C/S TX Weather: Seasonal with some rains

[Shoshana]

^I feel like I live in a donut hole.

[~FlipFlopGirl~]

Highs only only suppose to be 98 today- Beautiful morning with a nice northern breeze! Nice change!

[Portastorm]

^I feel like I live in a donut hole.

Don't feel alone!

I'm running out of words to describe the desperation and depression which this drought and attendant heat wave are causing.

It's almost hard to believe how everything outside now is like straw.

[Shoshana]

And that wind is making it even dryer. We have patches of yard where I see dirt now, with cracks that are at least an inch wide. We've had cracks in the yard before but not in that part of the yard.. the dirt is so dry the wind is picking it up.

All I can say is that I'm glad we don't have things like Valley Fever or Rift Fever here.

The hackberry trees are still standing which is good but they are shedding branches. I don't particularly like them - they are weak trees - but they block our view of the next neighborhood over!

[Rgv20]

At 12:45pm its already 103F with a dew point of 50 in Rio Grande City.

[South Texas Storms]

From this morning's Houston National Weather Service morning discussion: "DID YOU KNOW THAT THE NWS HAS NOT ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD
WATCH OR FLASH FLOOD WARNING SINCE SEPT 7 2010? IT HAS BEEN A VERY
DRY 12 MONTHS." All I got to say is wow. This drought makes me very depressed. I really hope it ends soon.


And pertaining to that rainfall hole that we have been in all summer long, I made a new name for it: The hell hole.

[Shoshana]

^yup

I'm hearing sirens - fire engines I think.

There's a fire in P'ville and one in Leander too. The one in Leander may have already burned houses,

P'ville fire is neat Dessau/685 - they have it shut down between Wells Branch Pkwy and Pecan St.

Leander fire is at 183 and Osage Dr

News8

Brush fires buring in Cedar Park, Pflugerville

By: YNN Staff

Fire crews are working two separate brush fires right now.

One fire is in Pflugerville, near the intersection of Pfluger Street and Willow Street. It’s grown to more than 20 acres and is 60 percent contained.

A second fire is burning in Cedar Park, near the Block House Creek subdivision. This fire is “one acre and growing.”

Firefighters are going to threatened homes in the area and asking people to evacuate, but they are not evacuating entire neighborhoods at this time.

Officials want citizens to know this weekend is especially dangerous for brush fires. Today’s high winds are helping the fires spread.

We’re still gathering details on both fires and will keep this story updated with the latest.

Also a link to updates at keye

http://www.facebook.com/KEYETV

where someone posted

There's a second fire in Pflugerville. Near Weiss & Kelly. They're dumping water from Lake Pflugerville with Starflight.

[somethingfunny]

It's so nice outside, but today and tomorrow are going to be brutal for fires. Everybody, practice safe sparks please.

We've got a 25mph+ sustained wind blowing out of the north, and all the dried out, heat-stressed dead leaves flying around make it look like the peak of Autumn arrived 3 months early...

[Portastorm]

Yeah, the fire danger across much of the state is critical. Multiple wildfires burning at mid afternoon across the Austin metro area. Statewide, a LOT of fires are burning. Emergency management officials and fire crews have an awful lot on their plates in the next 24-36 hours.

[Shoshana]

Hearing sirens again.

Fires all over, several new ones have started east and west of Austin.

from KXAN

Pflugerville fires force evacuations
Two major fires, 13 agencies from Travis County

Updated: Sunday, 04 Sep 2011, 2:06 PM CDT
Published : Sunday, 04 Sep 2011, 2:00 PM CDT

John Bumgardner

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) - Firefighters with the Austin Fire Department are fighting two major fires in Pflugerville.

Palmer Buck with AFD said all 13 fire departments in Travis County are engaged in fighting brush or grass fires.

The earlier fire started around noon near the 600 block of E. Pfluger Street and is now 60% contained.

The second fire, near 19600 Hodde Lane has forced the evacuation of the Reserve at West Creek subdivision.

Buck said there are multiple agencies working on both fires. STARFlight is pulling baskets of water from Lake Pflugerville to aid in putting out the fire.

from keye.com

5 minutes ago A press briefing will be held at 4pm regarding the fire in Pflugerville fires. We'll be able to provide much more info then.

News8

At least three homes have been damaged or lost in the Cedar Park brush fire.

Three homes damaged or lost in Cedar Park fire
The fire is located near the Block House Creek subdivision off of Highway 183.

Our crew on the scene says the fire began as a brush fire off of Highway 183.

Three homes damaged or lost in Cedar Park fire
Other threatened homes have been evacuated. Roads in the area have been shut down including Highway 183.

The initial call came in at 11:37 a.m. and crews responded at 11:41 a.m.

Winds have increased the danger of wildfires in Central Texas throughout the weekend.

Currently, all Travis County fire departments are engaged battling brush or grass fires.

Two “major fires” are burning right now in Pflugerville. One of the fires is at Hodde Lane and Cele Road, northeast of Lake Pflugerville, and one is near the intersection at Pfluger Street and Willow Street.

Earlier Sunday, officials said the fire at Pfluger and Willow streets had grown to more than 20 acres and was 60 percent contained.

kxan

In Bastrop County at 4 p.m., mandatory evacuations were issued for residents of the Circle D County Acres, Pine View West and Lake Bastrop areas.

Portions of Tahitian Village, Colovista, Alan Creek, Bastrop State Park and homes along Harmon Road and Pine Hill were also under evacuation orders.

(Mabry) Sun Day 80 100+ (New All Time Record)

Day 23 105+

27 in a row 100+ current record 2011!

(Bergstrom) Sun Day 67 100+ (New All Time Record)

K, I'm done. Ready (past ready) for seasonal temps. And rain.

[Janie2006]

Parts of IH-20 are closed because of smoke and other hazards from fires. Texas is almost like one gigantic tinderbox.

[southerngale]

I know people were sick of Texans' comments in the Lee thread, praying for him to come this way, and then upset when he didn't, but this is why. Most people don't realize just how bad it is. So many new fires just today!!

[Ntxw]

Outsiders have to visit Texas to understand. It's no longer a drought... it's a catastrophe. Lee took the worst possible track imo for the state. It drew away all the moisture and brought N/NE flow a loft and made things even more dry, taking everything that was left leaving the front with virtually nothing. Today may be a bad fire day but tomorrow will be worst after the front gets passed the parched southern half of Texas as well.

[South Texas Storms]

Outsiders have to visit Texas to understand. It's no longer a drought... it's a catastrophe. Lee took the worst possible track imo for the state. It drew away all the moisture and brought N/NE flow a loft and made things even more dry, taking everything that was left leaving the front with virtually nothing. Today may be a bad fire day but tomorrow will be worst after the front gets passed the parched southern half of Texas as well.

Yep I agree completely. Lee freakin screwed us altogether. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

[Portastorm]

The situation here in the central Texas area is very serious. The Bastrop fire is uncontained, has burned 14,000 acres, destroyed several subdivisions, and continues unabated. At least four neighborhoods in Travis County have been evacuated due to fires in Pflugerville, Cedar Park, and in western Travis County. All Austin fire department personnel off duty have been called in.

The smell of smoke is very predominant here at my house in southwest Travis County.

[ndale]

The fires here in Pflugerville are being contained but just heard an eyewitness on a local radio station here saying the fire has jumped the Colorado River at Bastrop.

[Portastorm]

The fires here in Pflugerville are being contained but just heard an eyewitness on a local radio station here saying the fire has jumped the Colorado River at Bastrop.

Yes, it has jumped the Colorado in two different spots. Bastrop fire officials are saying it is a fire of "biblical proportions." And no, I didn't make that up. Truly said by the Bastrop folks.

[Shoshana]

I just heard that the Pedernales fire has gotten to the Pedernales river and it's dry. The river I mean.

[jasons2k]

From Jeff Lindner:

Horrible Fire Weather Conditions for today.

Red Flag Warnings are in effect until 1000pm tonight

Yesterday, 56 large fires developed burning 30,000 acres with 2 fatalities.

Weather Discussion:
Winds are already gusty this morning and will only worsen as the pressure gradient between Lee and the cold front which swept off the coast last evening creates winds of 20-35mph this afternoon. A very dry air mass with dewpoints in the 40’s will spread southward and cover the entire region by late morning. This will drive afternoon RH to less than 15% across the entire region. Dry/dead fuels will support explosive fire growth.

As seen yesterday, fires that develop will be fast moving and nearly unstoppable. Very dangerous crown fires are likely in pine and cedar areas resulting in fast forward spread (similar to the Bastrop fire). Fire lines will be breached by downstream spot fires in the strong winds along with crowning overrunning fire lines. Ground crews were unable to hold fire lines on Sunday with multiple breaches of their fire breaks.

Have a fire plan if a fire approaches your location. If told to evacuate do so immediately, it will save your life!

Texas Forest Service Notes on Sunday’s Fires:

BASTROP COUNTY COMPLEX, Bastrop County. 14,000 acres, no containment. Heavy airtankers and single-engine airtankers assisted on this fire that started in the Lost Pines area just northeast of Bastrop. The fire has moved unchecked for at least 16 miles to the south and has jumped the Colorado River twice. The Circle D, K.C. Estates, Pine Forest, Colovista and Tahitian Village subdivision have been evacuated. Firefighters are trying to hold the fire at FM 2571. Reports indicate possibly 300 homes have been destroyed. 1000’s of fire fighters have been working this fire overnight.

STEINER RANCH, Travis County. 150 acres, no containment. The fire started just north of the Steiner Ranch subdivision. More than 1,000 homes are under mandatory evacuation in Steiner Ranch. At least 25 homes are reported lost. A Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System strike team responded.

HENDERSON #495, Henderson County. 5,000 acres, unknown containment. Three homes were saved.

#491, Limestone County. 3,000 acres, unknown containment. Six homes were saved and one was lost on this fire 20 miles east of Waco.

DELHI, Caldwell County. 1,000 acres, unknown containment. Twenty homes were saved and six were lost on this fire east of Lockhart.

BAILEY, Colorado County. 1,000 acres, unknown containment. This fast-moving fire threatened 40 homes near Columbus. Blackhawks, single-engine airtankers, and a heavy airtanker assisted.

MOORE, Smith County. 927 acres, 5 percent contained. Ten homes were evacuated and five were lost on this fire burning on the Smith/Gregg County line. Two civilian fatalities were reported.

#545, Upshur County. 500 acres, unknown containment. One hundred homes were saved; none lost. The fire is burning East of Gilmer.

LUTHERHILL, Fayette County. 400 acres, unknown containment. The community of Ruttersville was evacuated.

BONBIEW RANCH, Van Zandt County. 350 acres, unknown containment. Twenty homes were saved southeast of Canton.

CLEMANIS, Upshur County. 400 acres, 85 percent contained. Twenty homes were saved.

#543, Gregg County. 300 acres, unknown containment. Numerous homes were saved, none lost.

#538, Harrison County. 200 acres, contained. One hundred fifty homes were evacuated in a trailer park east of Longview.

#502, Nacogdoches County. 200 acres, unknown containment. More than a dozen homes have been evacuated, but none lost.

#841, Houston County. 200 acres, unknown containment. Fifteen homes were threatened east of Crockett.

PLEASANT GREEN ROAD, Gregg County. 150 acres, contained. Numerous homes evacuated and saved south of Longview.

KENNEDY ROAD, Rusk County. 150 acres, unknown containment. Numerous homes threatened, one lost.

HODDE, Travis County. 325 acres, contained. Two hundred homes were evacuated and saved east of Pflugerville. No homes reported lost.

PETTYTOWN, Caldwell County. 200 acres, 90 percent contained. Twenty homes were saved east of Lockhart.

OLD MAGNOLIA, Gregg County. 100 acres, unknown containment. No homes threatened. Two fuel tanks exploded.

SOUTH SULPHER, Hunt County. 100 acres, 70 percent contained. Five homes were threatened and two were destroyed.

#839, Leon County. 100 acres, unknown containment. Fifteen homes are reported lost.

Texas Fire Locator Map and Smoke Plume Generation:

http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/? ... fk=0&ski=0

[Ntxw]

What a terrible situation. I remember awhile ago I saw a documentary on how the hill country would be a prime spot for raging wild fires on "It could happen tomorrow." Seems like that is coming to fruition and I hope people are taking evacuations orders seriously.

Unfortunately after our relatively cool weather for the state this week, there still is no sight of any real rain in the models. In fact, the ridge might build back for a time and try to push temperatures back to 100 come mid month.