Eastern Pacific Hurricane Ioke, packing winds of 160 mph, is expected to cross the International Dateline on Sunday, becoming a typhoon, and so match Hurricane/Typhoon Ele, which also was spawned southwest of Hawaii, and crossed the dateline in August 2002–which turned out to be an El Nino onset year.
"It might be one more clue that we’re headed toward El Nino this fall," said Austin meteorologist Bob Rose. "It is interesting that the current drought resembles similar dry patterns in 1996 and 2000 which ended as La Nina faded and El Nino began. In 2000, the rains began to return in late September and October. In 1996, the rain began to return in October as well."
Of course the astrometeorologists (read astrologers) have been predicting the return at least since May.
El Nino generally means rain for Texas, and gentle, soaking rains would be welcome, after this stressful drought, but post-drought flash flooding is more common in the Texas feast or famine weather cycle.
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 