Texas received much needed precipitation this weekend. Folks were dancing in the streets, children were splashing in puddles and dogs were whizzing on fire hydrants. It was water cooler conversation today throughout the state, eking out the Texas Rangers game 1 ALCS victory and the Texas Longhorns crushing defeat in the Red River Rivalry.
It seems that only in Texas can rain be a BIG event. Meteorologists get a child-like giddiness about them when a low pressure system appears to be making a path toward the state. And why not? When you spend half a year giving the same forecast day after day, a paltry 10% chance of rain makes one’s heart race.
Even with all of the science, computer and radar technology, and historical data, Mother Nature knows how to make meteorologists look like a fool. You have to admire the resilience of weather professionals. When they’re wrong, they seem to more excited than when they nailed the forecast. Some even have a sense of humor about their mistake…
“Now I imagine that some of you were a little surprised at the weather over the weekend. Especially if you watched my show Friday night man. I’d like to, uh, personally apologize for the sudden heavy rains to the former residents of Rogers, Illinois…caught them cats napping, man.”
Of course, that’s an apology from Al Sleet, the hippy dippy weatherman, a character created by the late great George Carlin back in the 1960’s. Did Mr. Carlin ever create a skit that parodied Texans behavior during a rain storm?
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