HOUSTON — After a wet first half of the year, quiet weather has persisted for the past two months. Since Hurricane Beryl dropped 10+ inches of rain for the month of July, the weather observation site at Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport has only received a total rainfall of 4.35 inches of rain from August through October 10, 2024.
According to the recent U.S Drought Index, abnormally dry conditions have completely encompassed Southeast Texas with moderate drought conditions now in place just east of Houston in Chambers and Liberty counties. Washington County to the northeast is also experiencing drought conditions. Other areas of concern in Texas include San Antonio and far west Texas where severe and extreme drought conditions are parching the area.
Local officials have issued burn bans for counties in southeast Texas, which includes unincorporated areas of Harris county. The Harris County Commissioners Court enacted a burn ban in response to prolonged dry and hot weather, which has heightened the risk of grass fires. Other counties issuing burn bans include Waller, Liberty, Austin, Colorado, Wharton, Matagorda, and Walker counties.
In Harris County, when a burn ban is in place, outdoor burning is prohibited. Violation of the ban is a Class "C" misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $500 fine.
Other safety measures from the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office when a burn ban is in place include:
- Refrain from lighting "tail-fin" fireworks, such as bottle rockets, sky rockets, and missiles.
- Store gasoline in an approved safety can away from occupied buildings.
- Keep all combustibles, such as firewood, wooden picnic tables, boats, stacked lumber away from structures.
- Clear roof surfaces and gutters regularly to avoid the build-up of flammable materials such as leaves and other debris.
- Place connected garden hoses at all sides of your home for emergency use.
- If you see an unattended fire, call 9-1-1 and notify your local fire department immediately. A small fire can spread quickly and threaten people and property.
Dry conditions are likely to persist through the next ten days. The week rainfall outlook from the Climate Prediction Center is showing below average rainfall for southeast Texas through October 20.
