Texas has endured several significant weather events over the past couple of years. And if this latest rainy spell is any indication, the Lone Star State may continue to grapple with an increasing number of extreme occurrences.
One meme captured it all perfectly: A car labeled “Texas” veers away from a road named “Normal Rain” toward one called “Historic Drought or Biblical Flooding.” Pretty much.
WHY CAN'T TEXAS WEATHER EVER BE CHILL? pic.twitter.com/HnCLTsEyqQ
— Evil MoPac (@EvilMopacATX) August 22, 2022
Here’s some of what we know about the latest torrential downpour.
Helping to Quell the Drought
Experts say that the rainfall, spanning multiple days, is helping to ease Texas’ drought. Over the past year, the area around Dallas and Fort Worth has witnessed a nearly 17-inch precipitation deficit, according to the National Weather Service.
Significant rainfall is on the way, but 12-month precipitation deficits exceed 12 inches across much of the region. #dfwwx #ctxwx #texoma #txwx #drought pic.twitter.com/3Rl7PQQe6e
— NWS Fort Worth (@NWSFortWorth) August 20, 2022
And from June to earlier in August, Dallas went 67 days without rain, marking the second-longest recorded dry stretch, per NBC News.
Some areas of Dallas and Tarrant counties saw isolated amounts of rain overnight that measured 8 to 12 inches, said Bianca Garcia, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Fort Worth. She expects that the deluge will help to ease the region’s bone-dry weather.
“It should put a dent in the drought, for sure,” Garcia said, adding that Sunday broke a Dallas-Fort Worth daily record with 3.53 inches. The previous record was 2.25 inches in 1919.
Monday's 5.49 inches of rain similarly smashed the 1916 record of 2.47 inches, Newsweek notes.
Hurting Road and Air Travelers
As rain continued to fall Monday morning, state and local officials advised Dallasites against travel, instead encouraging them to work from home if possible. Some like Mayor Eric Johnson took to social media to remind folks of the catchy public-safety phrase: “Turn around, don’t drown.”
Despite such warnings, certain commuters still tried to brave roadways covered by rapidly rising water, leading cars to get stuck or even fully submerged.
Some good Samaritans surfaced. On Monday, a news clip began making the rounds on social media that showed weather reporter Robert Ray rescuing a woman who had driven her SUV into high water.
As late as Monday afternoon, the DFW Scanner Twitter account advised people against traversing Interstate 30 and the Interstate 45/U.S. 75 interchange because of high water levels. But the rain dampened air travelers’ prospects, too.Weather reporter Robert Ray saves woman from flood in Dallas. pic.twitter.com/OfxF9jc0P1
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) August 22, 2022
Officials had to delay nearly 900 flights at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport as of Monday afternoon, according to the website FlightAware. In addition, there were more than 250 cancellations.
Indicator of Climate Change
Aside from merely being the latest example of atrocious weather, some experts posited that the event was part of a changing climate. Residents across the U.S. are witnessing a spike in flood risks, including in areas that aren’t near the ocean.
In a tweet Monday morning, meteorologist Matthew Cappucci from FOX 5 DC wrote that Dallas’ White Rock Creek at Lawnview had already received nearly 15.5 inches of rain.
“That’s more than what’s fallen all year,” he continued. “This is an event of historical significance made more likely to occur by the effects of human-induced climate change.”
In another post, Cappucci mentioned that the airport logged its wettest hour on record in the early morning. Just over 3 inches fell between 12:53 and 1:53 a.m.BREAKING: White Rock Creek @ Lawnview, in Dallas, Tex., is up to 15.47 inches of rain.
— Matthew Cappucci (@MatthewCappucci) August 22, 2022
That's more than what's fallen *all year*.
This is an event of historical significance made more likely to occur by the effects of human-induced climate change. pic.twitter.com/bSdcQSOQQO
Meanwhile, CNN climate change reporter Rachel Ramirez contrasted the summer's mercurial weather events. “Amid an exceptional drought, Dallas got an entire summer’s worth of rain in less than a day,” she said in a tweet. “Climate change has increased the potential for this sort of weather whiplash, in which dramatic swings in periods of drought and rain can occur more often.”
Amid an exceptional drought, Dallas got an entire summer’s worth of rain in less than a day.
— Rachel Ramirez (@rachjuramirez) August 22, 2022
Climate change has increased the potential for this sort of weather whiplash, in which dramatic swings in periods of drought and rain can occur more often. https://t.co/xlcA6pahfI
