We have about a 50% chance that half of our area will see some rain tomorrow night. At least the 100+ temps are gone for a few days but will probably be back next week. The residents of the town of Ranger 120 miles west of me, where my Mom used to live, were on evacuation alert not long ago because of a fire heading right for them. Every one had vehicles packed up and waiting but the wind changed direction and the fire went around them. Over the weekend a brush fire jumped a highway just south of Dallas and destroyed one house and about a half dozen cars before fire fighters could get it out..inside the city limits of a small town.
The fires are scary for sure. I am surrounded by National Forest, and back in the 90s there was a forest fire close by. We have had trouble with arsonists off and on, and helped to put a fire out near some friend's home. That one was definitely arson, we found the evidence. That is one big reason I keep my mowed area so large and have a 3 acre yard. There are also careless people not far away too.
Don't hate me because I am wet.....to paraphrase the line from the old, old Pantene shampoo commercial... but we had a totally unexpected and fierce thunder, lightning, hail and rain storm during the night. It woke us up about 3 a.m. when the electricity went out for a couple of seconds. Between the almost constant flashes of lightning releasing nitrogen that they can use and 2.25 inches of rain, my plants are feeling so much better than they have in 27 days since the last rain. Of course now the weeds will also have the strength to go crazy. Certainly wasn't a drought breaker but a mood lifter for sure.
I'm happy for you and your plants Toni! We were watching clouds drift in from the Gulf last evening... they passed us up and must have went straight up there to your yard! More clouds down here today, but just a few brief sprinkles. I noticed a few rain puddles in the neighboring towns on my drive into work this morning. 60% chance this afternoon and tomorrow. So okay rain clouds... it's my turn now!
Our rain popped up along a dry line and came across us from the west-northwest and is now moving southeast. Those rain clouds you saw coming up from the Gulf are heading into Louisiana and places northeast. Louisiana and Arkansas are getting lots of rain this morning. What you all need is a non-damaging but rainy tropical storm that isn't strong enough to be a hurricane to come ashore around Houston and head north.
Toni... I agree with you about a small tropical storm. Nothing as big as Allison (2001)... but it'll need to be large enough to cover from Houston to Beaumont for a few days... and then it can move northwards to bring them relief too. The rivers and lakes all around here are drying up too quickly. It's kinda scary seeing all the sandbars.
