Sunday, January 14, 2007

Feast or Famine


The old saying if you don’t like Texas weather, just wait an hour and it will change, has proven to be more than true this week. Thursday’s temperature was almost 80 degrees while Friday’s high was only around 60 degrees. We are now awaiting an ice storm after receiving 5 and a half inches of rain on Friday and almost another inch today (Sunday). At least this time, I haven’t heard about anyone driving into a flooded low water crossing and drowning. A friend of mine did that a few years ago near Luchenbach. I still get angry at him when I think about it. He knew better, or at least I thought he did. I know that he has saved several other people from similar fates since then. I know of a few people who, upon approaching a low water crossing with water flowing over the road, have had thoughts of trying to cross it. That is when the ghost of Al Grierson has made an appearance between them and the water. Al is one of the most interesting people I have ever known and deserves his own post. I’ll get around to sometime.

Ordinarily, we would all be complaining about this much rain but we are coming off of the worst drought that this area has seen in decades. We have had very little rain in the past 2 years and our lake levels are lower than they have been in more that 20 years. The summer of 2006 was the hottest on record with more than a months worth of 100 plus degree days at one stretch. Yes, we welcome the rain but we aren’t too happy about the freezing weather. Our usual lack of ice is what keeps most of us here through the atrocious summers that can start in April and last through October.

The most entertaining thing about the situation is the antics of the local weather reporters. They get very excited and give us all kinds of advice about stocking up on supplies and staying inside unless you really have to go out. Duh!! My plan is to stay on the couch with a book or a good movie.

Stay warm. Stay dry.

2 comments:

Stewart Sternberg (half of L.P. Styles) said...

What's interesting is that we have the same saying about weather in Michigan that you have in Texas.

I have been in heaven this winter. Our temps have been in the forties and fifties, uncharacteristically warm for this time of year. And next to no snow.

If I had my way, this would be a permanent thing. I know some people talk about global warming, but if Global Warming is responsible for this, then I say keep it up.

No not really, I'm not that selfish or insensitive.

Unknown said...

Stewart, thanks for stopping by. I think the weather anywhere is subjsct to change at almost anytime(with the possible exception of August in Texas). I just met a woman at a downtown hotel who had come here for a wedding and had not brought a coat or jacket with her. Who travel like that? especially in January?