Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Let's Talk About the Weather

Yes, I'm talking about the weather again. although usually talking about the weather is what people do to make small talk or old-timers do to pass the time of day.  However, around my state/region it is serious - seriously dry and hot.  Areas/counties are now in what is classified as an exceptional drought (one that occurs about every 50-100 years).  We have received 1/10th of the precipitation that we should have by this time of year which equals to over 10 inches behind.  Mix in a long period of high pressure and we've got hot and dry.  One local news source compared the area to the Sahara Desert - saying our actual rainfall amounts have been about the same.  Here are some stats:

June
average rainfall amount:  5.35 inches
actual rainfall received:     .90 inches
highest temperature:          100 degrees - on June 5th (when it is technically still the spring season)

July
average rainfall amount:  4.78 inches
actual rainfall received:    1.47 inches (as of this posting)
highest temperature:           98 degrees - (guess all that extra rain cooled us down a bit)

My kids & I actually spent some time out in the rain this week - was kind of a different feeling getting wet outside instead of just in the shower.

Here are a couple of pictures showing the effects of the drought - one is the grass in my backyard (I don't usually water my yard especially when water rationing could become a reality) and the other is a dried up horse pond... interesting that the ever-present, invasive chinese tallow tree survives despite the dry, cracked dirt. 

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