustained winds were 60 mph, which weakened into Tuesday afternoon. The average rainfall through Wednesday was expected to be about 3-6 inches with some areas expected to receive 12 inches of rain.
The Durango Herald, David Warren, June 16, 2015

Heavy rain causes flash flooding in Central Texas -- Emergency officials reported that nearly 100 low water crossings were closed across Travis County due to flooding. In the city of Austin, more than seven inches of rain was recorded within two hours.
KVUE, Staff Writer, June 17, 2015

Flooding, road closures and power outages in El Campo -- One of the places hardest hit by Tropical Storm Bill, El Campo experienced heavy rainfalls and 60 mph winds. Several roads were closed due to flooding and power outages were reported across a wide portion of the city due to the high winds.
KPRC, Brandon Walker, June 18, 2015

Rosenberg cancels voluntary evacuation along Brazos River -- The voluntary evacuation that was in place for residents of Rosenberg has been lifted due to decreased risk of flooding. The Brazos River was expected to go over its flood stage but is now expected to stay below that mark.
KHOU, Staff Writer, June 20, 2015

Bell County added to Texas disaster declaration -- Due to the amount of flooding going on in Bell County, Gov. Greg Abbott has included it in Texas’ disaster declaration list. This makes at least 110 counties on the list as a result of storms occurring from early May to late June.
The Killeen Daily Herald, Clay Thorp, June 24, 2015

Rains hammer Houston overnight, should continue today -- Flash flood warnings were put in place due to the excessive rain. The storms also brought a substantial amount of lightning. Up to five inches of rain has already fallen across the northern portions of Harris County. Flooding is of course the biggest concern, especially in areas near Waller where seven inches of rain has already fallen.
The Houston Chronicle, Eric Berger, June 28, 2015

Strong thunderstorms causing some Houston street flooding -- A flash flood warning was in effect for Harris county. The sea breeze brought strong storms to Houston Tuesday afternoon, leaving some streets with as much as 1.5 inches of rain each hour causing flooding. The storms also knocked down a large power pole.
,i>The Houston Chronicle, Eric Berger, June 30, 2015

Significant rain recorded in parts of Big County -- A Mesoscale Convective System brought frequent lightning, strong gusts of wind and rain to the Abilene area. Estimations from radar indicated that two to three inches of rain has fallen in Fisher and Scurry counties, which prompted a flash flood warning. Several locations received over an inch of rain, including Abilene Dyess Air Force Base and Avenger Field Airport.
KTXS, Anthony Domol, June 30, 2015

Severe Weather

Some flood, tornado victims in Texas could receive Federal help -- People in Hays, Harris, and Van Zandt were urged to apply for aid from FEMA in order to gain federal assistance. An abundance of severe weather and flooding events caused many homes and vehicles to be damaged, so many are rejoicing that they’ll be getting help from the government to help deal with repairs.
NBC DFW, Staff Writer, June 2, 2015

Turbulent Texas weather expected to rack up more than $1 billion in damage -- Flooding and severe weather throughout the majority of the state was very costly to a lot of people. Damages from May are likely to exceed $1 billion dollars, and that’s only insured damages. Nearly 300 homes were destroyed in Wimberley alone due to flooding.
Business Insurance, Mark A. Hofmann, June 3, 2015

20 more Texas counties added to disaster declaration -- FEMA has added 20 more counties to a disaster declaration after the numerous flooding events over the previous month. This declaration offers federal aid to supplement recovery efforts to those affected by the severe weather and flooding that has taken place over the past month.
The San Angelo Standard-Times, Staff Writer, June 6, 2015

Texas sees Hail as Severe Weather Sweeps through Midwest and South -- There were over 200 reports of hail and damaging winds as severe storms moved through the state. The biggest hail size reported was as big as baseballs by someone driving through a hail core and got his windshield busted.
ABC, Staff, June 13, 2015

Other Climate Impacts

Academics

List of closings due to threat of severe weather -- As a result of Tropical Storm Bill moving towards Texas, several schools and businesses are scheduled to be closed on the 16th. These include Alvin Community College, Clear Creek ISD, and San Jacinto College.
The Pasadena Citizen, Staff Writer, June 15, 2015

School Closings Due to Tropical Storm Bill -- There were over 50 school closings due to Tropical Storm Bill. These included schools in the districts of Aldine, Alvin, Cypress-Fairbanks, and Fort Bend. Several of the schools reopened on Wednesday with the exception of Goose Creek CISD.
KPRC, Staff Writer, June 16, 2015

Roads/Traffic/Travel

Heavy rain closes bridges across Red River -- Due to the high water as a result of heavy rain swelling up the Red River, U.S. 271 and Texas 37 North were both closed. U.S. 259, which is the bridge on the route to Oklahoma, was also closed as water flowed over the roads between the two states. Once the flooding goes down, officials must inspect the roadways to ensure they are safe to travel on.
The Longview News-Journal, Glenn Evans, June 4, 2015

Severe weather hits Lubbock area -- Severe weather caused an accident on IH-27 where two 18-wheelers turned over. IH-27 was also closed at Hale Center since power lines fell down over the roadways. Golf ball sized hail was reported in western Lubbock as well as winds greater than 60 mph as a line of storms moved through the area.
Amarillo Globe-News, A-J Media, June 12, 2015

US-59 shut down south of Houston, Bill brings another round of storms to metro -- Flash flood watches cover almost the entire state of Texas as Tropical Storm Bill begins its approach into Texas. The National Weather Service even issued tropical storm warnings for locations along the coast, since tropical storm force winds are likely to be experienced there as Bill comes ashore. Flooding is the biggest concern across the city.
The Houston Chronicle, John Boyd, June 15, 2015

Wharton County floods after getting a foot of rain -- The excess rain from Tropical Storm Bill caused US highway 59 to close at FM 110 due to flooding. Traffic was diverted from State Highway 71 north to Altair and then west on U.S. Highway 90-a. Some residents at El Campo saw floods reaching their houses as well.
KHOU, Adam Bennett, June 17, 2015

Tropical storm remnants delay flights to Dallas, Houston -- Many flights were delayed or canceled due to Tropical Storm Bill. Even though the tropical storm wasn’t in Amarillo, it had an impact on those traveling to DFW or Houston. At the airport in DFW, 36 arrivals were canceled or diverted. In Houston, 286 flights were diverted or canceled.
Amarillo Globe-News, Amanda Castro-Crist, June 17, 2015

Portion of highway between DFW and Oklahoma City closes indefinitely -- Flooding due to Tropical Storm Bill has caused the closure of Interstate 35 from Ardmore to Davis. A rockslide on the Interstate definitely did not help the cause either. High water was also a reason for the closing. This is the highway that connects Oklahoma City to DFW, so it is a major road closure.
NBC DFW, Staff Writer, June 19, 2015

Couple rescued in Texas bridge collapse -- In Hunt County, the FM 118 bridge collapsed over the Sulphur River which sent a couple into the water. They were rescued by a good Samaritan that was just behind their vehicle when the bridge collapsed.
USA Today, Staff Writer, June 21, 2015

Several North Texas roads remain flooded -- Previous rainfall was already too much, but the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill caused three to six more inches of rain to fall across the Metroplex. This means that roads that were already flooded are going to remain flooded for a longer time. This includes FM 2499 and Texas 78 Business.
NBC DFW, Brian Scott, June 22, 2015

Flooding sets yearly road work months back -- The excessive rain have pushed back road work schedules. Usually at this time of year, they are able to repair more roads, but the rain and certain weather events keep them from performing normal maintenance. It’s also causing a need for more repairs due to the weather.
KLTV, Summer Dashe, June 28, 2015

Summer Months mean more pothole repairs on El Paso streets -- Four tons of asphalt are used to patch up potholes daily. They also have to spray weed killer on the roads to keep them looking clean. Heat causes asphalt to become softer and crumble easier, and when this is combined with rain then the probability of potholes increases a lot. The influx of rain followed by hot temperatures caused numerous potholes in the El Paso area.
KFOX, Stacey Welch, June 29, 2015

Recreation/Leisure/Athletics

Rain doesn’t stop East Texans from enjoying Texas Blueberry Festival -- Rain began to fall early in Nacogdoches, but that didn’t stop people from going out to the annual Texas Blueberry Festival. The good thing about the rain is that it wasn’t too heavy to cause safety concerns for the public, and it helped cool down the summer temperatures to make the festival a bit more enjoyable.
KTRE, Caroline Manning, June 13, 2015

Weather shortens 2A/3A all-star game -- In Wolfforth, the 2A/3A Greater West Texas Baseball Coaches Association All-Star game was stopped early due to heavy rain and lightning causing unfavorable conditions on the field. The game was stopped after only 3 innings of play, and will not be rescheduled.
The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Bryan Navarette, June 13, 2015

Floods derail 4th of July plans at Johnson County park -- Hamm Creek Park in Rio Vista will be closed for a couple of months while it is cleaned up of debris left behind during the flooding events. Tropical Storm Bill isn’t helping the efforts as it brings more rain to the Metroplex.
WFAA, Philip Townsend, June 17, 2015

Mother Nature plays havoc with state park system -- Several state parks saw a decline in visitors due to the drought that dried up the waterways. After several spouts of rain, there is the opposite issue. Some parks are now forced to be closed due to record-setting rainfall that is causing flooding. This includes Lake Arrowhead which is overflowing and spilling water into the adjacent park.
The Houston Chronicle, Shannon Tompkins, June 24, 2015

More mosquitoes in Central Texas due to recent weather -- One of the downsides of rainfall is the influx of mosquitoes. The record-breaking rainfall means that there are more places for mosquitoes to breed which explains why it seems there are mosquitoes all over the state. Experts say that in order to avoid getting bitten by them, you should stay in a dusk and wear long sleeves.
KTBC, Tania Ortega, June 26, 2015

What’s with the dust? The Sahara comes to Austin -- African dust has made it across the Atlantic to the United States, causing a brown haze of dust in South Texas. The dust is expected to continue moving northward and along the coast. This dust can cause allergy issues, but this Saharan air layer can also mean less tropical storms and hurricanes.
Austin American-Statesman, Patrick Beach, June 30, 2015