Central TX Drought Approaching That Of 1950s - 30 Days Ending 7/21 Warmest Ever Recorded - DMN

[hatrack]

AUSTIN – The drought that has gripped Central Texas is approaching the severity of Texas' most famous drought, the 1950s dry spell that lasted several years, Lower Colorado River Authority officials say.

But the current drought, which began in the fall of 2007, has seen more intense concentrations of high temperatures and less rainfall than the majority of the earlier drought. "It was hot, yes, it was dry" in the 1950s, said LCRA meteorologist Bob Rose, "but it wasn't crazy hot like this year." Soil moisture is negligible now. And with spotty precipitation, "we haven't been able to generate any runoff" to replenish reservoirs, he said. "What makes our current drought unique is not the duration but the severity," Rose said this week at a drought briefing for meteorologists and reporters.

Officials said the Highland Lakes continue to have plenty of water to meet needs across Central Texas. But they said they will ask their customers to put in mandatory restrictions, probably next month, on nonessential uses, such as lawn and landscape watering, swimming pools and car washing. Some LCRA customers, like the city of Austin, have already activated mandatory water restrictions.

The restrictions come as the region continues to be suffocated by oppressive heat. The period between June 22 and July 21 is the warmest 30-day period on record. The temperatures averaged 89.7 degrees.

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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-texdraught_24tex.ART.State.Edition1.4bed360.html

[kestrel91316]

1. More proof that there's no such thing as global warming.

;-)

[Javaman]

2. it's epic.

here in Austin, we keep getting passed by by what little rain there's been.

We are in the "exceptional" area of the drought.

I lost my grape vine and several of my veggie plants, but I'm holding tough by saving water from my a/c weep line and capturing water from our taps when we run hot water at the sinks or the shower.

I started off with 5 barrels of water and when the water would dip down to about a barrel down, we would get enough rain to fill it back up. Not so now, I'm down now to just over two barrels left.

Between the heat and no rain, it's been interesting. all the lawns in my area are crunchy brown straw. Those in the neighborhood still trying to fight back nature by watering at night are now losing the battle. (I hate lawns by the way)

I have squash, pumpkin, and a smattering of other veggies growing and producing right now, but if things don't improve within the next month, I don't know what I will have left.

Outside of town, the surrounding areas have had some rain as of late, but I don't think it's nearly enough.

Lake travis is so low now, that the police are now finding cars that were stolen and dumped in the lake back in the 1980's!

My wife and I have been seriously discussing how much longer we want to stay here giving global warming and all, it's certainly not going to get better.

We will give it 3 more years, then we move. I fear it maybe too late by that point.

[hatrack]

3. Picture = 1,000 Words . . .

That's, what, 30 counties in Cat. 4 status, 50+ in Cat 3 & Cat 4 inclusive?

Here's USDA's take on it:

The Plains: Beneficial rain was observed from Nebraska southward into central and eastern Texas, most notably reducing drought in eastern and southern Oklahoma as well as northern and eastern Texas. Despite the widespread shower activity, pockets of dryness prevailed in west-central Texas, western Oklahoma, and south-central Nebraska, with minimal—if any—improvement in drought designation. Scattered showers did little to ease Severe to Exceptional Drought (D2-D4) in southern Texas, where another week of record heat (100°F or greater) compounded the impacts of ongoing dryness. The latest satellite-derived Vegetation Health Index depicted conditions much worse than the same time last year over southern Texas, indicative of severely stressed crops and pastures. Farther north, up to an inch of rainfall eased Abnormal Dryness in North Dakotas, although the moisture generally bypassed the Dakotas’ D0 areas.

[Tashca]

4. Interesting

The mention of this starting the Fall of 2007 caught my attention.
In my area of the upper midwest.....since October of 2007 we have been experiencing below normal temperatures and above normal precipitation.....at least during the growing season.
Last week we set low temperature records three days in a row during the same time this area is experiencing very high temperatures.

I had my basement flooded for the second time in two years..... two days ago. We almost always have a dormancy period on cool season grass yards in the summer. I have never seen grass grow like it has the last two years and not going through a dormancy at least for a short period.

I have also observed,in the last few days, early signs of rust in the lower leaves of trees and many crops. This is not normal so early in the year. If conditions persist I suspect there could be much damage. Too early to tell yet.

I am not complaining, but merely observing. Having Drought is a horrible experience for anyone involved. I wonder if these conditions also happened here in the 50's when Texas was in a drought or if this is something entirely different.