New Lens to Play With

The Rains Arrive!

After a summer of record breaking temperatures, we've finally received some much needed rain. Since last Thursday we've received 6+ inches of rain here at North Lake Travis. This is great but the water rose fast and furious, closing area bridges and streets.

Near by Brushy Creek was a mere trickle on Thursday. By Saturday, it looked like a roaring rapids.

The deluge caused problems for motorists in the area, where a number of county roads were shut down. One driver was rescued after trying to drive through a low crossing area.
We are in the middle of what is known as “Flash Flood Alley.” Many roads have low-water crossings that regularly flood during storms. As little as six inches of moving water can be dangerous. We are urged to take extra caution when crossing over low lying, flood-prone areas and reminding them it’s never safe to go around a barricade. The local saying is "turn around don't drown".

I think we are finally seeing the impact of El Niño. Early July scientists announced the arrival of El Niño, a climate phenomenon with a significant influence on global weather, ocean conditions and marine fisheries. El Niño, the periodic warming of central and eastern tropical Pacific waters, occurs on average every two to five years and typically lasts about 12 months.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expects this El Niño to continue developing during the next several months, with further strengthening possible. The event is expected to last through winter 2009-10.

El Niño's impacts depend on a variety of factors, such as intensity and extent of ocean warming, and the time of year. Contrary to popular belief, not all effects are negative. On the positive side, El Niño can help to suppress Atlantic hurricane activity. In the United States, it typically brings beneficial winter precipitation to the arid Southwest, less wintry weather across the North, and a reduced risk of Florida wildfires.

El Niño includes weaker trade winds, increased rainfall over the central tropical Pacific, and decreased rainfall in Indonesia. These vast rainfall patterns in the tropics are responsible for many of El Niño’s global effects on weather patterns.

This all translates to more rain at the Big Build :)