hornpharmd
5000+ posts
08/17/09 09:16 PM
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Austin drought and heat wave
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Here is a quick rundown of the current drought and extreme heat we are currently in here in Austin.
Lake Travis elevation during past droughts:
1. 614.18 - August 14, 1951
2. 615.02 - November 1963
3. 631.19 - September 4, 2009
Historical Lake Levels
The current lake levels are mirroring the 1963 levels very closely. In July 1961 the Lake level was 680.82. After that it declined steadily until it reached its low of 615.02 in November of 1963. From May 1963 to September 1963 the lake level dropped from 658 to 619 feet....about 10 feet/month. This is very similar to our current status. The lake level was at 689.89 in July 2007. Since then it has declined steadily to its present level of 633 feet. From May thru July it has dropped about 7 feet/month. The rate has picked up the past couple of weeks and is approaching 8-10 feet/month loss now.
Central Texas Drought:Central Texas Drought
Rainfall records indicate that past 23 months have been the driest on record in SA. During this 23 month period SA recorded 24.38 inches of rain. The previous driest period was 28.94 inches of rain from November 1908 to September 1910. Records in SA date back to 1885.
The 23 month drought has been the 13th driest in Austin history and the driest in Austin since extreme drought of 1954-1956. From September 2007 to July 2009 Austin has recorded 34.46 inches of rain. The driest period in Austin was from October 1916 to August 1918 when only 31.94 inches of rain were recorded. Records at Mabry date back to 1856.
This is one of the most severe droughts in Austin history. It is the lack of rain in combination with the extreme heat that has caused this. 2008 was the 4th driest year on record with only 16.07 inches of rain at Mabry. 2009 rainfall shows 11.48 inches of rain recorded at Mabry this year. Currently 16.8% of Texas is in the most extreme drought category - Exceptional drought. 26.6% of Texas is in the most 2 severe drought categories. This includes most of Central Texas, the eastern Hill Country, and the coastal plains region.
June 2009 was 2nd hottest month on record in Austin. There were 16 triple digit days in the month of June. This included 10 straight days of triple digits at the end of the month.
July 2009 was the hottest month on record in Austin. There were 26 recorded triple digit days this July.
July Temperature records from Mabry:
1. 89.5 - July 2009 (highest in 145 years)
2. 89.1 - July 1860
August 2009 was the hottest August on record in Austin. There were 25 triple digit days in August. This including 16 straight days near the beginning of the month.
Average August temperature (Austin Mabry):
1. 89.1 - 2009
2. 88.5 - 2006
This was the hottest 3 summer months in August recorded history (June 1st through August 31st).
Average Temperature June-August (Austin Mabry):
1. 88.4 - 2009
2. 86.7 - 1998/2008
The Austin record for triple digit days in a single year are:
1. 69 - 1925
2. 68 - 2009 (as of September 3rd 2009)
3. 66 - 1923
4. 50 - 2008
5. 42 - 2000
Included in these 68 triple digit days the past 3 months, Austin has had 26 days of 104 degrees or hotter, and another 15 days at 103 degrees...for a total of 41 days of 103 degrees or hotter weather.
Edited by hornpharmd (09/04/09 07:07 AM)
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Tom Anderson
100+ posts
08/18/09 10:40 AM
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The 69 days of triple digits record will be history. WIth the lack of activity in the tropics, you have to wonder what sort of system is going to get us the 8 to 10 inches of rain to break this thing.
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hornpharmd
5000+ posts
08/18/09 11:10 AM
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I had read that some areas will require 36 inches of rain to get out of the drought. That will take some time.
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SouthernSooner
1000+ posts
08/18/09 11:18 AM
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Day 59 today. These past two summers have been just absolutely brutal. Not fun...
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hornpharmd
5000+ posts
08/19/09 08:45 AM
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Here are some pics I found from 7/26/09 online:
images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/3/8/6/7/6/ar124862806967683.jpg&imgrefurl=http://activerain.com/blogsview/1168089/austin-the-drought-in-pictures&usg=__hd3HnYRr2JxJH_MqOOlC_tTKg7g=&h=375&w=500&sz=40&hl=en&start=17&um=1&tbnid=4730DML7gfdVvM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlake%2Btravis%2Bdrought%26hl%3Den%26um%3D1
At that time the elevation was 638. It has been 3 weeks and the elevation of the lake is now 633.
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l00p
25,000+ posts
08/19/09 09:11 AM
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I have to keep telling people new to Austin that this is indeed not normal weather and that even we are not happy about it, it sucks. I wondered this past winter when it was so mild how we were going to pay for it during the summer. Now we know.
Each way I turn, I know I'll always try
To break this circle that's been placed around me
From time to time, I find I've lost some need
That was urgent to myself, I do believe
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hornpharmd
5000+ posts
08/24/09 06:30 AM
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According to News 8 Austin we are at 62 triple digit days this summer now.
Looks like we had a little bit of rain over the weekend but I don't think it helped much. Lake level is now 633.03.
I will update original post.
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Texoz
5000+ posts
08/24/09 10:38 AM
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The Link
Bergstrom set a high record yesterday of 103, but what's more impressive is that it was Day 51 of temps 100 or more. That breaks the previous record of 50 set in 1998.
Mabry also set new record high of 105 on Sunday and is now 6 days away from tying the record of 69 days of 100 degrees or higher, which was set in 1925. Current forecast has highs of 100 or more through Wednesday, then around 98 or 99 through the weekend. Unless it rains, we'll probably tie the record by Saturday or Sunday.
Looking at past records, October only has one day at/above 100 so we can take solace in the fact that once September passes, probably no more 100 degree days. September has a lot of 100 degree record high days so we'll have to endure that possibility. Would not be surprised to see at least 10 more days of 100 or more past the record of 69 days.
Finally, they haven't mentioned it yet, but we've surpassed that all time record of 30-day temps again. Back at the beginning of August the NWS noted that we had a 30-day average of 89.5 degrees. Since then we've been close 90 degree average so we've set a new 30-day record high average. My guess is that when this summer ends we'll shatter the record for all-time hottest summer in Austin. Not sure if they use June-Aug or June 21st through Sept 21st. Either way, we'll probably break that record as well.
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TXSNOS
2500+ posts
08/25/09 08:00 PM
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In reply to:
Looks like we had a little bit of rain over the weekend but I don't think it helped much. Lake level is now 633.03.
Someone probably just took a leak.
TXs N Os
"It's a life's work to see yourself for what you are and even then you might be wrong. And that's somethin I don't want to be wrong about." -- No Country For Old Men
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SouthernSooner
1000+ posts
08/26/09 09:43 AM
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Today should make Day 66 over 100F putting 2009 in a tie for second hottest on record and tomorrow is more of the same. What's really depressing is that we've also had like a dozen days of 99F weather.
The only good side-effect of this heat is that I've drank a [censored]-ton of frozen margaritas this summer. 
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hornpharmd
5000+ posts
08/27/09 09:31 AM
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If we hit triple digits today we will tie for 2nd place all-time in Austin with 66. Again that will be the longest run since 1925....84 year high.
My house is now in Cat 2 water resriction. Luckily we got a little shower last night around 9pm or so. Good thing b/c I usually water on Wednesdays and Saturdays and my new water restrictions only allow me to water on Saturdays. So this rain happened on my usual watering day....yeh!
Looks like we could get more rain today through Sunday.
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taco
250+ posts
08/27/09 09:28 PM
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^^^
I think you are only allowed to water on saturdays now. Its once a week in austin now
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hornpharmd
5000+ posts
08/28/09 08:07 AM
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We didn't hit triple digits yesterday, only 99 degrees....but we got some rain so that is great.
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Texoz
5000+ posts
08/28/09 09:15 AM
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The Link
In reply to:
We didn't hit triple digits yesterday, only 99 degrees....but we got some rain so that is great.
The NWS says 103 yesterday, but it's preliminary. I thought 99 was the high as well.
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ScoPro
5000+ posts
08/29/09 06:15 AM
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My gawd!
It's 68.4 degrees on my patio right now!
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hornpharmd
5000+ posts
08/30/09 09:53 AM
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No [censored] , I want the record too. And drain the lake while you're at it.
In reply to:
The NWS says 103 yesterday, but it's preliminary. I thought 99 was the high as well.
Wow. According to that site we have had this many triple digit days this year:
June - 16
July - 26
August - 25
Total = 67
Also have had 4 days at 99 degrees.
I will update the OP and now this is the 2nd most triple digit days in Austin recorded history.
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YoLaDu
2500+ posts
08/31/09 10:15 AM
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just gives us 3 more days of 100.. and then send in the coldest norther in the history of September. Please!
"Just because you're going forwards, Doesn't mean I'm going backwards."- Billy Bragg
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MilkmanDan
5000+ posts
08/31/09 10:30 AM
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I want Austin to break the record for my own perverse sense of pride.
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Texoz
5000+ posts
09/01/09 12:03 AM
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Another vote for the record. We definitely have the record for highest average temp, but how in Hell we don't get the total 100 degree days mark is baffling to me.
I've been looking at the monthly averages for 1925 June-Aug and I'm wondering how there could be more 100s than this year. The monthly averages are less than this year. Might have to make a trip to the library to see the actual data from that year.
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hornpharmd
5000+ posts
09/01/09 05:49 AM
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Month of August wrapped and August was the hottest month in August recorded history:
Average August temperature (Austin Mabry):
1. 89.1 - 2009
2. 88.5 - 2006
This was also the hottest 3 summer months in Austin recorded history:
Average Temperature June-August (Austin Mabry):
1. 88.4 - 2009
2. 86.7 - 1998/2008
August finished with 25 triple digit days. Our current total is still 67.
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