Burn Bans

Drought

Monthly Change in Drought Monitor Classification

State climatologist says the drought’s back for half of Texas -- The State Climatologist, John Nielsen-Gammon, stated fully half or more of the state is abnormally dry or in moderate to severe drought. The northeast and eastern parts of the state are considered to be in severe drought, while the Dallas-Fort Worth area and areas extending to Central Texas are considered to be at least in moderate drought. With El Niño expected to be one of the strongest ever, Nielsen-Gammon says the event can be a dud in Texas with the past two most intense El Niños not producing the greatest amount of rain.
The Austin American-Statesman, Patrick Beach, September 3, 2015

Texas Goes From Drought to Flood to Drought in 60 Days -- The drought, which had been eradicated in Texas from last spring’s wet weather, has returned mainly for east Texas. A meteorologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture has called it a flash drought, which gets its name from the short timescale of which it happened. The Drought Monitor has shown over a 50 percent increase from the beginning of July to now. If El Niño does what it is expected to do, there should be improvement this coming winter.
Insurance Journal, Brian Sullivan, September 23, 2015

Despite Spring Rain, Drought Returns to North Texas -- For most Texas residents it seems like the weather has gone from one extreme to the next: large amounts of rain in the spring to scorching heat in the summer. Some are asking if there is a way to store as much water as possible to use when there is a drought. They key is conservation. When there is an excess of water, being resourceful is still in play and can help in future times of need.
CBS DFW, Staff Writer, September 18, 2015

Drought creeping back onto South Plains -- Abnormal and moderate drought conditions have made their way back into the state after soaking rains brought the five year drought to rest. The Texas Water Development Board issued a water weekly survey which states 27% of the state is now under drought conditions. This number is up from less than one percent three weeks ago, but down from 57% one year ago. Rain totals across much of the state are on average 10 inches higher for this year, so these dry conditions are more of a dry spell.
Plainview Daily Herald, Doug McDonough, September 22, 2015

USDA names Titus County a primary disaster area -- The USDA has named twelve Texas counties as primary natural disaster areas due to damages caused by recent drought. The early rains prohibited farmers from getting into the fields as early as normal and the dry conditions have made it almost impossible for grass to grow. This has caused farmers to use what they have or buy more hay for cattle. Now being designated a disaster area, most of these farmers can receive funds to help through this dry period.
The Daily Tribune, Marcia Davis, September 18, 2015

Water Supply

Texans spend Labor Day weekend at East Texas lakes -- Many visitors were going to the lakes for the three day weekend. Often, people go annually to Texas parks, while others go due to the attractions and activities parks put on. Texas Parks and Wildlife Officer Lisa Male noted that campers should be prepared for all types of weather, hot, cold, and rain or shine. While you are outdoors there are fewer opportunities to get out of the elements.  
Longview News-Journal, Ellen Goodcare, September 5, 2015

The cost of water leaves customers upset -- For some Tyler residents, water bills have more than tripled in the last month. Although residents say they have not changed their water usage routines, the water meters say otherwise according to water utility managers. The cause for the spike in prices is because area residents have been using more water than before.
Tyler Morning Telegraph, Kenneth Dean, September 27, 2015

Wildfire

Rain early in year causes Texas wildfires -- The much needed rainfall earlier this year has led to the wildfires throughout the state during the late summer. The rain benefited forage for livestock, but with such a dry month of July, the forage dried out resulted in fires. Despite the unusual rain, wildfire activity occurred during the normal fire season, which spans from July to September. While these fires can be destructive for ranchers, they do provide overturning of nutrients in soils.
The Battalion, Staff Writer, September 1, 2015

Monday smoky from east Texas fires -- The National Weather Service stated four fires were burning in western Louisiana and eastern Texas. Winds from the east pushed the smoke into areas such along the gulf coast such as Galveston and into Houston. The smoke reduced visibility in those areas and could be smelled in the air. The smoke cleared the next morning due to changing wind patterns.
The Houston Chronicle, Dylan Baddour, September 14, 2015

Several homes threatened by Bastrop Co. grass fire -- The grass fire near Mt. Pleasant Road in Bastrop County was recently contained. The fire spanned 20 acres and threatened several homes, but only one outbuilding was lost. Without the help of firefighters and volunteers, the blaze could have been much worse. While most of the state stays on the dry side the wildfire issue will continue to grow.
KXAN, Andy Jechow, September 21, 2015

No Burn Ban; Officials Monitor Fire Conditions and Hope for Rain -- Smith County commissioners approved a burn ban on August 6, but was rescinded August 21. Residents should still remain cautious when burning because an average of two grass fires per day were still reported with no burn ban in effect. Fires in far east Texas this year compared to 2011 are smaller in size and intensity according to an analyst at the Texas Forest Service.
Tyler Morning Telegraph, Adam Russell, September 23, 2015

Agriculture

Texas crop, weather for Sept. 9, 2015 -- The strong El Niño will bring another round of abnormal rain patterns to Texas during the fall, winter, and early spring according to climatologists. Many farmers in need of moisture, after a dry end to the summer, are wondering when the promised moisture will arrive. The northern part of the state usually sees the effects come October and November, while the southern part usually sees the effects in December and into the new year. This year is similar to the El Niño event of 1957 where the spring was extremely wet, summer was dry, and fall and winter associated with above-normal rainfall.
AgriLife Today, Robert Burns, September 9, 2015

Growing for a loss: Ellis County farmers facing bleak season in 2015 -- Half of one farmer’s corn harvest for this year never grew above knee height due to mother nature’s tears. This year has been a “living hell” for Michael Houdek who borrowed a large amount of money at the beginning of the year to plant and fertilize crops. The changing seasons and weather patterns put farmers in a difficult situation to find balance between what crops to harvest, how much money to borrow, and the risk of borrowing more money in hopes of having a better harvest season.
Daily Light, Shelly Conlon, September 12, 2015

Texas crop, weather for Sept. 15, 2015 - Some Texas wheat producers are planting early despite the dry planting conditions. This is not an uncommon practice with a surer bet to receive rain with a strong El Niño. High grasshopper and fall armyworm populations, which can both devastate wheat fields, are a concern for planters, but low wheat prices might outweigh the risk of insects destroying crops.
AgriLife Today, Robert Burns, September 15, 2015

Texas crop, weather for Sept. 22, 2015 -- Planters in the eastern third of the state are stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to planting supplemental food plots for white-tailed deer. It has been too dry for planters to get small grains up in time for the opening of hunting season. While landowners can plant in dry soil in hopes for enough rain to sustain the crop, it is a risk they have to take. Neither planting now or waiting are very attractive options for planters.
AgriLife Today, Robert Burns, September 22, 2015

Crops survive late summer dry spell -- The rainfall was very welcome this past spring for cotton farmers. Even with the long dry spell crops will be OK, but a slightly rainier late summer would have been great, according to a plant specialist. Farmers do not want it to be too wet during harvest season because it could hurt both quality and yield. With meteorologists predicting an El Niño, a dry harvest and wet growing season looks to be in store.
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Josie Musico, September 18, 2015

Peanuts nearly ready for above-ground flip -- Peanut harvest is on track in Gaines County, but the legumes are not quite ready. Digging is a pre-harvest event where the nuts are pulled from the ground to soak up the sun for about nine days. Then comes the machine harvest. Local yield predictions are optimistic because peanuts tend to require more water, which is exactly what the area saw this past spring.
Amarillo Globe-News, Josie Musico, September 27, 2015

Texas Crop Report --  Some farmers in the south are preparing to plant for winter, while cotton harvest continued, peanuts were irrigated and Bermuda grass hay was baled. Fall weather was seen throughout the southern region with overnight lows in the 70s, but daytime temperatures still a bit hot.
The Tribune, Associated Press, September 29, 2015

Texas Autumn Apple Crops Ruined Due to Spring Flooding -- For Sue Stone and her apple orchard, the site is not as pretty as one would expect for this time of year. Trees are either dead or rotting and most of her fruit is far from edible. According to Stone the cause for this was the tremendous amount of rain during the late spring. The rainfall soaked her crops and flooded the creek on her property, which left some trees in standing water. Other apple farmers are having a similar issue across north Texas.
NBC DFW, Amanda Guerra, September 28, 2015

Touch of weevil; small populations of cotton pest still present in RGV -- While most of the cotton boll weevils are eradicated in the United States, the Lower Rio Grande Valley is still fighting them. The weevil population is far less than what it used to be, but some are still found occasionally. The spring rains delayed planting, which made it hard to determine the actual amount of weevils seen this year.
The Monitor, Steve Clark, September 30, 2015

It’s about more than busting bins -- Irrigated producers in Castro County have shown even in a year of drought, they can still produce top corn crops. It pays to conserve every drop of water, and even in a year with rain. Some irrigation wells were able to be shut off because of the amount of rain, lower temperatures, and higher humidity levels. No two years are the same so farmers have to change their routines from year to year based on what mother nature decides to bring.
High Plains Journal, Jennifer Latzke, September 14, 2015

Inclement Weather

Cooler Weather

Rain, cooler temps ahead -- The National Weather Service predicted temperatures will approach 100 degrees for Tuesday, September 8 for Wichita Falls. In the afternoon, a cold front was expected to pass through, and bring the temperatures back down to the lower 90s and upper 80s. This cold front was also expected to cause thunderstorms in the afternoon and throughout the evening. In some areas the storms were expected to be severe, and bring torrential rain.
Times Record News, Staff Writer, September 8, 2015

Cooler temperatures, rain headed to South Central Texas -- San Antonio NWS meteorologist expects recent high temperatures to be a thing of the past as a gradual cool down is expected. As temperatures begin to fall, rain chances are expected to rise. Heavy downpours in isolated areas are likely, which could lead to light flooding on roadways. Rain chances will diminish by the weekend.
San Antonio Express-News, Mark D. Wilson, September 9, 2015

Forecast: North Texas cools down later this week -- A cold front forecasted to arrive in North Texas on Wednesday knocking temperatures out of the triple digits possibly until next year. The first big cold front of the summer will bring unseasonably cold temperatures in the upper 80s and a 60 percent chance of rain.
WFAA and The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Staff Writer, September 6, 2015

Drying Out -- The upper-level low pressure system that brought rains to the Texas coast is moving away from the region. The northwesterly winds will pull a drier air mass into Southeast Texas. No rainfall is expected with this dry air mass, but cool, delightful temperatures are expected into the weekend.
KBMT, Patrick Vaughn, September 29, 2015

Flooding/Rainfall

Flash Flooding In Texas Leaves 1 Dead, 1 Missing -- Heavy rain caused flash flooding in Martinez Creek near I-10 in San Antonio. The rapidly rising floodwaters swept four people trying to cross the creek off their feet. Firefighters rescued two of the four, but one could not be rescued and is reported missing, and another reported dead.
KWTX, Associated Press, September 11, 2015

Wild Cycle of Drought & Floods In North Texas -- After five years of extreme drought in Texas, a wild turnaround of weather occurred. Thunderstorms rolled in and the rain did not seem to stop. A meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Fort Worth says no amount of research or knowledge can forecast that kind of turnaround. Spring storms and floods did more than $60 million in damage to north Texas, but if it weren’t for flow management in lakes and rivers, things could have been much worse.
CBS DFW, Cameron Fairchild, September 14, 2015

Flood City, Part 1: Meyerland Homeowners Struggle to Recover From the Memorial Day Storm -- Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared disasters in 37 Texas counties due to a large storm. It moved into Houston showing no mercy, leaving houses damaged and Brays Bayou flooded. Residents nearby the Bayou are still dealing with the aftermath of extreme flooding and damage done to their homes. According to a former employee of the City of Houston Public Works Department, the wreckage could have been avoided if a flood project had not fallen behind.
Houston Press, Steve Jansen, September 22, 2015

HFD Wasn’t Prepared to Handle The Memorial Day Flood or its Victims -- The Houston Fire Department was under heavy scrutiny after the Memorial Day floods. Reports of under trained rescuers and out of date equipment were just some of the many that were filed. It is unclear if any major improvements have been made since the incident. The president of the local firefighter union has said the Houston Fire Department is still in no better condition to handle a similar event.
Houston Press, Leif Reigstad, September 29, 2015

Low pressure system feeding soaking rain into SE Texas -- A low pressure system just off the coast of Southeast Texas is producing rain over Texas’ coastal areas. Much of the coast has seen accumulations of as much as 2 inches with some areas seeing more rain throughout the day. Dry conditions are expected for the rest of the week after the system moves out of the area.
KBTV 4 Beaumont, Staff Writer, September 28, 2015

Wake-Up Weather: After a nice morning, scattered rain chances this weekend -- The Houston area will remain in a consistent weather pattern for the next week with highs around 90, lows around 70, and mostly sunny during the day. The high pressure system which causes this consistent weather has backed off some, creating a small chance for scattered showers, especially along the coast.
The Houston Chronicle

Wake-Up Weather: Minor rain chances this weekend -- The calendar is saying fall is coming soon, but the weather is not listening in Houston. The weather could change while two computer models are showing a low pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico. The models are not in sync with each other with one bringing up to 2 inches of rain while the other brings half an inch. These sorts of systems are challenging to forecast rain amounts so patience is needed until the system moves closer to the coast.
The Houston Chronicle, Matt Lanza, September 25, 2015

September stays on dry track -- Wichita Falls received measurable precipitation over the weekend, but it was not enough to bring the rainfall total up to the average amount for September. Despite the September deficit, the area is almost 13 inches above normal rainfall amounts for the year.
Times Record News, Staff Writer, September 28, 2015

City gets one inch of rain -- Wichita Falls received exactly one inch of rain Sunday. For the year, rainfall totals are 14 inches above normal, but for September accumulations are still a half-inch below normal. No rain is in the forecast, but cooler days are expected to return this week.
Times Record News, Staff Writer, September 21, 2015

Severe Weather

Central Texas Girl, 10, In Coma After Lightning Strike – A central Texas girl remained in a coma two days after she was struck by lightning during an afternoon storm. The accident happened as she was coming inside before the storm arrived After the incident occurred she was taken to McLane Children’s Hospital, where she remains.
KWTX, Trovette Tottress, September 1, 2015

What is a tropical funnel cloud? -- A tropical funnel cloud was spotted in Beaumont this afternoon. While it may look like a concern, it is rather weak compared to the similar looking tornado. The reason why the two are different is they are caused by different mechanisms. A tropical funnel cloud is usually associated with two weak air masses sliding by each other causing a weak area of rotation. Tropical funnels are not uncommon during the summer months in southeast Texas and rarely touch the ground.
KMBT, Patrick Vaughn, September 3, 2015

Forecast models hinting at tropical system off Texas coast in a week -- Global forecast models have been hinting at something a bit more significant than a heavy rain event. The global forecast system and the European model indicate a low pressure system forming in the Gulf of Mexico. Since the forecast is seven days out it is highly uncertain. Right now there is no concern of a large hurricane actually forming.
The Houston Chronicle, Eric Berger, September 7, 2015

Significant weather advisory issued for Travis and Bastrop counties -- A significant weather advisory for central Bastrop County and southeastern Travis County with dime-sized hail, heavy rain, and 40 mph winds possible. With local rainfall totals amounting from 1.5 to 3 inches in the past two hours, flash flooding is a strong threat to urban areas. The heavy rains are associated with storms creeping along at a slow pace.
The Austin American-Statesman, Staff Writer, September 10, 2015

Heat

Wake-Up Weather: Hotter, Drier Holiday Weekend -- Slow moving upper level low pressure systems are pesky when it comes to forecasting. It is difficult to predict how long it will take to move while the impacts can still be significant. The low pressure system moving into Texas will not last through the day, but will still have some lingering effects causing pop up showers. Replacing this system will be the well known high pressure system causing hot, dry weather for the weekend.
The Houston Chronicle, Matt Lanza, September 4, 2015

Hot Labor Day Weekend, but changes are coming -- The weekend greeted Lubbock with hot and dry weather, which will continue into the first part of the work week. The remnants of Tropical Storm Kevin from the Pacific will combine with a cold front towards the end of the week bringing much cooler temperatures and high chances of rain.
KCBD, Cary Allen, September 5, 2015

Central Texas’ Labor Day will be hot and sunny -- Central Texas’s forecast included patchy fog in the morning,which would quickly dissipate during the day, then lead to highs approaching 97 according to the San Antonio National Weather Service Office. On the Tuesday September 8, the heat index was expected to max out at 102, with a 20% chance of rain. Rain chances increased to 30% by Wednesday afternoon, and 40% by night.
The Austin American-Statesman, Staff Writer, September 7, 2015

North Texas Heating Back Up -- It took two cold fronts to get a break from the heat since the start of July for North Texas. Lower temperatures and humidities made for a comfortable weekend, but the holiday is over. By mid week the warm, humid south winds will return with a ridge of high pressure building over Texas. This means hot and dry weather for the rest of the upcoming week.
CBS Dallas, Staff Writer, September 13, 2015

Heat sticking around in DFW for last full week of summer -- The last full week of summer will still feel like summer for North Texas. There is a slight chance a minor cold front will move through the area, but it is not likely. The normal highs for the last week of summer are in the upper 80s, but the forecast is for hot temperatures and high humidity, which will make it feel like high 90s and even into the triple digits.
WFAA, Ryan Osborne, September 15, 2015

Thunderstorms to Aid Drought, Ease Heat Across Texas -- After a wet spring with most of the state receiving 200 percent or more of their normal rainfall, rain has been limited except for the Texas Panhandle. A combination of gulf moisture colliding with a cold front will cause showers and thunderstorms to develop across parts of the state. This event will bring blast of cooler, less humid air.
AccuWeather, Brett Rathbun, September 10, 2015

ENSO

Strong El Niño could bring more flooding to North Texas -- North Texas’ lakes are at a combined 95 percent full, so reservoirs would not have to go far to fill up. A strong El Niño has a 95 percent chance of continuing through the winter, and with above-normal rainfall associated with El Niño for Texas could pose a threat for flooding. With only five strong El Niño events occurring since data has been kept for North Texas, it is difficult to forecast what will actually happen this coming winter.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Bill Hanna, September 11, 2015

Outlook sees rain in winter -- A big change in climate could bring more rain to provide relief for the drought that made its way back to Texas. Warmer than average ocean temperatures in the east Pacific, known as El Niño, are to thank for this event. For Texas the best odds for above average rainfall are December through February. State climatologist says El Niño may have already put its mark on Texas with the Memorial Day weekend floods in Central Texas.
San Angelo Standard-Times, Matthew Waller, September 15, 2015

Returning Rainfall for Texas and the South -- The quiet hurricane season for Texas also brought some bad news. The same phenomena that destroyed most storms in the Atlantic also blocked much of the moisture that usually streams in from the Gulf of Mexico. With a strong El Niño, history suggests a cooler wetter winter for almost the entire state of Texas.
AgWeb, Evelyn Browning Garriss, September 30, 2015

Strong El Niño Predicted to Arrive in October, November -- El Niño is known to bring added rain to areas of Texas, and many farmers want to know when they should be expecting the rain. State Climatologist Dr. Nielsen-Gammon is predicting that the extra rainfall above normal is expected to hit the northern parts of Texas sooner than the southern part of the state. The northern parts of the state, above the Winter Garden are expected to experience above normal rainfall increase during the October and November. Then in December through February, the southern portion of Texas will begin to experience above normal rainfall.  
Teague Chronicle, Robert Burns, September 17, 2015

Hurricanes

Peak of hurricane season is here -- The peak of hurricane season is usually from September 11-12. People living at the coast should be prepared to leave even if it is just Category 2. It is best to stay aware about the weather updates, so you are not caught off guard.  
Dayton News, Jim Molony, September 5, 2015

We’ve reached the SciGuy date for hurricanes: Is the Texas season over? -- During the last 160 years only 3 hurricanes have hit Texas. A low pressure system coming into the Gulf of Mexico early next week has a very slim chance of organizing into a tropical storm. Regardless of the development, the upper Texas coast could see rain from this system.
The Houston Chronicle, Eric Berger, September 24, 2015

Other Climate Impacts

Economics

Army Corps of Engineers projects prevent $13.3 billion in flood damages -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood risk reduction projects prevented an estimated $6.7 billion in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and $6.4 billion in the Houston area in flood damages. With May 2015 being the wettest month on record for Texas the flood risk reduction reservoirs were put through rigorous tests to hold floodwaters and protect communities.
Army, Martie Cenkci, September 4, 2015

Costs climb as Bastrop County works on flood recovery -- The Memorial Day floods in Bastrop County are still causing headaches for residents and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 780 sites have been identified where repair projects are needed which include debris removal, filling in roads, paving, among other things. The pricetag for the projects is expected to be about $2 million more than the original prediction.
The Austin Ameican-Statesman, Staff Writer, September 2, 2015

Texas takes much-needed step towards coastal flooding, storm surge protection -- Texas has made a major stride toward protecting the Texas coast from damage caused by storms and flooding. Texas Land Commissioner announced the state would begin working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study the feasibility of projects which would limit flood and storm surge damage. After studying local and international flood risk reduction projects, Texas will continue to work toward a solution to protect the communities at risk of flood and storm surge damage.
The Observer, Community Reports, September 10, 2015

SBA approves $481,000 in disaster loans for Marion County -- The U.S. Small Business Administration has offered assistance to many Marion County residents who were affected by strong spring storms. The assistance is being offered through low-interest loans to help rebuild. The Public Information Officer for the SBA has said the SBA works diligently to make it easy for people to seek information or apply for a loan for people with home, business, and economic disaster situations.
Hannibal Courier-Post, Trevor McDonald, September 11, 2015

$16M in flood repairs hinders positive course of state parks -- There are 95 state parks in Texas. The beginning of the calendar year was a great time for revenue, but the added rains in May and June put a dent into revenues. This was through the 11 million dollars in damages, and the days the park had to remain closed for people’s safety. There are still four parks closed due to damages, while 50 are open now to the public with some damaged areas of the park closed to visitors. The parks, which had the most damage were the ones next to reservoirs and rivers. Despite the struggles from the rains, parks made more this year than last year.
The Houston Chronicle, Shannon Tompkins, September 12, 2015

Animals/Aquatic Life

Red tide concentrations increasing along South Padre Island -- Red tides naturally occur, and are made from high cell concentrations of karenia brevis, which is a toxic algae. On shore winds can bring about some issues for pets and people with weak respiratory systems. The red tide is currently in the South Padre Island area and it collects in shellfish causing the toxin to get into whatever eats these shellfish as well, including humans.
AgriLife Today, Rod Santa Ana, September 26, 2015

Mosquitoes Plague Neighborhood -- Residents in Weslaco are fed up with mosquitoes and want city officials to do something about it. Places with standing water have been infested with mosquitoes. City officials have sprayed insecticides in most spots, but some property owners fences have prohibited them from spraying in those specific areas.
KRGV, Staff Writer, September 25, 2015

Mosquito trap: Spike in bites expected with cooler weather -- The approaching cool weather could mean more mosquitoes start buzzing around in East Texas. Going from hot and dry to cooler conditions brings more mosquitoes out to bite. The two main diseases associated with these bugs have tested negative. The best thing to do to not be bitten is to avoid being out and about during dusk and dawn.
KTRE, Alex Osiadacz, September 3, 2015

Homes/Gardening

Keep Amarillo Beautiful? It’s done -- Keep Amarillo Beautiful is a locally founded organization that wants to copy how other Texas cities improved their physical appearance. The founder, Dusty McGuire, believes the city’s lack of commitment has made the organization lose hope. The extreme drought did not help the appearance, but neither have the recent rains. The rain has increased the growth exponentially which has made the city green, but overgrown. Now the organization has been working with the city to help deal with this overgrowth and make the city look beautiful.
KFDA, John Kanelis, September 8, 2015

Hunting/Fishing

Outlook calls for big deer when archery season opens Saturday -- While most deer hunting regions have been dry for the past two months, the heavy rains provided an abundance of food sources for white-tailed deer. The benefit to food sources also brought unfortunate news for fawn numbers because of flooding in some areas.
Tyler Morning Telegraph, Steve Knight, September 27, 2015

Dove hunters may face longer outings, but good results -- The late summer hot and dry spell has kept most doves from migrating back home for the winter. With autumn arriving soon, cooler, wetter conditions will have the birds flying back in numbers. For now, most hunters have to work to get their limit by staying out longer during the morning hours or making a trip back to the fields in the afternoon. Either way, most hunters enjoy the longer outings instead of hitting the limit within a couple of hours.
Tyler Morning Telegraph, Steve Knight, September 6, 2015

Best Bets: Fishing steady as water cools -- Snook fishing, and fishing around the state, will improve with the cooling temperatures of autumn. Redfish, snapper, and trout have been reportedly biting well. Currently fuel prices are low, so with a combination of cooler temperatures, autumn fishing looks to be a quality season.
News-Press, Byron Stout, September 17, 2015

Health

Doctors Promise A Rough Allergy Season in North Texas -- The season of sneezing and wheezing is back for north Texas although doctors suggest this season to be stronger thanks to the wet weather from the spring. The weeds and plants that cause allergies are well nourished and healthy. When they are healthy they produce a lot of pollen. Texas has mountain cedar which pollinates in the winter so some sufferers do not get a break in wintertime.
CBS DFW, Kristin Weisell, September 15, 2015

Recent Corpus Christi Boil-Water Issues Drawing Attention -- The spring rains bringing an end to the seemingly endless drought brought other unwanted news for Corpus Christi residents. Residents were using their sprinkler systems less which meant slower water movement through the system creating a bacteria friendly zone when the summer heat arrived. No harmful bacteria has been discovered since citywide water boil advisories were issued in July.  
NBC DFW, Matt Woolbright, September 20, 2015

Roads/Traffic/Travel

In 90-degree heat, transportation workers prep for winter -- Better safe than sorry for the North Texas Tollway Authority. Even though the temperatures were in the mid 90s, the Authority workers rolled out sand trucks, snowplows, and other equipment to prepare for winter weather. The record snowfall in North Texas last March left much of the area crippled. The Tollway Authority has gone through training exercises, repaired equipment, and ordered the materials needed so area residents can travel with more safety.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Gordon Dickson, September 17, 2015

Thousands debate: Should we stay or should we go? -- The aftermath of Hurricane Rita has left its mark on both the people who evacuated and the people who did not. Today, officials stress the importance of people evacuating their homes when instructed, but in the worst cases, no matter the decision, few avoid suffering. Even when told to evacuate some will always stay and take a chance rather than packing up and leaving most of their possessions behind.
Beaumont Enterprise, Eric Besson, September 21, 2015

Will Another Traffic Nightmare Precede the Next Big Storm? -- Ten years ago, more than three millions people from south and southeast Texas evacuated due to Hurricane Rita. Before Rita even made landfall, dozens died from accidents and heat-related illnesses while stuck on the freeway. Today, state officials are pointing to a long list of steps that can be taken to avoid another chaotic evacuation.
The Texas Tribune, Aman Batheja, September 16, 2015

Technology

Tech Advances Have “Changed the Way We Will Respond” -- Ten years ago, Hurricane Rita hit the Texas coast, forcing thousands to evacuate. Adding to the chaos of the mass numbers of evacuees was the confusion of finding loved ones who were separated from them. Ten years after the landfall of Rita, advances in meteorology and emergency management software, increased number of mobile satellite units and hotspots, and smartphones and social media have made Texas emergency management officials feel more prepared for when the next big storm arrives.
The Texas Tribune, Sophia Bollag, September 20, 2015

Recreation/Leisure/Athletics

ERCOT: Texas should have enough electricity for fall, winter -- As Fall approaches, the difficulty for resource management rises. With the changing seasons, temperatures and precipitation are also changing. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has thought of a variety of scenarios to provide energy to customers, even in times of peak demand. ERCOT’s Senior Meteorologist expects precipitation to be the main factor in changing weather conditions. With El Niño predicted to be prevalent during the winter, increased precipitation chances mean more cloud cover, steady overnight temperatures, and lower daytime highs.
KXAN, Rosie Newberry, September 1, 2015

River tubing business was rocking for rental companies in 2015 -- According to those making a living renting tubes out to visitors for the summer, the 2015 season was not so bad. The early rains set the tone for a great season by filling up the rivers. Even though the end of the season was seen with barely a drop of rain, some rental companies were still running out of tubes on the weekends.
The Houston Chronicle, Craig Hlavaty, September 2, 2015

Game Day Weather: Hot -- Texas Tech’s first football game was expected to be hot. Fans were advised to wear loose fitting long sleeved shirts or apply sunscreen to avoid getting sunburns. The temperature was expected to be around 80 for the beginning of the game, and 90 by the end of the game with a near zero chance of rain.
KTRE, Cutter Martin, September 5, 2015

A slight chance of game day thunderstorms -- Isolated showers and thunderstorms were expected to develop around 2-3pm. Then the rain was expected to persist throughout the evening hours, but the time with the greatest chance of rain was during the time of the Texas Tech football game. The isolated nature of this means that many would not see the rain or thunder, but if it happened in the vicinity of the game, there would be delays to keep everyone safe.
KCBD, Cutter Martin, September 26, 2015

Partly cloudy with a chance of bats -- Radars have the ability to detect storms, aircraft, and even bats and other animals. A program was made to use state of the art storm chasing radars in central Texas to study the area surrounded by bat caves, to study their movement. This science is known as aeroecology, which is the study of biological things using radars. Another useful reason to use radar, is you can sometimes get a better idea of the size of the population, due to detecting them via the radar.
The Oklahoma Daily, Tanner Osborne, September 30, 2015

What were those clouds this morning? Undulatus asperatus -- The Plano Balloon Festival was greeted with a fantastic weather spectacle. Wavy, strange-looking clouds hovered over Plano and most of the North Texas the morning of the festival. A rather new cloud type, Undulatus asperatus, do not produce precipitation, but are often found near storm clouds as was the case on this morning, which delayed balloon launches.
WFAA, Ashton Altieri, September 19, 2015

City staff, volunteers start cleaning up flood-damaged Lake Grapevine -- Project Restore Flood 2015 was launched on September 12. The spring rains brought near record-breaking flooding to Lake Grapevine in North Texas. Now with the receding waters, 200 volunteers have helped clean and move some of the rubble left behind. It is difficult to estimate how much more work needs to be done with the waters still above normal.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Marty Sabota, September 23, 2015

Here comes the color: East Texas fall foliage approaches -- In about a week, autumn will return to the Northern Hemisphere bringing with it cooler temperatures and shorter days. The cooler temperatures and changing of seasons provides a spectacle autumn is known for: the changing of foliage. The foliage forecast is for slightly duller colors due to the stress on trees because of mostly dry conditions.
Longview News Journal, Phil Latham, September 12, 2015

Lightning, Rain steal the show in 3-6A Week 4 -- Lightning and rain caused headaches Friday night, but provided entertaining spectacles. Odessa and Midland 3-6A games were either canceled or delayed by a few hours. Where the games could resume, it was an entertaining evening in the sky and on the field.
Texas Redzone, Daniel Ormsby, September 19, 2015