December 23, 2016 • No Comments • Local News

Near average temperatures will continue across South Central Texas on Today. Cloud cover and moisture will increase this afternoon as rain chances increase with light showers possible over most of the region on Christmas Eve and isolated to scattered showers and a few thunderstorms possible on Christmas. A cold front is forecast to stall over central Texas on Monday with isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms over much of the region. Scattered showers are expected on Tuesday. Temperatures will be above average over the weekend through Tuesday.

Now, here’s your Texas Thunder Radio Weekend Weather Forecast from the National Weather Service Austin – San Antonio…

Today
Cloudy with chance of showers and patchy drizzle. Highs in the lower 70s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Tonight
Cloudy with chance of showers and areas of drizzle. Areas of fog. Lows in the mid 60s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. Areas of fog in the morning. Chance of showers and areas of drizzle in the morning…then a chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 70s. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Christmas Eve
Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers. Lows in the mid 60s. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph.
Christmas Day
Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70s. South winds 10 to 20 mph.
Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 60s.
Monday
Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 70s.
Monday Night
Cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers. Lows in the lower 60s.
Tuesday
Cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers. Highs in the lower 70s.
Tuesday Night And Wednesday
Cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the lower 70s.
Wednesday Night And Thursday
Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers. Lows in the mid 50s. Highs in the upper 60s.

December 21, 2016 • No Comments • Local News

AUSTIN, Texas – The Lower Colorado River Authority has received an $8 million federal partnership award to help construct a new reservoir in Colorado County that will improve agricultural water use efficiency and benefit customers throughout the lower Colorado River basin.

The $8 million award is part of $15.8 million in partnership awards to Texas projects announced Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Resources Conservation Service. The federal funds are awarded through the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program.

“This grant will help us build a second reservoir in the lower basin and further enhance water supplies for our customers,’’ said LCRA General Manager Phil Wilson. “We are grateful for the diverse group of partners working with us on this project, and we are especially grateful for the continued support of Congressman Michael McCaul.”

The Prairie Conservation Reservoir in Eagle Lake will include a 2,000 acre-foot, off-channel reservoir and a possible new pump station on land LCRA owns in Colorado County.

The reservoir will provide water to agricultural customers in the Lakeside Irrigation Division. The reservoir will be filled from river flows during the off-irrigation season to provide initial water to Lakeside canals at the start of each season. During the irrigation season, the reservoir would serve Lakeside water customers, who use water from the lower Colorado River and Highland Lakes. The reservoir has the potential to save up to 20,000 acre-feet of irrigation water ordered from the Highland Lakes in a typical year through increased efficiency.

The reservoir also will enhance habitat for waterfowl and water birds.

The reservoir will be LCRA’s second new downstream reservoir. Construction is underway on a 40,000 acre-foot reservoir in Lane City in Wharton County. That reservoir could add an additional 90,000 acre-feet to the region’s water supply when it becomes operational in 2018.

LCRA and partners are pledging more than $1.35 million of in-kind technical assistance and outreach for the Colorado County reservoir.

Partners in the project are Ducks Unlimited, USA Rice, Texas Rice Producers Legislative Group, Colorado Water Issues Committee, Audubon Texas, National Watershed Coalition, Bay City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, Eagle Lake Chamber of Commerce, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Colorado County; City of Eagle Lake, Colorado County Soil and Water Conservation District, Wharton County Soil and Water Conservation District, Coastal Bend Groundwater Conservation District, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Water Resources Institute, Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at Beaumont, Texas A&M AgriLife Wintermann Rice Research Station at Eagle Lake and Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resource.

About LCRA

The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; ensuring a clean, reliable water supply; and offering access to nature at more than 40 parks, recreation areas and river access sites along the Texas Colorado River, from the Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to enhancing the lives of Texans through water stewardship, energy and community services. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934. For more information, visit lcra.org.

December 19, 2016 • No Comments • Local News

The winter season of 2016 was warmer than normal, so today’s minimum temperatures will be the coldest seen since at least January 8, 2015. Model projections for the rest of December suggest that lows this morning will go down as the coldest temperatures for the 2016 calendar year. Here are some of the coldest observations reported in various portions of South Central Texas. Lows at our 4 climate stations are as follows, Austin Bergstrom International 24 (tied daily record), Austin Camp Mabry 23, San Antonio International 25, and Del Rio 26.

...Morning Lows for Monday December 19th 2016...

Location                     Temp

...Bastrop County...
Rosanky                      20 F
2 WNW Bastrop                20 F
3 N Rosanky                  22 F
4 WSW Rosanky                22 F
Smithville                   23 F

...Caldwell County...
6 NE Lockhart                21 F
4 NNW Luling                 23 F
9 SSW Cedar Creek            24 F
Luling                       25 F
San Marcos Municipal Airport 25 F

...DeWitt County...
4 SW Yoakum                  22 F
Yorktown                     27 F

...Fayette County...
2 W Schulenburg              17 F
Carmine                      21 F
Carmine                      21 F
4 N Moulton                  21 F
4 SE Cistern                 22 F
6 SSE Giddings               22 F
2 SW Carmine                 22 F
Fayetteville                 23 F
2 NE Muldoon                 23 F
4 NE La Grange               23 F
1 W La Grange                24 F
4 W Fayetteville             24 F
1 E La Grange                24 F
2 W La Grange                25 F
La Grange                    26 F

...Gonzales County...
Gonzales                     22 F
Cheapside                    23 F
Gonzales                     23 F
Gonzales 1n                  24 F
5 ESE Gonzales               24 F
Gonzales Airport             25 F
9 SW Gonzales                25 F
5 WSW Palmeto                25 F
4 E Waelder                  26 F

...Lavaca County...
Moulton                      24 F
Hallettsville                24 F
Hallettsville                24 F
1 NNE Yoakum                 25 F

Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying
equipment and exposures. Not all data listed are considered official.

$$

NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
IRIS System

Expect another widespread freeze Tuesday morning. Warmer for the rest of the week as the cold air moves away. There is a slight chance for rain across the eastern half of the area Saturday.

December 19, 2016 • No Comments • Local News

December 18, 2016 • No Comments • Local News

…Freeze Warning for much of South Texas tonight…

…Wind Chill Advisory for all of South Texas tonight…

…Small Craft Advisory continues over the Middle Texas coastal waters…

Timing and Overview:

Coldest feeling night in nearly 2-3 years is expected tonight across South Texas. Freezing temperatures are expected to occur over much of the region after midnight. Some uncertainty still exists with how much cloud cover will re-develop early Monday morning as it could keep some areas currently under the freeze warning from actually freezing; mostly over the Coastal Bend and Rio Grande Plains. Best chances for a freeze still exist across our northern tier counties from La Salle eastward into Victoria. Breezy conditions will continue overnight adding to the effects of the cold airmass with wind chills values ranging from the upper teens into the lower-20s. For the Southern Bend (including the Corpus Christi metro area), temperatures are expected to only briefly (less than two hours) flirt with the freezing mark tonight.
Forecast:

Temperatures: Freezing temperatures are expected across much of the region beginning late tonight. Some of the outlying areas outside of the Freeze Warning (see graphic below) may touch freezing briefly closer to sunrise Monday morning.

Wind Chill: Wind Chill values as low as the upper teens across the northern tier counties to around 22-24 degrees closer to the coast are expected.

Marine Interests: Small Craft Advisory conditions will continue through most of Monday as strong northerly winds continue with seas ranging from 7 to 10 feet nearshore and 10 to 12 offshore. Seas will slowly subside throughout the day on Monday.

Additional Information Resources:
NWS Corpus Christi Webpage: www.weather.gov/crp/

Sincerely,
Greg Heavener
NWS Corpus Christi, TX