North Texas Experiences Rainiest Month in 25 Years

Historically, Texas is known for its hot and dry climate - a draw to early settlers as well as recent transplants. But in June 2007, the weather in Texas proved to be thoroughly unpredictable as rain fell a majority of days in the month. In north Texas, the official rainfall collection point is the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The Dallas Morning News reported that this location reported a total of 11.1 inches of rain throughout the month of June, versus normal rainfalls for the same month historically of 3.23 inches. It has been more than twenty-five years since more rain has fallen in any one month in this geographic region, and almost eighty years since as much rain fell in the month of June.

Although north Texas residents are often glad to see often-needed rain to stanch the effects of drought, the conditions in June 2007 have proven overwhelming to many. Throughout the area, flooding continues to be a problem, as rivers, creeks and lakes rise far above their normal levels. DMN also reported that the Trinity River, a main waterway in the DFW area, was list as five feet above flood stage on June 30th, the last day of the month. Heading into the month of July, rains continue to pose problems for residents and residences alike.

Excessive water has been a problem in north Texas not only as waterways overrun their banks, but also as roadways with poor drainage systems succumb to flash flooding. Local roadways as well as state and interstate highways posted signs warning motorists to "Turn Around - Don't Drown" after handfuls of cars became stuck while trying to traverse flooded thoroughfares. Local homeowners, including this author, watched as their non-waterfront properties became full with the falling precipitation and began to resemble marshland. In addition to flooded land and homes, many homeowners have also suffered losses when trees have fallen due to the enormous weight of the consistently falling rain or due to lightning strikes.