Tag Archives: Central Texas

Lake Travis’s better days

Posted on July 17, 2009 | Comments Off on Lake Travis’s better days

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A familiar view, from my sailing days, coming out of Cypress Creek Arm into the main basin. Heading west. Lake’s much lower than this now, but it’ll come back. It always has, AGW and other doomsday predictions to the contrary notwithstanding.

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Posted in Sailing, Texana

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Beneficial rain

Posted on March 12, 2009 | Comments Off on Beneficial rain

The flood advisory passed away as the rain pretty much stopped at the rancho by late morning. But more is expected overnight tonight and all day tomorrow–none of it likely to be heavy enough to cause flooding, according to KXAN meteorologist Jim Spencer. Just enough to green things up nicely for spring. Good deal.

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Posted in Weather/Climate

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Centex drought continues

Posted on December 6, 2008 | Comments Off on Centex drought continues

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November ended very dry, putting Austin in the exceptional drought category, i.e. the worst possible. We’re surrounded by an extreme drought area (the red on the map) with no end in sight. Our driest year since 1956. Odd combination: no rain and an early winter of chilly days andfrigid nights. Yech.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Rancho Roly Poly, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Under siege

Posted on January 10, 2008 | Comments Off on Under siege

I go out only when I have to, such as when picking up Mr. B. from school in the afternoon, but otherwise… KVUE’s pollen counter Illona Torok explains:

"Another day, another huge jump in the Cedar pollen. Close to 5000 grains were counted today. A weak cold front will kick up the winds today, further increasing levels for Friday…"

Sure be glad when this is over. Good thing I have a Neti pot to clear my nose and sinuses. 

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Old growth cypress trees

Posted on October 15, 2007 | Comments Off on Old growth cypress trees

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You don’t see a lot of old-growth trees in Central Texas, like these Cypresses at Krause Springs in Burnet County southwest of Austin. The soil is too thin and the storms too frequent to prevent even old trees from being uprooted with regularity. So these monsters, some at ten- to twenty-feet in circumference, were a revelation when encountered over the weekend at the Cub Scout camp out.

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Posted in Texana

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Mowing

Posted on July 25, 2007 | Comments Off on Mowing

It isn’t easy, mowing a wet St. Augustine lawn. Especially with an electric mower. I keep thinking I’m going to electrocute myself. Got through the lower forty without doing so. Now for the upper forty. Wet grass clips all over my shoes and the lower legs of my jeans. Had to take them off before coming inside. At least I don’t have Bosco to worry about. Have to get it done. Only light, intermittant showers today. Much more rain forecast the rest of the week and the grass was already high. I long for a truly hot Texas summer. And dry, dry, dry.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Weather/Climate

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Tropical storms please stay away

Posted on July 23, 2007 | Comments Off on Tropical storms please stay away

This is why Central Texans are praying the hurricane season confines itself to the Atlantic this year:

"’Everything is saturated. The rivers are at capacity, the lakes are up to capacity — any tropical system that moves into Texas is going to create a lot of problems,’ said Joe Arelleno, director of the Austin-San Antonio forecast office of the National Weather Service."

Meanwhile, we got another series of storms today. The high pressure dome we are used to sweating under in the summer decided to move to the northwest of us this year, and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico is flowing in unimpeded. 

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Posted in Texana, Weather/Climate

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