Miserably Hot in West Texas Today

There has been record-breaking heat in Texas today. The previous record for Lubbock was 100 degrees farenheit, today they hit 103. It has only hit 100 degrees twice previously since 1911. Granted, 101 years worth of weather data gathering isn't much when you consider eons of time, but it is still worrisome. To the northeast, the town of Childress, Texas is currently at 104.

www.weather.com...

www.kcbd.com...

NOAA in Lubbock states that we are in for another hot and dry summer, although hopefully not as bad as the last one. Last summer, Lubbock had over 40 days (most of them consecutive) in which the temperatures were over 100 degrees. Our only saving grace is that we have low humidity out here, so it does cool off some as soon as the sun goes down, but there was zero rain, which created a negative feed-back loop in which the dry soil created more heat, and made it harder for rain clouds to form.

Lubbock is currently in Stage Two water restriction, meaning there are restrictions on sprinklers and irrigation, although people can still water stuff by hand.

We're not the only area to suffer. Here's a thread from yesterday referencing Las Vegas, NV temperatures:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

The La Nina pattern which caused the drought in Texas and neighboring states peaked this past January 2012. NOAA states that La Nina should be completely done by the end of this month, and beyond that, there is some confusion as to whether it shifts directly into El Nino or lingers in a weak La Nina pattern.

Comparing the different ENSO forecast models we conclude the first half of 2012 will most likely (on average) be dominated by the current La Niña phase. Most models however show progression towards neutral and some to El Niño before the onset of the boreal summer, while others show a more stable La Niña projection.

www.bitsofscience.org...

Please note in the above link that it gives world-wide projections.

I can't decide which is the worst: Another La Nina summer, with record heat, no rain, and trees withering under the stress, or an El Nino summer and fall, bringing above average rainfall, cooler temperatures, and all that radiation from Fukishima that comes with the rain.

Originally posted by FissionSurplus


I can't decide which is the worst: Another La Nina summer, with record heat, no rain, and trees withering under the stress, or an El Nino summer and fall, bringing above average rainfall, cooler temperatures, and all that radiation from Fukishima that comes with the rain.

Too true. Definitely a double edged sword. Last year I comforted myself through the drought by thinking that at least we weren't getting radioactive rain, but those wild fires were really frightening.
I think I'll just accept whatever comes and try to see my cup half full, if you know what I mean.
Hope you make out well, what ever nature throws at Texas this year.

reply to post by FissionSurplus


Hey, I live in Lubbock too!!! This summer is gonna be great dont you think haha

reply to post by Neysa


Yup. Whatever happens, we just have to deal with it. Texas is all about weather extremes, and it could be worse....I could be living back in DFW, where the humidity is stifling.

reply to post by jkat21


If I had a swimming pool, I would agree with you. I live 100 miles to the southwest of Lubbock, and nobody has swimming pools out here, or we'd have every critter and flying insect from 5 miles around coming to get a drink, including lots of snakes. However, my daughter lives right by Tech, and she is buddying up with work pals who live in apartments with pools. Smart girl!

Originally posted by FissionSurplus

I can't decide which is the worst: Another La Nina summer, with record heat, no rain, and trees withering under the stress, or an El Nino summer and fall, bringing above average rainfall, cooler temperatures, and all that radiation from Fukishima that comes with the rain.

You know, I have lived in Texas since 1980. 25+ years in Dallas and the last 6 years in Lubbock. I am, totally, over it all!!!! But, due to my current financial situation, am incapable of getting the hell out of here. I, truly, HATE Lubbock. But brought my dying father here in 2006 and mom wanted to stay for a while because of grand kids here. Then she became severely ill in 2010 and we never made it out of here like we, both, wanted to.....she passed the end of August, 2011 and NOW I am stuck.

Yesterday, it was close to 107 in some parts of Lubbock - per the local TV station reports at 6pm. Being, basically, homeless - I am staying with a woman who out of the kindness of her heart has been allowing me to stay in her space bedroom. She is not charging me anything because I have ZERO money and she understands all the mental & emotional stuff I have had to endure since mother passed away.

That being said, it appears the recession is slowly starting to hit in Lubbock and she has been 'laid off. (FIRED) from one of her part time school system jobs at the end of the school year. So......she is really stressed out not knowing how she came make house payments, car payment, utilities, etc. in the coming year. Due to this she really conserves on the electric bill by not running the AC as much as possible.

Yesterday, since I am job searching, I was out in it for several hours. Her dog & mine were really suffering all day long. So much so that they would not eat and just laid around in coolest spots in the house they could find. I worrying about my dog....he is 5 years old but is use to being shaved in the summer months. Well, I cannot afford it this year and the poor guy is paying the price. I kept spraying him down with cool water and tried to keep his paws cool. I was told that was how to cool a dog down - their paws.

Anyway, she drives a school bus during most of the day and I KNEW how much she must have suffered thru out the day. Hell, all she has are a couple of small fans to blow the hot air around. When she got home she, immediately, started closing windows to turn the AC on. She has been using it during sleeping hours the past 2 nights (7pm-6am) or we would not be able to sleep the heat is sooooo stifling. She even has ceiling fans in every room, but bath, in the house. Those really help a lot. BUT, I believe this kind of heat can, and will, kill people. Much like people freeze to death in the winter months.

Hell, it has been so damn hot that cooking anything is out of the question. Nothing is appealing but something cold - salads, sandwiches, etc. Basically, I agree with the quote in as far as it will be a terrible summer in Texas no matter how the weather is. I think every state is showing some radiation, from Japan, in the food and water supplies. So rain will be a bitch - but feel so good - and the heat?? Well, you all that live down here know!!

reply to post by FissionSurplus


I live in Del Rio TX. Yesterday was suppose to hit 93, actual temp was 99. Today predicts 104, if it is like yesterday I expect 109-110. But lets go ahead and add 50% plus humidity. Its scorching in TX.

I feel bad for you folks in Texas with 100+ temperatures before May. The weather here in North Florida has been rather insane as well. Tuesday morning I awoke to my weather station reporting 38.2°F and today it is 90° with tomorrow going to be even hotter. Factor in the typical Florida humidity and subtropical sun you get nasty April weather.

Massive rainfall in British Columbia today.

We're expected to get 40 mm near where I live. We LOVE Texan tourists in BC.

reply to post by Champagne


I'm so sorry to hear about your and your lady friend's situation.. Not being able to run the AC in this type of heat is brutal. It should be a little cooler today, and then cool down quite a bit by the weekend.

Your lady friend should apply at Lubbock MHMR, they have openings currently, and if she drove a school bus, she should pass the background check. Anybody that could drive a bus and deal with kids should be able to work in MHMR. There may be something available that you want to do as well. Once you work in a field like MHMR, you can transfer to another MHMR, or go out of state and get a similar job there. I worked for MHMR in the DFW area for years.

www.lubbockmhmr.org...

Best of luck to you, and thanks for sharing your story. STAY COOL!

reply to post by lbndhr


Texas is all about extremes!! I hibernate in this heat. Since we're out in the boondocks, we're part of an agricultural electric co-op, so even if we run our AC all day and night, the most we pay per month for electricity is $150.

I'm grateful our humidity is only 37% currently.

I'm hopeful that this summer won't be as brutal as last summer....oh, who am I kidding?? Every summer in Texas is brutal.

reply to post by Misoir


Yeah, you've noticed the freakish up and down as well? One day we're cold, the next day we're sweltering, it's been a real roller coaster as far as temps go. Yesterday, 103 degrees. By Sunday, they're forecasting a high in the upper 60s.

Texas has always had wild temperature swings, but when it hits all over the country, one has to wonder what's up.

Originally posted by FissionSurplus
I could be living back in DFW, where the humidity is stifling.

Now, now. The humidity in DFW isn't all that bad. Try living in San Antonio and you'll agree that DFW has moderately tolerable humidity.

As far as the heat it does look like we're going to be in for another hot summer. Not that a few hot days is unexpected in Texas but when you have 45+ > 100 degree days back to back with little to no rainfall it does start to wear on you.

reply to post by babybunnies


LOL, I'll bet you do. BC is the opposite of Texas....Green, lots of rainfall, and mountains. So I've heard...I've always wanted to go there. As soon as the TSA stops acting like the perverted gestapo, I'll be sure to book a flight out that way.

Oh there are tons more reasons not to go back to dfw, hee heehee.

I don't want to see that place wshtf

PS, today in south central tx, we've got the unrealistic gray sheet wall clouds covering everything. It looks like winter clouds, and it's probably from geo engineering. It might dissipate and let the "real" clouds move in about an hour or two before sun down.

reply to post by dbates


I grew up in southern California. The first day I moved to DFW, it was August, hot as a firecracker, humid enough to put it out, and plenty of thunderstorms.

My daughter went through Air Force boot camp at Lackland AFB in San Antonio. Her boot camp graduation was in August (naturally). Yes, San Antonio is worse. Brutally humid down there. No wonder they serve so much booze on the River Walk, it's the only way one can stand it during the day. It's really pretty from an air conditioned car, though!

I have often thought that if the Battle of The Alamo had been waged in the summer, it wouldn't have happened.

I don't want to see that place wshtf

reply to post by LightWarrior11

That is EXACTLY why we moved away from there in January 2011. My husband and I both had the bad feeling that it would be a really ugly place to be if the S hit the F. Plus it was so expensive. Our water bill by itself was almost $300 per month....Electricity between $300 - $600 per month, depending on the weather....Gas bill around $120 per month....The taxes alone were $5500 per year. Mortgage, $1600 per month. Insanely expensive

Out here, we pay less per month for everything that what our mortgage alone was out there. Our taxes for Tax Year 2011 were all of $111.

DFW is a powder keg of crazy. We didn't want to be there when it blew.

reply to post by FissionSurplus


I'm in the boondocks also, I also have co-op, but my lowest electric bill wad $250.00, it reaches upwards to $400.00 last summer, and I believe it will be a little higher this year. Rio Grande co-op is my butcher of my wallet.

Well, I'm living in East Texas and it's maybe 90 outside. It's not overwhelmingly hot, but it's not cool either. I noticed temps getting up in the 90s in March, which despite what some may think is unusual even for Texas....

Yeah, we're going to have a tough summer.

I live in San Angelo, and it's 103 now but cloudy, we are "supposed" to get rain starting Sunday and continue off and on next week. I hate to say it but I love this heat, My wife and I moved to Texas from west Michigan about 6 years ago. I will never be able to get the chill out of my bones from 40 years of west Michigan winters, But I gotta say Texas is Trying to keep me warm. My wife will not let me put the AC lower then 77F she gets COLD otherwise, no kidding.

We are not "natives" but we Love it when it's 90+, Bring on the heat (and I work outside most of the day)...