Category Archives: Weather

DART Light Rail Speed Reductions Due to Extreme Temperatures

Due to the record high temperatures across North Texas, which is expected to last for the next several days according to the National Weather Service, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will implement speed restrictions on light rail service between 2:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., through Wednesday, July 20.

Light rail vehicles will operate at no more than 30 miles per hour during this time. DART light rail passengers should expect delays of 10-15 minutes due to these speed restrictions.

DART will continue to monitor the weather conditions across the North Texas area for the safety of our passengers and employees and to determine if future speed restrictions will be necessary. Riders can stay informed about service changes by registering for DART Alerts at www.dart.org, or by contacting DART Customer Information at (214) 979-1111.

DART Operating Limited Service Due to Winter Weather

UPDATE: DART is running by Scenario 2 through Friday, February 25.

For the safety of both passengers and employees during the winter weather advisory by the National Weather Service, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is implementing Operating Scenario 2 of their Severe Winter Weather Operating Plans. DART rail operations will be suspended on Wednesday, February 23. DART bus routes will operate on a Sunday schedule. DART will determine service restoration based on weather conditions. DART Riders can stay informed about service changes by registering for DART Alerts at www.dart.org.

DART will operate 14 shuttle bus routes between rail stations. The Operating Scenario 2 shuttle bus routes are available on the DART website at www.dart.org/winterweather. Shuttle bus service will be available every 45 minutes. For riders who need service to stations in the Central Business District (CBD), Route 960 is a Downtown Circulator serving West End, Akard, St. Paul, and Pearl/Arts District stations. Passengers should look for the red “Rail Disruption” bus stop signs located near each station to board a shuttle bus.

DART bus routes will operate on normal Sunday schedules with limited service added on express routes 306, 308, 378, and 383 between 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) will operate on a Saturday schedule. More information is available at https://trinityrailwayexpress.org/.

The Dallas Streetcar will not operate at this time, but there will be a shuttle bus running to and from EBJ Union Station and the Bishop Arts District, making all stops.

GoLink on-demand service will operate on a Sunday schedule with service from 5:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Sunday service is available in the Rylie, Inland Port, Park Cities, North Dallas, Northwest Dallas, and West Dallas zones. Information about GoLink services is available at www.dart.org/riding/GoLink.asp.

All subscription trips will be canceled for DART Paratransit with the exception of trips for medical purposes (i.e., dialysis treatment). Services will resume on Thursday, February 24. Customers who need to book trips for Thursday can contact reservations at (214) 515-7272 or through the web portal at www.dart.org/ridepara.

To ensure DART riders stay warm and to provide assistance with travel planning, the following DART transit centers will be available from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. DART staff will be at each location to allow riders into the transit center.

  • Central Business District (CBD) West Transfer Center
  • Central Business District (CBD) East Transfer Center
  • Addison Transit Center
  • Downtown Irving/Heritage Crossing Station
  • South Garland Transit Center
  • J.B. Jackson, Jr. Transit Center

The following stations will be available between 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m., and 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

  • Parker Road Station
  • Ledbetter Station
  • Downtown Garland Station
  • Cockrell Hill Transfer Location

Due to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Security Directive which remains in place through March 18, a CDC-approved face mask must be worn over the mouth and nose by passengers, operators, and contractors at all times. Social distancing will also be enforced.

DART will continue to monitor the weather conditions across the North Texas area for the safety of our passengers and employees. More information about DART’s Severe Winter Weather Operating Plans is available at www.dart.org/winterweather.

Dallas-Area Public Transportation Alters Schedules

Both the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) have altered their regular schedules due to the record amount of snow and cold weather that the area has been experiencing. According to local meteorologists, this severe weather will probably continue for the larger part of the week.

This is the coldest few days that the Dallas area has experienced in many a decade.

For the safety of their passengers and employees during this time DART has suspended all rail operations, beginning at 9:00pm on Sunday, February 14 and will last through 11:59pm on Wednesday, February 17. DART bus routes will continue to operate on a Saturday schedule.

DART is implementing Operating Scenario 2 of their Severe Winter Weather Operating Plans. DART bus routes will operate on normal Saturday schedules, with limited service added on local routes 63 and 362. The Dallas Streetcar will not operate at this time, but there will be a shuttle bus running to and from EBJ Union Station and the Bishop Arts District, making all stops.

DART will also run an additional 14 shuttle bus routes. The Operating Scenario 2 shuttle bus routes are available on the DART website at https://www.dart.org/winterweather.

The following DART transit centers will be open beginning Monday, February 15 from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., to assist riders:

  • Addison Transit Center (Addison)
  • Bernal/Singleton Transfer Location (Dallas)
  • Central Business District (CBD) West Transfer Center (Dallas)
  • Cockrell Hill Transfer Location (Cockrell Hill)
  • Downtown Garland Station (Garland)
  • Downtown Irving/Heritage Crossing Station (Irving)
  • Hampton Station (Dallas)
  • Illinois Station (Dallas)
  • J.B. Jackson, Jr. Transit Center (Dallas)
  • Ledbetter Station (Dallas)
  • Parker Road Station (Plano)
  • Red Bird Transit Center (Dallas)
  • South Garland Transit Center (Garland)

DART Paratransit will be operating Holiday service on Monday, February 15 through Wednesday, February 17. This means all subscription trips will be canceled, with the exception of dialysis service. Customers who need to book trips for Monday – Wednesday can contact reservations at (214) 515-7272 or through the web portal at www.dart.org/ridepara.

GoLink service will be available in the Inland Port zone from 5:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m., and 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Service will be unavailable in the remaining GoLink zones.

As far as the TRE, service will be suspended beginning at 10:00pm on Monday, February 15, through the start of service on Thursday, February 18.

For TRE passengers connecting to Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) services, rail operations are suspended until the beginning of service on Thursday, February 18. DART shuttle buses are available for passengers.

DART and TRE will continue to monitor the weather conditions across the North Texas area for the safety of passengers and employees. As the weather changes, stay informed about additional service changes by registering for TRE Alerts at www.trinityrailwayexpress.org, or DART Alerts at www.dart.org.

Be safe out there!

Tropical Storm Beta slowly moving towards Texas coast; new low pressure system off east Central Florida coast

The National Hurricane Center continues to monitor several storms across the Atlantic basin Sunday, including Hurricane Teddy, and Tropical Storms Beta and Wilfred.

Tropical Storm Beta, named using the Greek alphabet, has hardly moved along the northwestern Gulf Coast, its slow motion expected to “produce a long duration rainfall event from the middle Texas coast to southern Louisiana,” according to the NHC’s latest report.

A warning in NHC forecasters’ key messages on the storm: “Flash, urban, and river flooding is likely.”

As of 8 a.m. Sunday, TS Beta was located about 200 miles southeast Galveston, Texas, and about 290 miles east of Corpus Christi, Texas, with sustained winds of 60 mph. It’s moving west-northwest at at 3 mph.

The NHC issued numerous Storm Surge Warnings in effect for coastal parts of Texas such as Port Aransas to High Island, Texas—including Copano Bay, Aransas Bay, San Antonio Bay, Matagorda Bay, and Galveston Bay.

Read more from the Orlando Sentinel…

Category 3 Hurricane Laura Forecast To Be ‘Catastrophic’ Category 4 Storm By Landfall

GALVESTON (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Hurricane Laura is forecast to grow into a “catastrophic” Category 4 hurricane, even stronger than previously expected, as it churns toward Texas and Louisiana, gathering wind and water that swirls over much of the Gulf of Mexico.

Satellite images show Laura has become “a formidable hurricane” in recent hours, reaching Category 3 strength and threatening to smash homes and sink entire communities. It has undergone a remarkable intensification, “and there are no signs it will stop soon,” the National Hurricane Center said in an update early Wednesday.

Read more from CBSDFW…

NIGHTMARE CONTINUES FOR TARRANT COUNTY COUPLE AFTER BUYING ‘DREAM HOME’

By Alex Rozier

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Becky Wilson (Photo: WFAA)

A Tarrant County couple is waiting for their nightmare to end months after they bought what they thought would be their dream home. 

Gantley and Becky Wilson moved into their new home in April and, within 20 days, their newly-built home was flooded. The family relocated from Kansas. 

“It was brand new, we were the first people to live in it,” Becky Wilson said. “We were excited the first few weeks we were here and then the floods came and since then it’s just been the stress of everything.”

Read more from WFAA…

Heat Advisory in Effect

It will be hot/humid today. A Heat Advisory is in effect from 1 pm today until 8 pm Wednesday across much of the area. Highs today = mid-upper 90s ; Heat index values 105 to 110 degrees in the advisory area. Stay hydrated and take frequent breaks.

Turn around…don’t drown!

PLEASE be careful in this rainy weather!

Flood

Thunderstorms hit Dallas-Fort Worth at rush hour with tornado, flash flood watches in effect

Jesus Jimenez, Staff Writer

Updated at 7:02 p.m. Tuesday: Revised to include a tornado warning for portions of Denton County.

North Texas is in for a wet week, with rain possible every day through Saturday.

The chance for rain increases across North Texas by the middle of the week, with storms that could cause flooding and have the potential to produce damaging winds and hail, according to the National Weather Service.

By the time the week is over, 2 to 4 inches of rain could fall, according to KXAS-TV (NBC5) meteorologist Grant Johnston.

Tuesday

Around 5:45 p.m., the weather service received reports of a rotating wall cloud in the Lakeside area, northwest of Fort Worth. Those storms moved northeast toward Denton, prompting the weather service to issue a tornado warning for Denton, Aubrey, Pilot Point and surrounding areas, in effect until 7:30 p.m. 

As of 7 p.m., no tornadoes had been confirmed in the area.

Much of North Texas is under a tornado watch — in effect until 11 p.m. Tuesday —and it includes Dallas, Denton, Collin and Tarrant Counties. 

The main threats with any severe storms that develop will be hail, wind gusts up to 70 mph and a couple of tornadoes possible, according to the weather service. 

The weather service also issued a flash flood watch for much of North Texas — including Dallas-Fort Worth — in effect until 10 a.m. Thursday. 

A severe weather outlook issued by the Storm Prediction Center put Dallas-Fort Worth at a slight risk for severe weather.

NBC5 meteorologist Rick Mitchell said the prediction center’s outlook does not mean everyone will see severe weather, only that conditions for severe weather would be favorable if storms could develop. 

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Read more from the Dallas News…

Here Comes the Sun… and Moon!

MSFC Meteoroid Environment Office

Happy equinox, Earthlings! March 20 marks the spring equinox, one of two seasonal markers in Earth’s year-long orbit when the Sun appears to shine directly over the equator, and daytime and nighttime are nearly equal lengths–12 hours–everywhere on the planet.

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During the equinoxes, both hemispheres receive equal amounts of daylight. (Image not to scale.) (NASA/GSFC/Genna Duberstein)

It’s the start of astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere, meaning more sunlight and longer days. From here until the beginning of fall, daytime will be longer than nighttime as the Sun travels a longer, higher arc across the sky each day, reaching a peak at the start of summer. It’s just the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere, where March 20 marks the fall equinox.

What’s more? The first full Moon of spring will rise tonight, lighting the skies on the equinox. Usually, a full Moon arrives a few days to weeks before or after the equinox. It’s close, but not a perfect match. Tonight’s full Moon, however, reaches maximum illumination less than four hours after the equinox. There hasn’t been a comparable coincidence since the spring equinox in 2000.

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When the Moon, on its orbit around Earth, reaches the point farthest from the Sun, we see a full Moon. (NASA/GSFC/Genna Duberstein)

And because the Moon is near perigee, it qualifies as a supermoon–the third and final of 2019. It’s not a big supermoon, so you won’t really be able to see the difference between this full Moon and any other one with your eyes. But keep an keep an eye on the Moon as it rises and creeps above the eastern skyline. A low-hanging Moon can appear strangely inflated. This is the Moon illusion at work.

Super or seemingly not, it’s a rare celestial coincidence to usher in springtime.

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SOURCE: NASA Watch the Skies Blog