False hope…

Texas is in the midst of a horrible drought. State climatologist, John Nielson-Gammon, has declared the worst single-year dry spell in over 116 years. This intractable drought has had a significant impact on the state’s economy – losses are already projected at $3 billion, and they are rising with every day of sunshine. While agriculture-related costs are large and very visible, the lack of rainfall is also taking a toll in other areas. Lakes, ranch tanks and ponds are literally drying up! Wildfires have destroyed well over 1 million acres of range land (as well as homes, outbuildings, businesses, and other assets), and recovery will be slow without measurable rainfall.

Weather has always been a hobby of mine. I even took a climatology course in college. (40 years ago) I put together my first weather station (Radioshack kit) the first year Leicalady and I were married. When we moved to the Rockin’P I stepped up to a Davis Instruments wireless, solar-powered station. Anyway, Saturday evening I noticed that internet radar indicated some nice storms heading our way from the southeast. The wind picked up and I could hear thunder crackling in the distance. I grabbed my camera as I wanted to document the beauty of the Cumulonimbus clouds that were quickly forming…

 

 

Unfortunately, the system drifted to the east of us – the Rockin’P did not even get a sprinkle! I guess we will have to hope for relief from a hurricane in the Gulf…

 

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~ by leicaman on August 15, 2011.