Burn Bans
Drought
Monthly Change in Drought Monitor Classification
Drought Conditions Worsen in Lubbock and Statewide- The U.S. Drought monitor recently upgraded the Lubbock area into extreme drought as the city still suffers from long term drought.
KCBD News, James Clark, September 9, 2012
Parts of the Brazos Valley Back in A Drought- After a bone dry two years the Brazos Valley finally made it’s way out of the drought with a wet winter and spring, but since then it has been very dry. State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon says that right now parts of the Brazos Valley are in Moderate drought, while reservoirs are still very high. Agriculture is seeing most of the effects.
KBTX News, Shane McAuliffe, September 13, 2012
Recent Rains did Little to Help Drought- Rains in central Texas added up to over 7 inches last week, but the lakes and rivers are still dry. Experts say that in order for the lakes to fill there would need to be soaking rain for the next three months straight, so the drought is far from over.
KXAN News, David Yeomans, September 19, 2012
Wildfire
Large Wildfire Erupts in Walker County- A wildfire in Walker county burned more than 400 acres and spread into Houston County. Evacuations were recommended for about 12 people, but no homes were threatened in the area.
KRIV News, John Perera, September 11, 2012
Water Supply
Mandatory Watering Restrictions expected for Corpus Christi- As reservoir levels for the Corpus Christi Area approach 40% mandatory watering restrictions are expected by October 1. According to the National Weather Service this is the second driest stretch for the area since 1917.
Corpus Christi Caller Times, Jessica Savage, September 11, 2012
Water Violations May Land Locals in Hot Water- San Angelo is currently under stage 3 drought restrictions and the city is now stepping up restriction violation enforcement. Six new enforcement officers were commissioned recently and fines are starting to be implemented.
San Angelo Standard Times, Matthew Waller, September 14, 2012
Agricultural Impacts
Rain a Relief for Ranchers in Texoma as Feed Prices Soar- Rain and the cool weather are welcome across dry areas of Texoma due to the increased cost of raising livestock. Hay prices have soared due to the nationwide drought causing ranchers budgets to tighten.
KFDX News, David Gonzalez, September 13, 2012
Cotton Crops Up and Beats Expectations- After good weather patterns blessed the fields of cotton farmers this year cotton production us way up from last year. Overall there is an expected 75% increase in crop from last year to this year, good news for the $2 billion dollar industry.
YNN, Dan Robertson, September 17, 2012
Inclement Weather
Flooding/Rainfall
Heavy Rain Carries Away Boat Docks in Jonestown- The Jonestown area received over 7 inches of rain turning the lakeshore of Lake Travis into a torrent carrying away several boat docks and the East Street Marina building up to a mile away.
KVUE News, Ashley Gordeau, September 14, 2012
San Antonio Area is Soaked; More Rain Ahead- Overnight on Friday and Saturday the San Antonio area received nearly 5 inches of rain in some places. There were four high water rescues reported and several streets had to be closed due to flooding, with a fuel tank being spilled. Some mild lightning and wind damage accompanied the rain as well.
San Antonio Express News, Ana Ley, September 15, 2012
Rain Prompts Rescues, School Closings in W Texas- After receiving over three inches of rain in less than 18 hours emergency personnel were called to over 100 high water rescues and due to flooding the Midland Independent School District closed schools on Friday.
KFDA News, September 28, 2012
AWASH: rains Could Mean a Lesser Drought Level- After over 6 inches of rain fell near San Angelo on Friday and Saturday authorities say that nearly 50,000 acre-feet of water could be added to O.H. Ivie reservoir. Flooding inundated many roads and creeks and this could cause a lessening of the drought restrictions on the city.
San Angelo Standard Times, Matthew Waller, September 29, 2012
Heat
Labor Day Heat Diminishes Park Crowds- The heat over the Labor Day weekend may have kept people out of local pools this weekend as many pools saw far fewer people than normal.
KXAS News, Chris Van Horne, September 4, 2012
Seven Texas Hikers Rescued in Franklin Mountains- After setting out that morning for a hike, emergency officials had to rescue seven hikers who were suffering from heat exhaustion in the Franklin Mountains.
KWTX News, September 4, 2012
Austin Endures Record heat in Advance of a Cold Front- A record high of 102 was recorded in Austin ahead of a strong cold front, breaking the previous record of 100 set in 1963.
Austin American Statesman, Dave Doolittle, September 7, 2012
Severe Weather
Separate County Fires Caused by Lightning- Two house fires in Montgomery County were caused by lightning strikes when a storm passed over the region on Thursday night. One home was extensively damaged while the other was extinguished quickly.
The Courier of Montgomery County, Jonathan Garris, September 15, 2012
Storms Cause Damage Across South Plains- A round of strong storms pushed across Lubbock on Wednesday causing wind damage on the campuses of Lubbock Christian University and Texas Tech University as well as around the city. Several dozen people reported losing power.
KCBD News, September 27, 2012
Other Climate Impacts
Academics
AISD High Schools Air-Conditioning Units Struggle in Soaring Heat- The AC units at both Abilene and Cooper high schools have struggled to keep pace with the demand of the high temperatures and needed to be fixed to keep the 2,000 plus students cool and comfortable.
Abilene Reporter News, Ethan Fowler, September 6, 2012
Economics
Struggling with Drought, Jonestown Removes Police Chief, Librarian- The drought has hit the budget of Jonestown hard with fees from boat launches and building permits down along with the lake levels. This caused the city to dismiss the Police Chief and the Head Librarian, giving those responsibilities to a city councilman in an attempt to curtail $360,000 in reserve fund usage.
Austin American Statesman, Marques G. Harper, September 14, 2012
Drought Stricken Trees Strain Longview’s Budget- After the terrible drought of 2011 Longview Parks and recreation has spent $89,920, far more than anticipated, on removal of dead trees, putting pressure on the budget of the city. Texas A&M Forestry Service surveys estimate that 301 million trees died as a result of last year’s drought.
Longview News Journal, Sarah Thomas, September 27, 2012
Health
Will the Recent Rain Bring Allergy Relief? – This past summer was a mild one for allergy sufferers because of the lack of rain, but with the fall season typically being wetter, sufferers could see conditions change. Immediately after rainfall, allergies drop quickly but in the long-run, as more plants bloom, allergies become worse. Doctors have seen an overall increase in patients suffering from allergies this summer.
KEYE News, Hunter Ellis, September 15, 2012
Homes/Gardening/Trees
Dry Soil, Heat Creates Foundation Problems for Homeowners- With the extensive drought in the Corpus Christi area foundations are starting to crack due to shrinking soil.
KIII News, September 12, 2012
Recreation/Leisure/Athletics
Aggie Fans Urged to take Precautions Against Gameday Heat- Medical staff at Kyle field are ready for the heat and injuries related to gameday. Paramedics urge students to stay hydrated and to avoid alcohol because of its ability to dehydrate.
The Eagle, Cassie Smith, September 8, 2012
Rain an Annual Event at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo- Most attendees to the West Texas Fair and Rodeo expect rain each year to spoil the fun, but this year it falls as a gift not a curse.
KTAB News, Katie Thompson, September 13, 2012
Rain and Lightning Shorten Freshman Home Opener- During the season opener football game between Bandera and Llano High Schools, lightning and rain caused a rain delay late in the 1st quarter, which then resulted in a canceling of the game.
The Bandera Bulletin, John Milner, September 20, 2012
Bugs, Brew, and Barbecue Postponed Due to Rain-With a 90-100% chance of rain in the forecast Tomball Marketing Director Mike Baxter postponed the festival until a more suitable date could be found.
The Tomball Potpourri, September 28, 2012
Falls Fest Canceled Due to Wet Weather- For the safety of the performers, organizers decided to cancel Texoma’s Fall Fest this year. The event is a large outdoor music festival raising money for local charities and many were very bummed about the cancelation.
KFDX News, Lindsey Wopschall, September 30, 2012
Roads/Traffic/Travel
Flooding Causes Multiple Hazards around Abilene- Heavy rains causes flooding around Abilene making many streets almost impassible and dangerous to drive over, not to mention slick.
KRBC News, September 13, 2012
