Tuesday, July 12, 2011

How Badly Do We Need Rain...?


I know some folks probably would like me to stop talking about how badly we need rain around here, but maybe this story in the Houston Chronicle will show just how much we do!

This could make a big difference in the fishing if it keeps up. Not to mention the possibility of some very dangerous fires from campers, storms, and other means!

Texas lakes lose 358 billions of gallons of water
Associated Press
July 11, 2011, 2:08PM

LUBBOCK — Searing temperatures and a drought rivaling Texas’ worst on record are taking a toll on lake levels statewide.

A June water report found levels in 109 lakes dropped by 4 percent, or more than 358 billion gallons. Three lakes — all in West Texas — are effectively empty.

Only one reservoir, Lake Livingston north of Houston, was full, six fewer than in May, according to the Texas Water Development Board.

The 109 lakes are 73 percent full, down 13 percent from a year ago, the report indicates. Of the 109 lakes monitored for the report, just 41 were at 85 percent capacity or fuller.

Statewide, this past June was the hottest on record. The average temperature was 85.2 degrees, besting the 1953 record of 84.9 degrees.

Well, there you have it! I'm sure other places need rain as badly as we do, but this just shows what kind of shape we are in around here! BTW, I know the average shows 85.2, but I can tell you this. It's reached 100 on my patio nearly every day this last week!

Want some coffee on the patio? I've got iced tea as well, if you want!

17 comments:

Ken said...

...yea,but it's a 'dry' heat...
...get it?,oh nevermind Brother,sad attempt at humor...i'll pray fer ya some rain...

HermitJim said...

Hey Ken...
Always good to hear from you, bro!

If you want to send a little request to the Boss upstairs...it will certainly be appreciated!

Thanks for the visit today!

Catman said...

Hope you get your rain. Soon!

HermitJim said...

Hey Catman...
How the heck are ya?

I appreciate your positive wishes for the rain! Crazy stuff will rain on the next few blocks over, but not at my house! Starting to feel like it's a conspiracy!

Oh well, guess it will happen when it wants to!

Thanks, buddy, for coming by today!

Anonymous said...

I wish we could send over some of what we´ve gotten so far and more is on its way! I don´t feel the need to help the mosquitos and horse flies a with more rain, we have plenty as it is!

I do hope it will rain at Yours soon!

Christer.

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed reading your blog ~ thanks for posting such useful content.

Coffee Equipment

Anonymous said...

I'll take the ice tea this time, thank you very much. Its been really hot this year, I hope we get some more rain soon.

Unknown said...

HOW DRY IS IT?

A buddy out of Longview said he'd killed a mosquito that was carrying a
canteen.

A man in Dime Box said the chicken farmers were giving the chickens
crushed ice to keep them from laying hard-boiled eggs.

In Lake Palestine , they caught a 20 lb catfish that had ticks on it!
But just this week, in Bryan , a fire hydrant was seen bribing a dog.

It's so dry in Texas that the Baptists are starting to baptize by
sprinkling,
the Methodists are using wet-wipes,
the Presbyterians are giving out rain-checks,
and the Catholics are praying for the wine to turn back into water.

Now THAT's Dry!

linda m said...

Sure wish I could share some of our over-abundance of rain with you. I'll put in a good word with the Man upstairs. I am all for sharing the rain!

Michael Ultra said...

Jim, Living in Lubbock has always had it's challenges. We did get .02 of rain, Sunday. Thanks buddy.

JoJo said...

I was feeling your pain a couple of weeks ago. So I know how all you Texans feel. We got lots of rain yesterday and I hope it comes down your way real soon.
I will sit with you and have a cup of your wonderful coffee and freindship :D

HermitJim said...

Hey Christer...
I was reading on your blog about the fly problem you are having!

I can deal with the mosquitoes, but those horse flies really hurt when they bite!

Thanks for coming over this morning!


Hey Prolix...
I'm glad you like it and I appreciate you coming by this morning!


Hey Anon 5:50...
It has been the hottest that I can remember in a long time! I was thinking maybe I was just getting older, but at least the paper said I wasn't imagining it!

Almost makes me want a storm to move in from the coast just for the rain it brings!

Many thanks for coming over today!


Hey Ted...
Now those are pretty funny! I haven't heard them before!

Thanks for sharing...and for coming by today!


Hey Linda...
Every little bit helps! I appreciate it!

Well, if nothing else, at least your flowers are doing well, right?

I really do appreciate you dropping by today!


Hey Michael...
If you got enough to measure, that alone is something!

Thanks for coming over this morning!


Hey JoJo...
Sweetie, why don't you email me some of that rain? Heck, I'll try anything at this point!

I'm glad you got some at your place, sweetie, and I do appreciate your visit!

Phelan said...

It has been 100F+ here for almost 2 months straight. I'm tired Jim. . . oh so tired.

Bob from Athens said...

Hey the other day I thought I saw one on them canteen carrying sqeeters, but I was told that it was just my fermented tea playing tricks on me. Athens now has officially had 12 days in a row over 100 and the next six or so are forecast to be the same. Does anybody remember that long cold pipe busting snap last winter?

HermitJim said...

Hey Phelan...
That tired I can certainly understand! I keep thinking that if we can make it through this next month, we may get a little relief!

I still have a very bad feeling about the storm season here in Houston! Wouldn't be surprised if we get a big one before long!

Take care, my friend, and thanks for coming by today!


Hey Bob...
Maybe I need a shot or two of what you're having! Almost way too hot to sleep!

Heck, I can't even remember Winter!

Many thanks for coming by today!

Unknown said...

Hey Hermit Jim....

I know you don't hear from me much even though I am your neighbor down in Alvin, TX. I am a friend of mtngrlnc who got me hooked on reading your posts. I have not been reading about HOW dry it is, I just knew it was horribly dry and hot. I can't remember in my 52 years of being a resident Texas of any summer that seemed to be this hot or this dry. For those of you who have never been subjected to dealing with heat like we are down here in Texas, just imagine it this way. Put your oven on high broil. Make sure you wait until it gets to the highest broiling temperature and then open the door with your face as close as would be safe to the opened oven door. That blast furnace is exactly the way it feels when you open the door from outside here in south Texas right now. It's SO hot it makes you get "chills" when you step out into the heat. It's SO hot it takes your breath away. It's just plain unbelievably hot.

In an effort to try to save some on groceries we put in a garden. The garden has eaten our lunch since the water bill to just keep it watered enough to produce something had increased x3 from the regular amount we pay. ~~~sigh~~~

It's scary hot. Just wanted to let you know you're not alone up there HJ! -Donna

Anonymous said...

Jim that 85.2 includes nighttime lows.the press is scared to print the average high. here in bama we have had a little rain to go with average highs of 95 since memorial day.at least our temp has matched our humidity this month.