I don't normally read the Houston Chronicle, but for some reason they have been throwing it in my driveway (and only mine) for some strange reason everyday this week.
This article is in it--I knew I'd never seen a winter and spring this dry here in 16 years. There is a pretty detailed state map in the actual paper, but its not on the "online" version.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5849359.html
Debbie
Texas Drought
I found a map looking into the comments section. see if it's that one. It looks scary to me.
http://drought.unl.edu/dm/DM_south.htm
I'm still okay......but barely, by the map. You wouldn't believe it by how muggy it is outside today, and 90. It's sauna time.
"eyes"
That's pretty close to the map that was in the paper; it is scary. I'm right in that dark red area in Harris County. The one in the paper is larger so shows a bit more accurately and detailed and has the larger cities.
Its 97 here now, and that's hot for us. Usually not over 92-93 here this time of year, it has cut the humidity and mosquitoes. I worry for all the large trees around here; the sprinkler just won't do it for them. I know I planted some bulbs yesterday and was shocked at how dry in was 3-4" down here--never seen it that bad this early in the summer.
Got about 5 drops of rain yesterday, a fairly good thunderstorm (but much too short--needed to rain like that for another half hour at least) on Thursday; prior to that, not a drop since May 5.
Man, I usually try to conserve resources and be as "green" as possible, but it's miserable out there. It's either water or loose the whole garden. I've lived in Houston for nearly 40 years and it's always either flood or drought. Is this supposed to be due to El Nina this year? El Nino is the flood one and Nina is drought??? Whoever is in charge of weather needs to get those two together and "neuter" them both. Maybe that'd work!
There's a novel idea........
"eyes"
It is scary...I haven't seen a drop of rain here in well over a month now.
And they've been throwing those papers in my driveway too...no idea why.
Kim
not a drop here either Kim
I think the combination of the horrible midwest flooding and the loss of crops due to drought in Texas can only mean one thing for the future. CA and FLA grows a lot of the country's veggie's; but the midwest and Texas grows most of the grain. Will also prove tough for the already strapped farmers to feed their animals--the newspaper article indicated they would just sell them off now.
We have a small cow/calf operation now after selling the larger ranch last year. We have not been able to get a first cutting of our coastal bermuda hay, but the cows and calves are still looking good. Night before last we received a little over two inches of rain here in town, but only a half inch at the new place eleven miles away. That's after weeks and weeks of no rain, high temps, and high winds. One thing I have learned in over thirty years of being married to a rancher is that worrying about the rain makes no difference. We have named most of the cows and calves, and it is harder to sell an animal with a name than one without. We've had worse summers, but there is no hay to be bought in this area.
Fayette County is supposed to be in a severe drought, but parts of the county have received some rain while others have not. Here at the ranch we have not seen rain in almost 2 months. Some of the native grasses and some Bermuda are still hanging on, but the rest are dead. It's been one disaster after another. The day after the annual rye was seeded in November, we received 3-1/2" of rain washing much of the seed and fertilizer away. Then so little rain fell that what rye germinated didn't grow much. We ended up having to let the cattle in to eat it since there wasn't enough to harvest. The grass that remains now has almost no nutritional value. It provides bulk and fiber. The only reason the cattle are in such good shape is that I talked DH into letting me buy liquid feed which provides the daily protein and minerals they need, but it's expensive. If we don't get rain and soon, we are going to have a hard time finding hay this winter.
Patricia, I name our cattle as well and it is difficult to send them to market. That's why I prefer that the newborns be heifers. I have up to three generations in a few lines.
Abnormally dry zone here... and we are! Our foundation is giving us more grief.
I feel the need to get on the soapbox and say we all love our plants but need to start being more responsible about water usage. It is a precious commodity and vital to life. In order to enjoy my green stuff, I mulch, try (not always successfully) to select appropriate plants and harvest rainwater to maintain them. What other ideas am I missing?
We just got back from a midwest vacation. They have been too dry in recent years and are grateful for every drop of moisture received. The crops that are being washed out are in reclaimed bottom or low lands. For the farmers, it is a gamble. In the dry years they are successful. In the wet years they lose the bet. What I noticed is not washouts but crops are slow as nights are still in the 50s ~ imagine that.
Farm futures are showing corn planting lower than normal. And I noticed many fields lying fallow. That would indicate the gov't subsidies are kicking in by paying the farmers not to plant... There might well be an ethanol/gas manipulation connection there. That was in the heart of ethanol country. Nuff said!
I feel for everyone suffering through these droughts, as the Dallas area only last year came out of a prolonged drought. We made it through, even with the water restrictions and such. In fact, the cities around the metroplex (which all had different levels of water restrictions) got very good about conserving water and following rules/policies meant to conserve water, and then what happened as soon as the rains came and lake levels returned to normal .... they stopped the restrictions! How will folks ever learn to live a lifestyle incorporating water conservation when we are allowed to waste it willy-nilly? It's a puzzlement to me.
Carla
We've had thunderstorms last week up by me (NW Houston) and then the chance of rain 30% each day with one day 60% this week as well.
I remember when moved here last spring it rained all the time!
Heard a speech from a climatologist about 7-8 years ago.
He said, "We have had at least a 200 year period of abnormally stable weather, but the geologic record shows that that is about the maximum run."
"Normal climate changes are occurring which will result in wetter rainy periods, dryer droughts, hotter summers, colder winters, etc. In other words, extremes will be the norm, and that has always been the case."
I think the DG family is better prepared than most. We tend to be very concerned with what we can do (individually), to improve our soils, conserve water and other resources, and help each other.
It's really bad here and the legislature still haven't given given counties the right to totally ban fireworks sales, so it's likely to be fires all over when the 4th of July holiday rolls in again. I dread such holidays for that reason. How can anyone enjoy setting off fireworks knowing they might cause a fire that burns someone's home down?
They have never experienced a wildfire.
I have - three different states - Minnesota, Oklahoma, and California.
Helped fight a grassfire in Tulsa - was in 9th grade - amazing how a little spark and small fire can erupt into a conflagration with a little wind. It took neighboors and the fire department to finish the job - we were trying to save a beekeepers hives. Too few hoses and places to connect, but the beekeeper was able to keep about a 20 foot area around the hives wet enough to save his bees. Gave all of us a jar of honey for helping.
Wouldn't this whole world be a better place if people could start thinking beyond themselves and about others? Nowadays it seems that the whole population thinks because "I" want to do such and such "I" am going to do it. They don't take into account that there are people other than themselves could be harmed by their actions. Bubba,
That beekeeper was certainly into doing sweet things for others...hhahahaha
Ann
Many of my neighbors don't live on their ranches and are here infrequently. In the past, unaware of burn bans, some have used fireworks to celebrate holidays. An article in the local newspaper mentioned that a certain index is used to measure how dry the soil is. That index must reach a certain number by June 16th if certain fireworks are to be banned. "Certain" fireworks, not all. Well, here in Fayette County that number wasn't reached until two days later but the drought has continued to dry out the soil since then. What the article didn't mention was where those measures were taken. Some parts of Fayette County get more rain than others. I swear we live in some sort of Bermuda Triangle of Drought because we haven't seen rain of any sort in 2 months and haven't had a good rain in at least 3. I don't want to see the kind of fires that ocurred in north Texas in 2005-06 happen here. I find it hard to believe that the fireworks lobby is so strong that state legislators won't risk coming up with an emergency ban on fireworks.
I AGREE---on that ban on FW's!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've lived elsewhere but no where is it as big a deal to have your own fireworks as in Texas. And it's tiring hearing of story after story of disaster.
Unfortunately where we are (didn't realize it mattered when we bought) we are out of city limits, in the county. Though you can't tell to drive through it's just as congested. And my neighbors can light up their fireworks in the street if they want. :(
No ban? At least ban it from residential areas, allow it in a specified public space.
Fireworks are big business here in north Texas, it amazes me, as we drive towards Granbury to visit friends, we see there are big new buildings for the only purpose of selling fireworks.
They remain closed most of the year, so that shows you how much they sell on the days when people set them off.
I think it is terrible, but I don't know what can be done about it, I guess hope and pray there will be no fires, I guess people never learn.
Right now, it has to be complete ban! The grass in the pastures is mostly brown with mini islands of limp green here and there. With the dry windy conditions we have, a spark can start a fire that will be out of control almost immediately. The fire that prompted the burn ban in this county burned 100 acres. It was brought under control only because the Texas Forest Service had a bulldozer nearby. Local volunteer fire departments don't have bulldozers.
The county has one of the largest number of cattle in the state mostly in smallish land holdings ( under 200 acres). All that fencing and cross fencing would prevent the cattle from escaping the fire. The slaughter would be gruesome.
I think someone above took pity, knowing how dry it's been and with probable fireworks which might happen in spite of our local county ban. Today we were blessed with 8/10 of an inch of driving rain, giving us much-needed relief!
There were big rains this week all around us, anywhere from 2" to 7". Our ranch received 2/3". Not complaining. We are grateful for every drop. We had about that much ten days ago, but the hot, dry winds just sucked the moisture back out of the ground. I have seen worse times. The cows are still fat, and their calves are growing well. We may about through with cattle raising. I love the cows and would miss them, but I am weary of wondering when and if it will rain.
we got a good hard rain for about 10 minutes today, you could stick your finger in potted plants 1" deep and they were bone dry
purely pitiful =(
We got the first measurable rain Monday since March. It rained 1.7 in. and yesterday another .3 inches. today it was just a trace. I know what you mean about the livestock. We always worry about the pasture and having growth out there and the water tank is at its lowest since 2 yrs ago. Tired of worrying about the moms and calves all the time. It's bad enough to have to worry about the house foundation. I keep seeing Houston getting all the rainfall and it keeps going east of us here. Hopefully the drought is broken in western Brazoria County. September we will be thinking of the tropics.
not this part of Houston/Harris county
Texas is the only place I've seen fireworks for sale at the 4th of July *and* New Years.
There are stands all over the place here.
Re Rain: in my part of the Houston area it has gotten dark and gloomy in the afternoon almost every day for 2 weeks, there's thunder and lightening then barely enough rain to wet the ground, then it passes on.
Last year most of my plants died from water stress, this year I've had to water the lawn for the first time since I've been here.
This message was edited Jul 3, 2008 1:36 AM
This message was edited Jul 3, 2008 1:36 AM
I'm about halfway between Houston and Dallas and it is terribly dry here. Areas around us have gotten minimal rain but not us. Pastures are beginning to go brown. It's a battle keeping everything watered and trying not to burn the pump up.
Yepeeeeeee! Now This is what I call rain! After teasing this city with a few droplets every now and then (about 20 minutes slow drip in 2 weeks), I finally see rain! It's been poring now for two hours non-stop!
If you pass by and see a soaking wet laughing Goofy in pajamas, dancing in the yard just about now, you know who she is!!!
glad you got rain out your way Alexandra! still none here where we should have rain, go figure....
Gosh, Debbie, I wish I could send you some. It rained again for more than two hours, poured is a better word. Now I have a pond in the backyard and patio, that is slowly receding.
I'm still happy about it, because it will probably do some good, and pretty soon I'm going to miss it again.
we got a good bit today, this afternoon--right while I was helping a friend move. We were all happy and standing out in it--we were all hot and tired. ')
Glad you got the needed rain (hope it didn't wet the things to be moved), I'm sure you enjoyed every bit. It poured last night, and rained today almost half of the day! I cannot believe it! I must get myself some LA iris, I'm working on the list! ;o)
I'll get back with on the LA Iris dmail
=)
With La Nine fading out, I hope to see more rainfall like what we had recently. Of course, that may be just wishful thinking. It's effects tend to linger, it's still summer and global warming isn't going anywhere.
at this time, I'm inclined to believe we just aren't going to see much rain until November here, unless the gulf does something--I just hope the conditions change and we have a really wet winter for a change
I was watching this thread and just saw it on my list. With Hurricane Dolly, I'm hoping our far south Texas neighbors are doing ok - now you are getting more rain than you had wanted, no doubt. Hope all is ok!! Thinking of you, tonight.
Houston got some much needed off and on rain today - some of it heavy, but due to the "banding" nature of hurricanes and our distance, it's been intermittently heavy and light . I hope everyone who needed the rain got some of Dolly's outer bands. I have a friend with a large garden in New Ulm area - and they've been in extreme drought. They seem to have gotten rain according to the radar.
To those of you who got too much, I'm thinking of you and hoping you are well. We've been through the "too much" rain events - TS Allison the worst lately, and I feel for you. Too much of a good thing is TOO MUCH.
Darling Dolly just gave us a big raspberry as she passed through here. Promises, promises! That is about all we ever get!
we got about and inch and a half--I'm real pleased.
=)
Bookworm 28, don't pay too much attention to the radar. It showed College Station getting rain and we barely got a sprinkle. It was very spotty. East & west of us they got some nice rain. We only got wind, but at least that cooled things off for us and we don't feel quite so hot.