![_Neon Desert Music Festival in El Paso, TX [Festival Preview]](http://austinist.com/assets_c/2012/05/Optimized-580076_426162037402133_109870179031322_1588845_1861583470_n (1)-thumb-250x250-716860.jpg)
The weekend thunderstorms that provided the best light show Austin's seen in weeks, not to mention relief from this spring's early heat, also caused some expensive destruction.
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![Alex Update [Storm Watch]](http://austinist.com/assets_c/2010/07/alexjul1am-thumb-105x105-524011.jpg)
![Can You Have A Current Events Hangover? We've Recently Had A Lot of News Here in Austin [Extra Extra]](http://austinist.com/assets_c/2010/02/4367207011_fe8607f403_m-thumb-105x105-483135.jpg)
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Results tagged “weather”
Weekend Storms Will Cost Austin Thousands
Heat Watch: How Bad Will This Summer Be?
Have you begun your summer yet? Even in a state where spring and fall blend into our two primary seasons of "hot" and "kind of cold," we're looking at extremes for this year. In March, 25+ cities reported their warmest month on record, according to Accuweather. No towns in Texas made the list, but we're seeing a rise of about 5 degrees from "normal" March temperatures state-wide, and besides, what we're really curious about is the "heat death of the universe," Texas-style, coming soon!
Looks Like Rain, Just In Time For SXSW
According to Weather.com, this SXSW is going to be an especially rainy one. Maybe consider having a pair of galoshes on hand as well as your other boots.
Something Fell From The Sky Today That Was Like Water, But Super Cold and Solid
By Tuesday we should be up to almost 80 degrees again (blech), but today our streets were nearly glazed over for about ten minutes with something that wasn't quite snow but wasn't really hail. People are calling it "sleet," and ReMIX on KOOP shared with us this pic under the excellent title "The Storm of Twenty Twelve."
Smoke From Surrounding Areas Creeping Downtown
@austintexasgov is confirming that the smoke you're inhaling downtown today is just blowover from surrounding counties, not indicative of any fires in our immediate, central Austin area. The National Weather Service has explained that "the current smoke problems are from an inversion in the atmosphere that is keeping smoke low to the ground." KVUE's Albert Ramon explains here.
We Made It! 70 Days Above 100
Today we break the city record for the most triple-digit-days in a year, beating the 69 days over 100 in 1925. Can you imagine what such hot weather would have been like in the '20s without so much air-conditioning available? In related news, KUT played a neat piece by Ruth Pennebaker this morning on the heat and how we Texans react to it.
Even This Terrifying Texan Armadillo Can't Stand the Heat
YouTube user Backdraft06 says, "We haven't had rain here in Texas in months ... It is so hot & so dry down here that this baby armadillo bravely came straight over to us for a drink of water out of the hose!!" Cute, but seriously, armadillos are terrifying.
Summer Temperatures Could Outdo 2009
With temperatures already hitting the triple digits, it's proving to be a scorcher of a...spring?
Tumblr Showcases Thundercloud Images from Last Night
Check out Cloudy Cloud Calculator, a new Tumblr that showcases all the images you probably saw in your Facebook and Twitter feeds last night. The Thundercloud that rolled across town inspired hundreds of you to step outside and take photos, and you can see some of the most compelling captures right here.
Snow Brings City to a Standstill, Pretty Much
You can find a list of cancellations and closings here, but as the City of Austin is recommending that you not get out on the roads unless you absolutely have to, most likely you don't have to go to work today. A large portion of IH-35 between San Marcos and San Antonio is shut down (as are many other highways around San Antonio) due to the sleet/snow mixture that hit our state overnight. There have already been a couple of fatal accidents in our area due to the messy roads.
Rolling Blackouts Ease, but Watch Your Energy Usage
You or someone you know was likely affected by the statewide rolling blackouts earlier today. As of this afternoon, ERCOT has lifted the mandate on energy providers to limit power consumption, so the outages should be fewer and farther between. Austin's Emergency Operations Center requests that residents watch their power consumption, as this frigid weather will be with us for the rest of the week. Also -- keep an eye out for traffic light outages, and treat them as four way stops. [Austin Energy's Posterous]
Alex Update [Storm Watch]
Hurricane Alex made landfall last night along the northeastern coast of Mexico, about 110 miles south of Brownsville. It has since been downgraded to a tropical storm.
Storm Watch: Hurricane Alex
The main body of Alex is on a path towards the Gulf coast, just south of the Texas-Mexico border -- a path that would at the least bring efforts to contain and clean-up the BP oil disaster to a stop.
Making matters worse, the system could make it to Category 2 status.
Can You Have A Current Events Hangover? We've Recently Had A Lot of News Here in Austin [Extra Extra]
- Man, this Austin “winter” weather is freaky! From sunburn on Sunday to possible snow on Tuesday. What up, sunshine?
- If you are supporting Kay Bailey Hutchison in the Governor’s race, you might want to get to an early voting location. Polls show she’s trailing Perry in the primary.
- Waco Dentist Kent Starr is very aware that former Whitewater prosecutor Ken Starr will be moving to Central Texas.
Record-breaking Snowfall in DFW
Snow in the Dallas area began to taper off Friday, though a winter storm warning remains in effect. The moderately chaotic winter weather comes at a time when the east coast is returning to normal after its own stormy conditions.
This Snow Hype Might Be Getting Out of Hand [Snapshot]
We're pretty sure it's not that cold, robots. [Weather.com hour-by-hour forecast of downtown Austin, taken 3 p.m.]
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