Why does rain hate Cedar Park? (Austin, Round Rock: property, subdivision, move)

[caseri]

Is there something geographically special about this area?

I'll watch radar loops and 95% of the time storms will literally split near Cedar Park, and rejoin in Leander area??

[AustinTexan]

It's funny you say that because just yesterday my wife and I were talking about the exact same thing! What is the deal? It rains all around Cedar Park and often just a few streets down, but in my neighborhood, it never rains!!!

[thetxstang]

I'm glad it's not just us! We live in an area of Pflugerville that is as dry as Death Valley. Storms that are heading directly for our subdivision either dissipate just before reaching us, or split and go around us.

[Breezerboat]

IMO, it doesn't matter where you live, you will think the same thing.

[another_hot-day]

LOL Breezer. That's the truth!

[TexasHorseLady]

I've watched it for years out here in Jarrell. (Living in the country, you become VERY familiar with the weather's idiosyncracies!)

A nice set of storms with rain will be heading our way (east of IH35) from the west. I'll watch it on radar, and it'll be very nice, and then it'll get just west of IH35 and split, and then rejoin on the other side of us.

Since the Balcones Fault (or one of its little fault lines) runs right through our property, I suspect that there's something related to that and topography that's doing it, though I have no idea what and that's wild speculation. All I know is that it does it consistently. Makes me crazy when I'm looking at cracks in the ground three or four inches wide and several feet deep.

[Franklyn]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

I've watched it for years .......

I believe the situation is brought about by microclimates. The surface structures of I-35 and its environs, for instance, [and other things] could be causing it. I think it has a lot to do with surface heat absorption rates, yada, yada, yada, according to Wikipedian experts.

For a long time I commuted through an area along the coast that had over 200 microclimate zones in a 40 mile stretch. Talk about wearing out windshield wiper switches every few months.

PS: THL's 'cracks in the ground' could be effecting the heat absorption rates in her neck-of-the-woods, maybe.

[Austinitegirl]

Originally Posted by thetxstang

I'm glad it's not just us! We live in an area of Pflugerville that is as dry as Death Valley. Storms that are heading directly for our subdivision either dissipate just before reaching us, or split and go around us.

Dude! I just moved to Pflugerville about 6 months ago - from around the corner in Round Rock and it's SO weird how it never rains there. I'm always ducking for cover - looking at the BLACK storm clouds coming my way, but a drop never falls. WTF??? It is so weird. It rained all the time in Round Rock!

[TexasHorseLady]

To clarify, the cracks in the ground are created by lack of rain, not causes of it. We're on black gumbo clay (well, half of the place is, the rest is Austin Chalk, aka limestone) and when it dries out enough, it cracks. BIG cracks.

[atxcio]

In a related question, does anyone else notice areas around town where the rain seems to like it? Since I moved farther west, I notice that it appears to rain over the Barton Creek Greenbelt area more than normal. From Barton Hills near downtown, west to the BC country club area (and maybe farther NW), seems to rain more.

It may just be the last couple of years, but it seems like it gets hit most any time a front comes through.