I call this part of Fayette County the Texas Bermuda Triangle where all clouds fear to tread. LOL Rain coming from the north, northwest or northeast hit the county border and immediately turn southward running along the county line. We're about 2 miles south of the county line as the crow flies. If the rain is coming up from the south, it stops right after it passes through the lost lines area leaving us dry.
Texas Drought
Me too! Except our force field allows a very brief sprinkle before it closes up entirely. Not even enough to wet the ground or to be recordable, but it does makes things smell better. Ah, if only the scientists could discover a way to dislocate the force fields out over the ocean somewhere! I wouldn't want to move it anywhere over land...wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.
RAIN! A brief shower just came through, lasting about three minutes but was really coming down briskly. We've now had 47 days with temps 100 or above - and more undoubtedly to come - so a short period of cool fresh air is greatly appreciated.
I received about 2/100ths of an inch but we did get the low temps and cool breeze. The dogs had fun for a bit.
We got a whole bunch of thunder - that's all - just thunder.
We were hauling a trailer from Waco to San Antonio Wednesday night and had an aborted beginning to that adventure as we heard on the radio about thunderstorms and flash floods in McGregor, Gatesville and more rain headed to Lampasas. So we waited an extra couple of hours before heading out again and never had a drop of water on the windshield, but we DID see a little rain on the roads that we traveled, here and there. It was a nice sight! So...small miracle. A little rain is better than none. I am wishing for a nice long leisurely soaking rain sometime soon.
Okay, I dont want to be the jinx but the Gulf is looking kinda interesting Sunday-Wednesday. Two low pressure systems heading our way. Please please please please please.
More trees dying in the wild all the time. It's sad to see. Even my Bigtooth Maple is showing browning leaves, and I water it. I think one of my Spicebush is dead in my yard. Hope not, but in this heat....
Nothing in the forecast here, jujube. I use the NWS site, which gives me a local forecast without me living in a town.
Nightline has a story about horse rescue organizations in Texas and the pitiful looking horses that end up being brought to them. It would break your heart to see them...really! The economy and the drought together have driven owners to let their horses starve, no grass available to speak of and hay is very high priced when you can get it. Those animals need help!
BTW, my black cherry trees are starting to die now. I am trying to save them, but it's not easy to get a hose to them on my property!
Time was, that farmers in the north would send hay to the south. I think they have had sorry weather up there, too.
Just remember this time last year. No one was getting any rain. There was no chances of rain on the calendar for weeks at a time. We have had rain every week in Central Texas for three weeks now. I personally have missed out on all of it but it has been there. I really feel that we are coming out of the dry pattern and it by September we will be back to normal. That is 3.5 inches in San Marcos. If all the predictions are correct we will be above normal for October. That would be 4+ inches in San Marcos. I just hope the heat tapers off too. If the jet stream moves South then that F***&* high pressure will leave too.
It is hard to believe that Austin may break 70 days over 100 degrees. Yikes!!!
Just take a bunch of cough medicine and sleep through the next 2.5 weeks.
If they have the plant round up in November, may people can donate plants to the people that were less fortunate.
This message was edited Aug 15, 2009 1:08 PM
I hope your predictions come true, come up to the Arlington Roundup, we would love to meet you.
Josephine.
I would love to sleep for weeks (don't tempt me, I'm really tired!), but when I woke up my plants would, for the most part, be dead. So I'm trying to figure out how to save the dying black cherry trees which are out on my property. And watering the shed plants I just planted this year. And watering potted plants. And watering yard plants. Some things have died, hope to save all of the rest. This is not a dry spell. It's hard-core drought of historic proportions. It started in 2006, I believe, and just got worse. Jujube, did you see the story on the news yesterday about fire departments in outlying counties? They're having trouble getting enough water to fight fires. Scary! Said some have lists of water sources to refill their tanks. Little by little the sources are crossed off and little is left. Lakes...too low, ponds, dried up, stock tanks, ditto, wells, ditto...etc. Of course, wherever the fire is, the source should be near if it continues on long enough...not 50 miles away. Wildlife around here is getting scarce....now why can't the armadillo I'm fighting leave the neighborhood for good? Even the birds....fewer all the time. Some kinds that are usually around I haven't seen in a month or so. The anoles...I miss them (I felt like they were pets), two had moved into the potted plants area under the trees, but they're gone now. I did see another little lizard still over there a couple days ago...need to ID it, hope something doesn't eat it!
I'm doubting that 70 days, Jujube. From what I could find, Austin had recorded 42 days as of Aug. 1. Don't know what it is now, but it would need almost a month of triple-digits from that date to reach 70. And it's already cooling off just slightly a tad as summer winds down (hopefully...very hopefully). San Antonio would need 11.98 inches of rain today to reach normal rainfall by tomorrow. It's unlikely to reach a total normal rainfall figure by the end of the year...that would take a LOT of rain...still, I'd like to see that. Out here we're worse off than San Antonio, having missed getting the last 3 rainfalls they had (unless you want to count our small sprinkles of 3 minutes or less we had). I think we have one day next week of 20% chance, but I don't get hopeful unless it's 30% or greater.
This message was edited Aug 15, 2009 3:48 PM
I doubt 70 days over 100, too. With 47 on the books already we'll most likely top 50, which is considerably ahead of the prior record of 36. I've lost 3 peach trees, five apples, one each aprium, pluot and pawpaw, and a muscadine grape. Don't think the front lawn will recover. Since this area is HOA-controlled, xeriscaping hasn't been permitted but we denizens need to put serious pressure on the Board to allow some major changes.
Hey Linda,
You can buy 210 gallon plastic tanks that fit in your pickup bed. I have one and you can water quite a bit with it. I attach a 3 inch hose and it gravity drains about 20 gallons a minute.
Camp Mabry at Austin is the site they use to gauge historical temps. Today should be day 55 over 100 so all we need is two more weeks and it will reach 70 days over 100 degrees. I think you think I said 100 days but it was 70 days over 100. The old record is 68 days over 100 from the 1920's.
lee
CBS News this evening:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5247960n&tag=mg;eveningnews
Thanks, Lee, but if I get that size it'll be for rain water collection.
I saw the CBS news also - wow! Sure hope none of those critters show up here.
DH just mentioned that there are snakes under the house the other day. Since they're not poisonous, I'm not worried!
This message was edited Aug 17, 2009 10:16 PM
Funny story. We live in the city and have a chicken coop. The rat snakes get in there and eat the eggs. These are big snakes. Usually about 4-5 feet long. Well they go thru the chicken wire to get in and the eggs are too big for them to get back out. So they get stuck. Well my wife found a "dead" one in the morning and was going to pull it out but decided to start poking it first. Of course, it was not dead. I was just laying limp. It made a huge deep hiss and bit at her.
Well, I told her that God makes sticks just for poking "supposed" dead snakes. In addition, if you are going to poke a dead snake with your finger, for goodness sake dont poke it in the head.
A ray of hope today....I walked down to the street and saw this. Amazing! Plants are dying and the Prairie Flameleaf Sumac not only looks fine, but it's blooming! Where do those roots go anyway? All the way down to the aquifer, where the water is lower than ever? Or can it draw humidity from the air? I'm telling you, I want dozens of these!
This is another view of this drought superstar. Toward the bottom of the picture, you should be able to barely see (it's the fuzzy lavendar blooms) another great plant, the Skeleton Plant, which is somehow blooming also.
And here's a pic taken farther back on the street. The sumac is on the right. There's also an Escarpment Black Cherry, a Carolina Buckthorn and a Redbud Tree that look like they are dying. I hate to see this, but it's all over this area.
Well, no rain yesterday or today. Friday is looking somewhat encouraging. We have 30 percent here. Austin was supposed to hit day 60 over 100 degrees today but the clouds are fighting it.
Something I didnt expect was my Juneberry, which is mainly a northern plant, has been laughing off the heat and drought. The leaves dont even wilt in full sun. Weird.
Another plant that has not been effected is my Scarlet Flowering Quince. Second year in the ground and I have only watered it a few times this year. Good choice.
I've been putting out water for a long time, but I'm now putting out corn for the deer. After a few days, we have now seen one doe and it's offspring...hadn't been seeing any this summer, although I knew they came by occasionally. I heard one deer when I walked to the back driveway last night to put out corn....if they don't get there before the other critters who eat it, it will all be gone. I also put birdseed out. All the sunflower seed disappears fast, but the rest is pretty much gone by the next morning also. Also a little fruit...goes really fast. I won't put out catfood because the coons would just start living on the property 24/7 then.
Doing my rain dance and praying for several days of nice rain in Medina Co. God answers prayers ....just believe!! Save those trees Lord, our butterflies need them.
Thanks, Sheila! I'm watering as much as I can...more than I'm supposed to, I guess. And the birds, butterflies, deer and other creatures are His, too, so maybe it will be ended soon. I'll even throw in a prayer on behalf of the snakes that live under the house! They got a break recently when the water pipe under was leaking, but that was fixed, so it should be dry by now. I don't mind them...they're not poisonous snakes!
Maybe I shouldn't say anything, but yesterday we got an inch of rain. None today, in spite of having a 50% chance. What a relief it was. Still not enough, and we are still in a burn ban.
Just got back from Three days in Austin and it is really dry there. My Mother's grass is brown and crackles when you walk on it.
We were blessed to find three inches of rain in our rain guage when we got home today. Don't know when it rained but it was sometime between Monday and today.
We pipe oil all over this country. Look at the huge Alaskan pipeline for example. Why don't we put a system in place that would transfer flood waters to drought areas?
Why? It would save money for insurance companies that pay out huge sums for flood damage. It would save money that is used to subsidize farmers and ranchers in droughts. It would save red cross money for other services needed instead of having to help flood victims. Who would not benefit? I don't personally know of anyone who would not benefit from a system like that. All of the monies that it would cost to build would soon be recouped by all the benfits of the system. I'd gladly pay for it with a tax increase. My water bill would go down (actually I have a well, but it costs me to run it). My plants would have a higher survival rate and my trees would live to offer shade to help reduce the need for more air conditioning. So, tax me and build it. LOL
Charlene
Almost 7:30 p.m. and it's 96°...just too hot...at least it's cooling off now, though. If I could afford to go anywhere, it'd be somewhere cool and wet! Most people would be complaining about the rain and I'd be the crazy one running around telling the rain-weary people how wonderful it feels as I walk along in the rain without an umbrella. The NWS cancelled the slight chance of rain for here Friday. San Antonio still has 10% chance.
I've been reading ya'll's posts and agreeing all along! I'm about 65 miles w of Houston and I have 6-8" cracks out on my property. You have to really watch where you're walking or you could break an ankle! I like Charlene's idea! I have a well, also, and due to to having to water just to keep things from dying has caused my elec bill to skyrocket! And
some of our big trees are breaking off and crashing to the ground (or getting caught up in surrounding tree foliage) They're literally topping themselves! Out of 8 grown pine trees I think 2 maybe aren't dying - not sure yet if they'll pull through. I'm sick of this heat and all the work we put into our gardens - and I do the xeriscaping thing as much as possible - all the work seems to be for nothing! ARGHGHGHGHGHGH!!! Sorry - just venting, and I appreciate all you nice folks letting me!
Deb
Hi Deb! Have you ever looked into a solar-powered water pump or a windmill or wind turbine? Since I'm on a 2-subdivision well in the country (serviced by a company) I've never looked into the costs vs. benefits, but have heard of them being used by those who do have their own well in the country. My electric bill is skyrocketing because of A/C! I keep it set on 79 and it can't seem to keep it cooled to that during most of the day. Very hot. I find that I sweat a lot this summer, then have to drink more fluids...not to mention I don't smell too good between showers. On the upside, the mosquitos and chiggers have ceased to exist (for now)! I always thought they were pretty much immune to drought, but no, they really can't live without any moisture. I'd really like to set up a rain collection system, but I know I'd need help to set it up.
Here in town the clay is cracking and you can see about 1 foot into the ground. However, at my orchard, the clay doesnt crack. It creates small sink holes the size of 1 to 4 basketballs. You will just be walking along and you fall into the ground. It is so weird. I have never seen that before.
I don't really understand the whole La Nina/El Nino thing but I think its effects are probably overestimated by certain forecasters. I saw this link for El Nino, which doesn't even talk about fall at all.
http://iri.columbia.edu/climate/ENSO/globalimpact/temp_precip/region_elnino.html
Our weather is affected by so many factors, highs, lows, fronts, hurricanes, etc. And it says in that site that there is NO guarantee as far as any expected effect from El Nino. So I think a hopeful wait-and-see is the way to go. If the rains come, thank the Lord for what we get and if normal rainfall continues for quite a while, just be grateful for however long everything is going well. If it doesn't happen or it stops later on...well, I figure I live in southcentral Texas, after all...not exactly a very dependably rainy place! I may not like that fact, but I will have to live with it...somehow.
hi, Linda - actually, we've been looking into a complete solar system to generate enough electricity to run the house. We have the space for the solar panels (they'd have to go out in one of the back fields as we have a tin roof) and my husband can build them himself, it's just getting the $$ together for the supplies. I lost my job in Oct. 08 so our resources have taken a major nosedive! For some reason, when we had the roof put on the house my husband told them no gutters. I can't remember why, but that's all that's keeping us from the rain collection project! Again, $$ and he could install the gutters himself! That's on our priority list!!!! Our well's in the shade, but the solar panel idea may be a good one for that. I'll ask DH about it. Thanks for the suggestion!
We have a solar pump out in the middle of a pasture. Before we put it in my DH spent months on reasearch comparing solar panels (There is a difference in quality.), pumps, whether to add a gravity tank, and the price of getting electricity out to the well.
At the time we did it, we were only interested in filling a stock tank in that pasture so we didn't put in a gravity tank nor any solar tracking equipment. We did decide to go with the best solar panels we could find for the following reason. In this Texas climate, solar panels can degrade very quickly reducing the panel's ability to convert sunlight into electricity. This degradation is considerable and in a very short time. The panels we have can produce enough electricity even on a very cloudy day to pump water.
With our present set-up, the cost of putting in solar or gettings electricity out to the well was about same. That was 3 - 4 years ago. Now we want to get water out to other pastures and with this drought, we've been thinking of irrigating one pasture for forage and hay. This will necessitate putting in a gravity tank, sun tracking equipment and possibly upgrading the pump.
Since the panels are not hooked up to the grid, we don't sell any power back to the co-op nor did we apply for any government handouts. Sorry, it's one of my soapbox items — the costs of subsidizing these ventures to the taxpayer who ultimately foots the bill.
When you think about subsidizing solar, just think how much we have given to the oil and coal companies. You could give 30 percent rebates on solar systems for decades and not even come close to what the oil and coal companies have received and continue to get from the taxpayer. They call them tax breaks or incentives but they are really cash that the taxpayer has to make up. With solar subsidies, the money goes into the pocket of a taxpayer and not a corp bonus. Farmers take subsidies. What you are doing is solar farming. Also think of yourself as performing a job for other taxpayers. By using solar panels, you are have that much less mercury poisioning from coal plants.
I am not impartial because I took the rebates. HA!
If it makes you feel better Linda, on local news they showed the rain totals for every El Nino in recorded history and the rainfall always went up above normal. Farmers Almanac backed off on September being the month it gets back to normal and now say mid-late October. One report said to expect snow in December in the SA area. Imagine that.
jujube - If we ever get to do the solar panels, I'll be taking that rebate, too! haha!