November is starting off very dry, as we have no rain in our forecast this entire week. Quite a contrast to last month, one of the wettest Octobers on record. 

The recent rainfall has certainly changed our drought status.  Notice in this weekly Drought Monitor graphic, our area has seen significant improvement, with only a moderate drought classification at worst.  Parts of our area are no longer considered to be in a drought at all.

 

Notice in this animation, the significant improvement in our drought since August, thanks to more than 13″ of rainfall in September and October.

It’s important to remember though, that Lakes Buchanan and Travis are still only roughly half full, and  continue to be suffering from our two year drought.

Here is information from the National Weather Service regarding the wet weather in October, and the monthly climate reports for for Camp Mabry and ABIA:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX

…RAINFALL AMOUNTS FOR THE YEAR CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN
OCTOBER 2009…

OCTOBER 2009 CONTINUED THE TREND FROM SEPTEMBER WITH MORE RAIN THAN
USUAL ACROSS MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS.  DURING OCTOBER THE ONLY
EXCEPTION WAS FROM NEAR DEL RIO AND EAST TO PARTS OF KINNEY AND
NORTHERN MAVERICK COUNTY…WHERE RAINFALL IN OCTOBER WAS LESS
THAN AVERAGE. THE FREQUENT PASSAGE OF COLD FRONTS AND RAIN EVENTS
IN OCTOBER KEPT THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE BELOW AVERAGE AT MOST
LOCATIONS.

OCTOBER 2009 WAS THE 2ND WETTEST OCTOBER AT SAN ANTONIO SINCE
1871…WITH 11.90 INCHES OF RAIN.  IN ADDITION OCTOBER 2009
AT SAN ANTONIO WAS THE 10TH WETTEST ALL-TIME MONTH.  AT AUSTIN MABRY
OCTOBER 2009 WAS THE 18TH WETTEST OCTOBER SINCE 1856 WITH 6.88
INCHES OF RAIN…AND THE 10TH WETTEST OCTOBER AT AUSTIN BERGSTROM
SINCE 1943 WITH 6.90 INCHES OF RAIN.

THE LIST BELOW SHOWS THE WETTEST OCTOBERS AT AUSTIN…AND
SAN ANTONIO.

THE WETTEST OCTOBERS AT SAN ANTONIO SINCE 1871 FOLLOW.

1. OCTOBER 1998   18.07 INCHES
2. OCTOBER 2009   11.90 INCHES
3. OCTOBER 1994    9.74 INCHES
4. OCTOBER 1942    9.56 INCHES
5. OCTOBER 2004    9.47 INCHES
6. OCTOBER 1913    8.86 INCHES
7. OCTOBER 1919    8.66 INCHES
8. OCTOBER 1981    8.61 INCHES
9. OCTOBER 1976    8.48 INCHES
10. OCTOBER 1960    7.84 INCHES

THE WETTEST OCTOBERS AT THE AUSTIN CITY CLIMATE LOCATION…LOCATED
AT AUSTIN MABRY TODAY…SINCE 1856 FOLLOW.

1. OCTOBER 1925   12.63 INCHES
2. OCTOBER 1870   12.54 INCHES
3. OCTOBER 1998   12.39 INCHES
4. OCTOBER 1960   12.30 INCHES
5. OCTOBER 1973   11.11 INCHES
6. OCTOBER 1919   10.92 INCHES
7. OCTOBER 1984   10.34 INCHES
8. OCTOBER 1923    9.25 INCHES
9. OCTOBER 1913    8.92 INCHES
10. OCTOBER 1957    8.79 INCHES
…
18. OCTOBER 2009    6.88 INCHES

THE WETTEST OCTOBERS AT AUSTIN BERGSTROM SINCE 1943 FOLLOW.

1. OCTOBER 1960   13.08 INCHES
2. OCTOBER 1998   12.73 INCHES
3. OCTOBER 1973   10.40 INCHES
4. OCTOBER 1984    9.30 INCHES
5. OCTOBER 1986 AND 2002  9.11 INCHES
6. OCTOBER 1957    9.00 INCHES
7. OCTOBER 1994    7.79 INCHES
8. OCTOBER 1976    6.99 INCHES
9. OCTOBER 1959    6.94 INCHES
10. OCTOBER 2009    6.90 INCHES

CLIMATE REPORT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO, TX

827 AM CST SUN NOV 1 2009

...THE AUSTIN CAMP MABRY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2009...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1971 TO 2000

CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1898 TO 2009

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S

                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)

                                          NORMAL

................................................................

TEMPERATURE (F)

HIGHEST            92   10/15                         93  10/03

LOWEST             46   10/31                         40  10/28

AVG. MAXIMUM     78.1              81.4    -3.3     84.0

AVG. MINIMUM     59.4              59.8    -0.4     58.1

MEAN             68.8              70.6    -1.8     71.1

DAYS MAX >= 90      4                                  9

DAYS MAX <= 32      0                                  0

DAYS MIN <= 32      0                                  0

DAYS MIN <= 0       0                                  0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)

TOTALS           6.88              3.97    2.91     2.01

DAILY AVG.       0.22              0.13    0.09     0.06

DAYS >= .01        11                                  3

DAYS >= .10         9                                  2

DAYS >= .50         4                                  2

DAYS >= 1.00        3                                  1

GREATEST

 24 HR. TOTAL    2.08   10/26 TO 10/26

SNOWFALL (INCHES)

TOTALS            0.0               0.0     0.0      0.0

SINCE 7/1         0.0

DEGREE_DAYS

HEATING TOTAL      43                32      11       29

 SINCE 7/1         48                34      14       29

COOLING TOTAL     168               207     -39      223

 SINCE 1/1       3523              2910     613     3496

.................................................................

WIND (MPH)

AVERAGE WIND SPEED              4.6

HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    22/340    DATE  10/09

HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    39/360    DATE  10/09

SKY COVER

POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   43

NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            8

NUMBER OF DAYS PC             10

NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY         13

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     72

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH

THUNDERSTORM              3     MIXED PRECIP               0

HEAVY RAIN                7     RAIN                      10

LIGHT RAIN               15     FREEZING RAIN              0

LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       0

HEAVY SNOW                0     SNOW                       0

LIGHT SNOW                0     SLEET                      0

FOG                      19     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      1

HAZE                      1

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.

R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.

MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.

T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.

REMARKS:

HIGHEST STATION PRESSURE: 30.41 ON THE 18TH

LOWEST STATION PRESSURE:  29.56 ON THE 29TH

A NEW HIGHEST MIN RECORD OF 79 ON THE 8TH REPLACES THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 77

SET IN 1982.

A NEW LOWEST MAX RECORD OF 59 ON THE 11TH REPLACES THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 63

SET IN 1919.

THIS OCTOBER WAS THE 18TH WETTEST OCTOBERS ON RECORD WITH 1925 BEING THE

WETTEST WITH 12.63 INCHES.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA (WS FORM: F-6)

                                          STATION:   AUSTIN CAMP MABRY

                                          MONTH:     OCTOBER

                                          YEAR:      2009

                                          LATITUDE:   30 17 N

                                          LONGITUDE:  97 42 W

  TEMPERATURE IN F:       :PCPN:    SNOW:  WIND      :SUNSHINE: SKY     :PK WND

================================================================================

1   2   3   4   5  6A  6B    7    8   9   10  11  12  13   14  15   16   17  18

                                     12Z  AVG MX 2MIN

DY MAX MIN AVG DEP HDD CDD  WTR  SNW DPTH SPD SPD DIR MIN PSBL S-S WX    SPD DR

================================================================================

 1  88  73  81   5   0  16    T  0.0    0  5.5 13 350 226   32   5 3      23 350

 2  81  64  73  -2   0   8 0.00  0.0    0  4.6 13  30 173   24   6        24  20

 3  71  65  68  -7   0   3 0.34  0.0    0  2.0  8 120   0    0   9 1      13 120

 4  84  71  78   3   0  13 0.34  0.0    0  3.7 12 160 186   26   8 1      20 150

 5  79  65  72  -2   0   7 0.00  0.0    0  2.6  8  40  36    5   9 18     15 170

 6  91  74  83   9   0  18 0.00  0.0    0  5.2 13  30 327   47   7 1      23 210

 7  81  66  74   0   0   9    T  0.0    0  4.7 12 170 241   34   8        22 170

 8  91  79  85  12   0  20 0.00  0.0    0 10.0 18 160 273   39   9        30 150

 9  82  54  68  -5   0   3 1.30  0.0    0  7.1 22 340   0    0  10 13     39 360

10  60  53  57 -16   8   0 0.00  0.0    0  3.5  9  20   0    0  10 1      14  40

11  59  54  57 -15   8   0 0.57  0.0    0  3.3  8  40   0    0  10 1      13  40

12  71  57  64  -8   1   0    T  0.0    0  1.0  6  10   0    0  10 1       8  90

13  83  68  76   4   0  11 0.35  0.0    0  0.5  6  90 204   30   8 12     10  90

14  90  75  83  12   0  18    T  0.0    0  2.8 10 160 294   43   5 1      16 180

15  92  63  78   7   0  13 0.00  0.0    0  4.9 14 360 392   57   3 1      22 360

16  73  59  66  -5   0   1 0.00  0.0    0  6.0 15  10 363   53   4 1      22  10

17  77  55  66  -4   0   1 0.00  0.0    0  1.5  8  30 684  100   0        13  30

18  75  53  64  -6   1   0 0.00  0.0    0  4.2  9 160 682  100   0        17 190

19  79  55  67  -3   0   2 0.00  0.0    0  5.8 14 160 675   99   2 1      22 160

20  83  57  70   1   0   5 0.02  0.0    0  5.8 16 140 278   41   4 1      24 150

21  78  68  73   4   0   8 0.41  0.0    0  6.5 15 140   7    1   8 1      23 130

22  72  55  64  -5   1   0 1.20  0.0    0  5.7 17 320 477   71   4 1      26 320

23  72  51  62  -6   3   0 0.00  0.0    0  4.7 14 330 674  100   0        22 340

24  76  48  62  -6   3   0 0.00  0.0    0  4.3 14 160 672  100   0        29 160

25  83  58  71   3   0   6 0.00  0.0    0  5.9 15 160 263   39   6        24 150

26  72  53  63  -4   2   0 2.08  0.0    M  5.5 16  10   0    0  10 13     29 360

27  70  47  59  -8   6   0 0.00  0.0    0  2.8  9 300 667  100   1        15 170

28  82  51  67   1   0   2 0.08  0.0    0  5.8 16 160  32    5   7 1      25 130

29  82  56  69   3   0   4 0.19  0.0    0  9.5 20 320 112   17   9 1      33 320

30  70  49  60  -6   5   0    T  0.0    0  3.5 12 340 491   74   4        17 320

31  74  46  60  -5   5   0 0.00  0.0    0  2.2  9 300 660  100   0        15 290

================================================================================

SM 2421 1842        43 168  6.88     0.0 141.1         9089    176

================================================================================

AV 78.1 59.4                               4.6 FASTST  293  43   6    MAX(MPH)

                                 MISC ---->  # 22 340               # 39  360

================================================================================

NOTES:

SYMBOLS USED IN COLUMN 16

1 = FOG OR MIST

2 = FOG REDUCING VISIBILITY

    TO 1/4 MILE OR LESS

3 = THUNDER

4 = ICE PELLETS

5 = HAIL

6 = FREEZING RAIN OR DRIZZLE

7 = DUSTSTORM OR SANDSTORM:

    VSBY 1/2 MILE OR LESS

8 = SMOKE OR HAZE

9 = BLOWING SNOW

X = TORNADO

CLIMATE REPORT...CORRECTED REMARKS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO, TX
910 AM CST SUN NOV 1 2009
 
...................................
 
...THE AUSTIN BERGSTROM CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2009...
 
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1971 TO 2000
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1943 TO 2009
 
WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
HIGHEST            92   10/08                         92  10/02
                                                          10/03
LOWEST             37   10/31                         33  10/28
                                                          10/29
AVG. MAXIMUM     78.4              81.8    -3.4     84.8
AVG. MINIMUM     57.2              59.7    -2.5     51.7
MEAN             67.8              70.8    -3.0     68.3
DAYS MAX >= 90      3                                  8
DAYS MAX <= 32      0                                  0
DAYS MIN <= 32      0                                  0
DAYS MIN <= 0       0                                  0
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
TOTALS           6.90              3.99    2.91     1.20
DAILY AVG.       0.22              0.13    0.09     0.04
DAYS >= .01        10                                  3
DAYS >= .10         7                                  3
DAYS >= .50         3                                  1
DAYS >= 1.00        2                                  0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    2.36   10/26 TO 10/26
                        10/25 TO 10/26
                        10/26 TO 10/26
 
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
TOTALS            0.0               0.0     0.0      0.0
SINCE 7/1         0.0               0.0     0.0      0.0
 
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL      69                38      31       40
 SINCE 7/1         72                39      33       40
COOLING TOTAL     162               148      14      148
 SINCE 1/1       3199              2517     682     2956
.................................................................
 
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              8.1
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    32/330    DATE  10/09
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    45/330    DATE  10/09
 
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
 
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            7
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             10
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY         14
 
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     76
 
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              4     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN                5     RAIN                       5
LIGHT RAIN               17     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                0     SNOW                       0
LIGHT SNOW                0     SLEET                      0
FOG                      19     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      2
HAZE                      1
 
-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
 
REMARKS:
 
HIGHEST STATION PRESSURE: 30.41 ON THE 18TH
LOWEST STATION PRESSURE:  29.55 ON THE 29TH
 
A NEW HIGHEST MIN RECORD OF 78 ON THE 8TH REPLACES THE PREVIOUS
RECORD OF 76 SET IN 1990.
A NEW LOWEST MAX RECORD OF 59 ON THE 11TH REPLACES THE PREVIOUS
RECORD OF 66 SET IN 2000.
THIS WAS THE 9TH COLDEST OCTOBERS ON RECORD WITH THE COLDEST
BEING 61.4 DEGREES SET IN 1976.
THIS WAS THE 8TH LOWEST AVERAGE MAXIMUMS FOR OCTOBER ON RECORD
WITH THE LOWEST BEING 71.7 SET IN 1976.
THIS WAS THE 10TH WETTEST OCTOBERS ON RECORD WITH THE WETTEST
BEING 13.08 SET IN 1960.
 
 
PRELIMINARY LOCAL CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA (WS FORM: F-6)
 
                                          STATION:   AUSTIN BERGSTROM
                                          MONTH:     OCTOBER
                                          YEAR:      2009
                                          LATITUDE:   30 13 N
                                          LONGITUDE:  97 40 W
 
  TEMPERATURE IN F:       :PCPN:    SNOW:  WIND      :SUNSHINE: SKY     :PK WND
================================================================================
1   2   3   4   5  6A  6B    7    8   9   10  11  12  13   14  15   16   17  18
                                     12Z  AVG MX 2MIN
DY MAX MIN AVG DEP HDD CDD  WTR  SNW DPTH SPD SPD DIR MIN PSBL S-S WX    SPD DR
================================================================================
 
 1  88  76  82   6   0  17    T  0.0    0  9.6 18 360   M    M   8        24 180
 2  81  61  71  -4   0   6    T  0.0    0  9.4 21  30   M    M   8 1      25  30
 3  72  60  66  -9   0   1 0.79  0.0    0  4.3 10  90   M    M   9 13     14  90
 4  85  72  79   4   0  14 0.10  0.0    0  6.0 16 210   M    M   9 13     21 210
 5  80  66  73  -1   0   8    T  0.0    0  7.3 17  10   M    M   9 128    21  10
 6  91  74  83   9   0  18    T  0.0    0  8.6 22 190   M    M   6 1      29 200
 7  82  66  74   0   0   9    T  0.0    0  8.6 17  20   M    M   8        21 170
 8  92  78  85  12   0  20    T  0.0    0 15.7 28 180   M    M   7        38 190
 9  82  55  69  -4   0   4 1.79  0.0    0 12.9 32 330   M    M   9 13     45 330
10  60  53  57 -16   8   0    T  0.0    0 10.3 15  40   M    M  10 1      20  40
11  59  55  57 -15   8   0 0.44  0.0    0  9.2 16  40   M    M  10 1      20  60
12  71  57  64  -8   1   0 0.02  0.0    0  5.3 10  10   M    M   9 1      13  10
13  83  68  76   4   0  11 0.15  0.0    0  2.8 12 310   M    M   9 12     15 320
14  89  74  82  10   0  17 0.00  0.0    0  6.9 15 200   M    M   6 1      20 180
15  91  65  78   7   0  13 0.00  0.0    0 10.3 23  10   M    M   5 1      28 360
16  73  56  65  -6   0   0    T  0.0    0 13.3 22  20   M    M   5 1      26  10
17  76  50  63  -8   2   0 0.00  0.0    0  4.2 12  40   M    M   1        15  40
18  74  48  61  -9   4   0 0.00  0.0    0  4.5 13 180   M    M   0        16 180
19  79  47  63  -7   2   0 0.00  0.0    0  7.2 20 210   M    M   2 1      25 200
20  83  50  67  -3   0   2    T  0.0    0  8.2 23 150   M    M   5 1      28 140
21  81  70  76   7   0  11 0.10  0.0    0 11.3 21 140   M    M   8 1      30 150
22  72  49  61  -8   4   0 1.06  0.0    0  8.7 20 320   M    M   5 1      28 320
23  72  46  59 -10   6   0 0.00  0.0    0  4.2 13 300   M    M   0        18 330
24  76  42  59  -9   6   0 0.00  0.0    0  6.9 17 160   M    M   1        22 150
25  84  53  69   1   0   4 0.00  0.0    0  9.7 22 180   M    M   5        28 170
26  72  54  63  -4   2   0 2.36  0.0    0 10.7 28  20   M    M  10 13     35  20
27  68  46  57 -10   8   0 0.00  0.0    0  4.7 12 170   M    M   1        15 170
28  83  44  64  -3   1   0 0.03  0.0    0  8.4 24 170   M    M   6        33 170
29  86  57  72   6   0   7 0.06  0.0    0 14.7 26 180   M    M   9 1      36 190
30  71  43  57  -9   8   0    T  0.0    0  5.3 14 330   M    M   6        20 330
31  74  37  56 -10   9   0 0.00  0.0    0  2.2 12 340   M    M   0        15 330
================================================================================
SM 2430 1772        69 162  6.90     0.0 251.4          M      186
================================================================================
AV 78.4 57.2                               8.1 FASTST   M    M   6    MAX(MPH)
                                 MISC ---->  # 32 330               # 45  330
================================================================================
NOTES:
SYMBOLS USED IN COLUMN 16
 
1 = FOG OR MIST
2 = FOG REDUCING VISIBILITY
    TO 1/4 MILE OR LESS
3 = THUNDER
4 = ICE PELLETS
5 = HAIL
6 = FREEZING RAIN OR DRIZZLE
7 = DUSTSTORM OR SANDSTORM:
    VSBY 1/2 MILE OR LESS
8 = SMOKE OR HAZE
9 = BLOWING SNOW
X = TORNADO