April is arriving. Hereโs what to expect
April showers bring May flowers and we could certainly use a little rain around here -- but we may not get it. As we like to say, โClimate is what you expect, and weather is what you get.โ So, nothing is set in stone (recall the Tax Day floods? Rainfall averages 3.41 inches but we are at a 50% rainfall deficit both for the month of March and for 2021. With less cloud cover and rain, temperatures will naturally be warmer. The soil moisture I talked about last Monday and the exceptional and extreme drought continues across much of the U.S.
What to know about spring floods
The cover picture above isnโt a throwback to Imelda or Harvey or Beta, nor is it a pic of the Memorial Day floods or Tax Day floods. TxDOT is quick to remind us: Flash floods are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in Texas, and about 60% of flood-related deaths in our state involve motor vehicles. But the National Weather Service can at least look at parameters regarding river flooding and soil moisture to determine what we are up against for major, widespread floods. Put simply, weโre at a pretty equal chance for river flooding either way. You can read the full 2021 Spring Flood Outlook report at the top of the NWS home page.
Is it time to switch to paying quarterly taxes? Hereโs when to decide, and how to get it done
Thereโs one day each year that sticks out to American taxpayers everywhere, and this year is April 18: Tax Day. But to another group of people -- the ones who make quarterly payments -- there are three other times a year to pay up.