Does a lot of the rain from the tropical storm some how just run off into the Gulf of Mexico or is most of the water captured?
That part of Texas was in a severe drought situation, but many places reported having 12 inches of rain or more. Wouldn’t that be enough to put a serious dent in the drought?
Well, Texas is a big place, so it would be foolish to suggest that Dolly’s rains have solved the problem anywhere (let alone statewide).
Here in Austin, we’re pretty far inland, and we got about 1 and a half inches of rain in my neighborhood.
This is a question we get in The West quite often when we have a gully washer after a long period of no significant moisture during our current drought. (Huh? IIRC, we are in year seven or year eight of the current PNW drought.)
TV weather reporters are quick to think a heavy downpour will ease the drought. It doesn’t. The ground is hard and water just does not seep in. It runs off. Now if the amount of rain in a heavy 30-minute downpour were to be a drizzle spread over possibly several days, then perhaps the soil would begin to open up more and allow the rest to begin to seep in. FWIW, to end our drought we need a steady light drizzle for about nine months straight. Ain’t gonna happen.
Texas is probably in a similar situation. However, 15-20 inches of hard rain will not only run off, but probably make things worse as the flooding scours the land. Flooding removes whatever vegetation is slowing runoff.
Dolly Parton eased most doughts I had about Texas by starring in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.