It is raining

[K9STH]

For the first time in months it is actually raining in north Texas. There have been a few "sprinkles" in the past 6 months but not a gentle, soaking rain.

Maybe the terrain will get wet enough that the grass fires will hold off for a while. However, it is going to take several weeks of this type of rain before things get back to normal.

Some weather "experts" say that the conditions are just like 75 years ago when the "dust bowl" happened. Now the Earth has climatic cycles that average 75 years between hot and cold. That is every 75 years the climate gets hotter then at the mid points between the 75 years the climate gets colder.

But, at least for today the rain is a welcome sight in north Texas.

Glen, K9STH

[KB9YCO]

That's a good thing, as I recall when I was living in Plano in '96 or so it was rather dry that year also, though not as bad as lately. Hope it helps slow down the fires.
We got 6 inches of snow here in Cheddarland Wisconsin friday night, or course it's going to be 40 today so it'll be a nice slushy mess.

[ad5qb]

Also finally getting some rain here in South Texas. Not nearly enough, but it's a start. Forecast is for a chance of more mid-week, sure hope they're right, we really need it.

[KC9ECI]

We had 3 area departments go out on grassfire calls yesterday. Not typical in Wiscowsin this time of year. It's got me a bit worried, as someone(s) decided to wash their POV's in the fire station a few weeks back and parked the brush truck outside long enough for the pump to freeze and crack. We just discovered it the other day and don't have a replacement yet. Meanwhile, if we get a grassfire, it's going to be an imediate request for mutual aid, and then back to the olde school method...pack cans. I hate those thing.

[w5klb]

Would you "Texas lads" mind sending a little of that precipt up towards northern Oklahoma? We could use a "little" of that stuff here too.

I'm glad that my neighors south of the Red River are finally getting some rain.

Maybe if I did a Cherokee "Rain Dance" around my imaginary camp fire (burn ban is in effect here), maybe we would get some rain too.

Sadly, it's too far southeast of my QTH for a "Rain Dance" to do any good this time.

I got my fingers and toes crossed for the middle of next week when our rain chances hopefully will get better in my neck of the woods.

[KB9YCO]

ECI, I guess you guys had the same lack of rain on that side of the state as we did. I don't even think it rained a good soaking rain until well into late summer/earlyfall, long after the crops were quite screwed up. Still not as bad as it's been in the southwest though.

[K9STH]

KLB:

Try a virtual fire. That is find a site on the Internet that shows a campfire and then dance around your monitor.

Glen, K9STH

[w5klb]

Quote[/b] (K9STH @ Jan. 22 2006,10:30)]KLB:

Try a virtual fire. #That is find a site on the Internet that shows a campfire and then dance around your monitor.

Glen, K9STH
Glen,

I never thought about it in quite that way, but that's an idea. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[w4rot]

It's raining.
It's pouring
I hear your mother snoring.

Pardon the juvenile moment.
w4rot

[wg7x]

Well fellows...

Olympia, Washington, a city just down the road from here, recently went over 34 days in a row with measureable rain.

Here, where I live, we were on track to beat our record, (33 days) but darn it! We keep having these sunny days now and then...

Back to your reguarly scheduled rain reports

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Gary

[N0KLT]

Quote[/b] (wg7x @ Jan. 22 2006,16:22)]Well fellows...

Olympia, Washington, a city just down the road from here, recently went over 34 days in a row with measureable rain.

Here, where I live, we were on track to beat our record, (33 days) but darn it! We keep having these sunny days now and then...

Back to your reguarly scheduled rain reports

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Gary
Talked to my son in Olympia this noon CST and he thought it was 34 days Friday and 35 yesterday. He wasn't sure if it had rained today yet or not. He did mention he got a glimpse of the sun late Saturday afternoon. Maybe that signified the start of the dry season there. How ever many in a row it has been its too dang many. Is there any truth to the story that the state flower out there is mildew??

[W5HTW]

Rain. I saw some of that one time. Don't remember when.

The droughts are approximately every 22 years. The big one was the 1930s for the Dust Bowl. However, the next one, in the 1950s, was actually worse. Reason it didn't make as much news is the US had changed. We had better irrigation, better farming techniques. The drought of the 70s (22 years later) was the worst by far, shutting down most of the bean farms. Many were simply abandoned. Again, though, improved irrigation, plus increasing population (more roads, more houses, more fences, and more irrigation) made it appear less damaging. It wasn't, not here.

The drought in the 90s (another 22 years, approximately) has decided to hang around. It began in about 1997, and, though it was at its worst about three years ago, having stretched into the 21st century, it has lasted longer than any of the others, approximately seven years. Long range forecasts are that this one, though it will moderate somewhat, may last 10 more years, and will actually not recover before the next cycle starts again. The result, so say the forecasters, will be a 25 year drought that will not be saved by roads, houses, towns or irrigation.

How bad is it? In our mountains, places that usually have five feet of snow this time of year have two inches. That according to the USDA Water Resources web site. Where I live average annual precip is 10 inches, in the October 1 through Sept 30 "rain year." We have under two. No snow at all this year. I saw a photo of Sandia Crest a couple of nights ago on the news. Patches of open ground, and maybe two inches of snow scattered around. Should be three feet or more. By March it is usually eight feet of snow. This year we will be lucky to have eight inches.

Predictions are for the worst fire season ever. We in ARES and the EOC are preparing for that. Have already had many fires, including the destructive ones along the Texas border. Not as bad as Texas and Oklahoma though! Thankfully.

Rain? I saw some one time. Can't remember when.

Ed

[K7KBN]

"It" is raining...

WHAT is raining?

The Seahawks are reigning right now!!!

[K9STH]

My youngest daughter lives in the Atlanta, Georgia, area and she thinks that web feet would be a nice addition since it keeps raining and raining.

As for here, it is almost 10 PM (local time) and it is still slightly sprinkling. According to the weather people on television the rain is supposed to continue until tomorrow.

We need a soaking rain for a few days to get the ground really soaked. Then we need a few days of fairly hard rains so that the "run off" will get the lakes back to their normal levels. All of the lakes except one in the State of Texas are man-made and most are used for drinking water.

The only natural lake is Caddo Lake and it is split between Louisiana and Texas. Most of the remainder are Corps of Engineer lakes with some being made by private dams. However, even Caddo Lake has been "modified" by adding a dam for flood control since Big Cypress Bayou is part of the system.

Glen, K9STH

[K9STH]

Well, this morning the rain has ended and the sky is clear. If we are lucky another front will be forthcomming. However, no one is holding their breath. But, the rain was nice while it lasted.

Glen, K9STH

[KE5FRP]

Glen, get this-
I went with my Boy Scout troop out camping over the weekend up near Austin (Bastrop State Park, did an orienteering course there). #Hadn't rained for what, months? We get out there, beautiful day Saturday, and Sunday I wake up around 1:00 AM to the sound of rain on the tent and a puddle in the corner (should've staked down the tent, to let the water run off). WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?!?! No precipitation for MONTHS, and we get a downpour the weekend we go camping. #And let me tell you, breaking a wet camp is almost as miserable as you can get...

Oh well,we needed the rain.

[kl7aj]

Is it mainly in the plain?

[K9STH]

AJ:

But it didn't happen in Spain.

Glen, K9STH