We had another good thunderstorm overnight and a decent amount of rain, but the flooding gets a bit worse and the mosquitoes have finally arrived. Temps are on the cool side in the morning. I am putting more effort into controlling the jungle. I have to.
Yesterday afternoon a lot of rain fell across the plains, here, and even finally reached the recharge area for one of the reservoirs we use, the newer one, and although the storms were heavy and produced heavy rain and spawned at least one funnel, I have heard nothing about large hail. I got no hail at all, but a heavy rain, again, on top of all the rain we've had recently. This is simply amazing and the current temperature this morning is 56 F, which is decidedly cool for this time of year. Today we are supposed to have a break in the monsoon-like conditions but Sunday and Monday heavy storms are again in the forecast. Flooding is an issue, with Highways 84 and 87 flooded and blocked, at last report. I know 87 used to flood a lot at a certain location near Lamesa, but the roadbed was raised substantially years ago. If that spot flooded again, the water must be very deep just off the highway surface, and on the highway perhaps a foot or more of water. I've driven that stretch of road many times over the years-- many, many, times, but I will never drive it again, having no need now to do that. I don't think I'll miss 87 at all. As for 84, I can't see myself ever having an interest in driving that route again. I intend to be a real stay-at-home, to the extent I can, and never venture outside of Lubbock County and rarely leave the city limits. I certainly don't want to venture into any areas being developed, or any areas where construction is snarling traffic. 87 is a mess in the area that used to be "the strip", and all this rain must be delaying construction considerably, much to the sorrow of businesses that are still on "the strip". What a mess. For that matter, 19th Street near Lubbock High School has been torn up for over a year, with no progress apparent. That's a fiasco, and it could be fatal for business there as well.
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Not having rain overnight was a relief but we might have a very stormy afternoon today. NOW we've got an enhanced severe risk, although you wouldn't think it to see the clear skies this morning. I guess that had to happen eventually. It should reach its peak by five PM and after that it should be over. It can rain as much as it wants but I'd rather not have large hail. We'll have to see what develops.
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It was cool and cloudy and a little breezy last evening. Sure enough, we had a thundershower overnight, maybe more than one in succession. And the rain did fall. It's cool and cloudy and wet this morning. It's as though we are in monsoon season, except this area doesn't have monsoon seasons. We don't do monsoons, as a rule. So strange. But it's a great thing to have all this rain. I won't complain, no matter how much it rains. Seems to me that the cotton farmers ought to be in great shape this year. And I just heard a distant rumble of thunder...
For about a week we seem to have the same setup as we had a while ago, that brought so much rain. Interesting, to say the least. We might go right into the first week of June with rather mild temps and a lot of rainfall. Is it El Nino? Or is it... I'll say this: no more jokes about Uri Geller! I wonder what hurricane season will be like. Of course, where we are, the odds of any effect from a hurricane are very slight, perhaps a surge of moisture if the thing hits the gulf coast just right.
