This Isn’t Going To End Well


 

Rich Dahl

TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
We have been in a severe drought for almost 18 years here and it’s getting worse.
The picture below shows what is at the end of our street miles and miles of open grass lands. Usually at this time of the year even in the draught the grass is much higher and very green from the spring rains, as you can see it’s very dry.
This is where we let the dogs run free and for the last four years and they would spook at least two or three rabbits and jacks to chase every day. So far since January not one rabbit.
Barb and I would sit out on the front patio when the evenings were nice and listen to the coyotes talking back and forth, you could here them in the evening and early morning. If we took the pups out just as daylight broke we would see them out in the fields heading to wherever coyotes go in the daytime. Haven’t heard or seen a coyote this year at all.
Today we saw something we’ve never seen before in the picture below, antelope this close to the homes. I suspect they are looking for water, seeing that we’ve had less than an inch of rain since December and no rain is expected in the near or far future.
The rabbits are gone the coyotes are gone and I expect soon the antelope will be gone.
Rumer has it that the fire restrictions on campfires and charcoal burning, weed eaters, welding outside will be put in place before the end of April, usually that happens at the end of June.
Also predicted is this will be the worst fire season in the last 100 years in Arizona.
It really saddens Barb and myself to see how bad it has become for the wildlife and the folks that will lose their homes or even their lives to this drought.
Like I said this isn’t going to end well.

EDIT:

Here we go.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/w...S&el=F/yokMwifLacGzta8ivicg==&ocid=spartandhp

40473637505_ea4f3c820b.jpg
 
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That's a bummer. Hopefully the drought ends. We had a terrible drought here a few years back and then it just ended by everything getting flooded. Massive torrential rain.
 
Yuppers. Weird weather all over. I usually get my 'vert out for April 1. Running summer tires, I don't ride if it's <40oF.

We got snow this morning (had some flurries almost every day this month). My ride is still sitting in the garage :(
 
You're right, Rich. The winter was so much drier than in years past and I can only imagine what kind of wildfires we're going to see this year. While I live in Phoenix, I transport passengers to & from the Prescott/Prescott Valley area often and it's sad to see how much brown grass we have already.
 
We were in a drought, nothing like yours though.
This year we've had about 14" of precip, normal is about 7" but winter doesn't want to let go.
71 promised for tomorrow, and 77 the next day.
 
We were in a drought, nothing like yours though.
This year we've had about 14" of precip, normal is about 7" but winter doesn't want to let go.
71 promised for tomorrow, and 77 the next day.

Bob. I'm looking at my digital outdoor thermometer and it's reading 85 outside. The next three days there is wind advisory's for winds at a constant 28 mph with gusts up 50 mph on top of the heat. Not good.
 
Bob. I'm looking at my digital outdoor thermometer and it's reading 85 outside. The next three days there is wind advisory's for winds at a constant 28 mph with gusts up 50 mph on top of the heat. Not good.
Yup...that ain't good. kalifornia been having it's share of fires which isn't unusual, only now, it's rare when the fires aren't deadly. Used to be the other way around. You & Barb be ready to roll at a moment's notice
 
We left Payson for the PNW in August 2017. We didn't know it was that bad there. We're keeping you, Barb and the pups in our thoughts...stay safe.
 
We hit 100°F in the Valley for the first time this year yesterday, April 10, about 3-4 weeks before "normal".

Start calling me "Planters" because I'm going to have dry roasted nuts!
 
Don't like beating a dead horse: we had snow.

AND freezing rain tomorrrow, Friday, Sat, Sun ...................

Blah :(
 
Here in my part of calif, cent valley, we got below average rain. Snow is not looking good either. So into another drought year. I consider calif in a permanent drought actually. But yea, even with some late rain the grass is getting brown already. Just in time to be fuel for fires. Ranchers are known to install water tanks or ponds for wildlife.
 
Here in my part of calif, cent valley, we got below average rain. Snow is not looking good either. So into another drought year. I consider calif in a permanent drought actually. But yea, even with some late rain the grass is getting brown already. Just in time to be fuel for fires. Ranchers are known to install water tanks or ponds for wildlife.

There is a cattle ranch about a mile off the left side of the picture. One of the neighbors said that he was going to place a water tank on the outside of his fence for the wildlife, hope that's true.
 
Walked the dogs out in the grass lands this morning winds were blowing so hard the dogs didn't get to far from us, they were spooked by it. I would guess about 20mph constant and 40-45mph gusts. Supposed to get worse later in the day.
So far so good no fires reported yet.
 
I was up by Spring Valley this morning around 10:00am and it was blowing pretty hard. I fought a head wind all the way back down 17 into Phoenix where it's getting pretty breezy too. At least it's keeping the temperature down!
 

 

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