The Phoenix Dust Storm Reminder Of The Black Sunday Dust Storm Of 1935 Terrorizing Texas & The Southwest

Yesterday a couple times I mentioned the humongous Phoenix Valley of the Sun Dust Storm that wreaked havoc in Arizona on Tuesday.

Stenotrophomonas then commented, saying, "Reminds me of the appropriately named Perryton in 1935."

When I saw photos and video of the Phoenix Dust Storm it reminded me of photos I'd seen of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

I did not know, til Stenotrophomonas pointed me to Perryton, that Texas had been hit bad by the notorious Dust Storms of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

I recollect watching a documentary on the History Channel about the Dust Bowl with a lot of focus on what is known as Black Sunday. The photo above is of the Dust Storm of Black Sunday hitting Perryton.

Perryton is in the Texas Panhandle, northeast of Amarillo about 8 miles south of the border with Oklahoma. By March 24 of 1935 Southeastern Colorado and Western Kansas had suffered 12 days in a row of dust storms. Then at the end of the month the biggest dust storm yet blew across the plains, taking with it half the Kansas wheat crop, a quarter of the Oklahoma wheat and all the wheat in Nebraska, over 5 million acres ruined. There was a short period of calm, and then 2 weeks later, on April 12, Black Sunday struck with the biggest Dust Storm to strike the Dust Bowl.

News articles of the era reporting Black Sunday are interesting....

From the Liberal News, Liberal, Kansas, April 15, 1935

STORM CLIMAX

Southwest was Plunged into Inky Blackness Yesterday with Only Few Minutes Warning

BROUGHT TERROR

Some People Thought the End of the World was at Hand when Every Trace of Daylight was Obliterated at 4:00 p.m.

A people who during the past two weeks thought they had experienced the worst that could come in the form of dirt storms, looked on in awe and many of them in terror yesterday afternoon when...a great black bank rolled in out of the northeast and in a twinkling when it struck Liberal plunged everything into inky blackness, worse than that on any midnight, when there is at least some starlight and outlines of objects can be seen.

When the storm struck it was impossible to see one's hand before his face even two inches away. And it was several minutes before any trace of daylight whatsoever returned.

The day up to that time had been one of the few pleasant ones of the past several weeks. There had been no clouds in the sky. The temperature was unusually high and the day was one inviting people into the out of doors after day after day of dust.

Consequently many were caught out in the storm which came so suddenly that few realized it was even on the way until it was right upon them....

From the Ochiltree County Herald, Perryton, Texas, April 18, 1935

Black Blizzard Breaks All Records

Visibility Goes to Zero; Many Are Caught On Highways and on Picnic Parties

Was Worst in History

Worst Duster in History Followed Ideal Spring Day; Hit Here About Five o'clock

The worst dust storm in the memory of the oldest inhabitants of this section of the country hit Perryton at five o'clock Sunday afternoon, catching hundreds of people away from their homes, at the theatre, on the highways, or on picnic parties. The storm came up suddenly, following a perfect spring day.

In just a few minutes after the first bank appeared in the north, the fury of the black blizzard was upon us, turning the bright sunshine of a perfect day into the murky inkiness of the blackest night. Many hurried to storm cellars, remembering the cyclone of July, two years ago, which followed a similar duster.

Without question, this storm put the finishing touch of destruction to what faint hopes this area had for a wheat crop. Business houses and homes were literally filled with the fine dirt and silt driven in by this fifty mile an hour gale.

The storm started in the Dakotas and carried through with diminishing fury into Old Mexico. Borger reported the storm struck there at 6:15 p.m.; Amarillo at 7:20 p.m.; Boise City, Oklahoma, at 5:35 p.m.; and Dalhart at 5:15 p.m.

From the Amarillo Daily News, April 15, 1935

‘WORST’ DUSTER WHIPS ACROSS PANHANDLE

FARMERS PRAY FOR RAIN BUT WIND ANSWERS

NORTHER STRIKES SUNDAY TO BLOT OUT SUN, TURN DAY INTO NIGHT

SETS RECORD PACE

KANSAS GOVERNOR SAYS SOIL UNDAMAGED; STORM HITS SOUTH TEXAS

North winds whipped dust of the drought area to a new fury Sunday and old timers said the storm was the worst they'd seen. Farmers prayed through dust filmed lips for rain. A black duster—sun blotting cloud banks—raced over Southwest Kansas, the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles, and foggy haze spread about other parts of the southwest. Easter services at Lindsborg, Kansas, opening with a chorus singing "The Messiah" were carried on in dust-laden air.

Makes Record Trip

The black duster made the 105 miles from Boise City, Okla., to Amarillo, Texas, in 1 hour 45 minutes. Hundreds of Sunday motorists lured to the highways by 90 degrees temperatures and crystal clear skies were caught by the storm. Farmers and agricultural officials of the dust area, Southwest Kansas, Southeast Colorado, Northeastern New Mexico and the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles, reported the soil was not damaged and that crops could still be made this season if it would rain. Governor Alf M. Landon of Kansas pointed out top soil ranges from 10 to 30 feet deep at many points in the area.

STORM TURNS CITY INTO TOTAL DARKNESS

Blotting out every speck of light, the worst duststorm in the history of the Panhandle covered the entire region early last night. The billowing black cloud struck Amarillo at 7:20 o'clock and visibility was zero for 12 minutes.

Gradually it cleared and Weatherman H. T. Collman said the storm would be over by morning. The black, ominous cloud rolled over the Panhandle from the north, an awe-inspiring spectacle.

Into Central Texas

The storm continued southward and had moved into Wichita Falls by 9:45 o'clock, the Associated Press reported. A large area west and southwest of Temple was reported feeling effects of the duster, which moved onward into South Texas.

Warning of the terrible storm reached Amarillo about 45 minutes before it struck. It came from a woman in Stinnett. The woman called Sheriff Bill Adams. He did not learn her name. "I feel that you people of Amarillo should know of the terrible duststorm which has struck here and probably will hit Amarillo," the woman said, "I am sitting in my room and I cannot see the telephone."

8,000 Feet High

A gentle, north breeze preceded 8,000-feet-high clouds of dust. As the midnight fog arrived, the streets were practically deserted. However, hundreds of people stood before their homes to watch the magnificent sight.

Darkness settled swiftly after the city had been enveloped in the stinking, stinging dust, carried by a 50-mile-an-hour wind. Despite closed windows and doors, the silt crept into buildings to deposit a dingy, gray film. Within two hours the dust was a quarter of an inch in thickness in homes and stores.

Reports from the north at 10:30 o'clock last night by the Santa Fe dispatcher said that the moon could be seen at Woodward, Okla., showing that the storm was clearing rapidly.

Forecast Cloudy

The weather forecast for today was partly cloudy and colder. The storm struck just before early twilight. All traffic was blocked and taxi companies reported that it was difficult to make calls for nearly 45 minutes. Street signal lights were invisible a few paces away. Lights in 10 and 12 story buildings could not be seen.

John L. McCarty, editor of the Dalhart Texan, of Dalhart, the center of the drought-stricken area of the Panhandle, called a few minutes before the storm arrived in Amarillo. The storm struck Dalhart about 85 minutes before it hit Amarillo and the city remained in total darkness for more than that length of time, he said.

Couldn't See Light

"I went outside the house during the storm and could not see a lighted window of the house three feet away." Mr. McCarty said. Borger, Perryton and other cities on the North Plains reported similar conditions, proving that the storm was becoming less vicious the farther south it moved.

Damage to the wheat crop, already half ruined by drought and wind, could not be learned last night, but several grainmen believed that the dust would cover even more of the crops.

The storm started yesterday when a high pressure area moved out of the Dakotas toward Wyoming, according to Mr. Collman. Most of the dust was from western Kansas and Oklahoma, he said.

A linotype operator, forced to stick to his post in a dusty shop appeared with a narrow strip of shoe shining cloth, lined with sheepskin, tied close to his nostrils. When dampened, he said, it made breathing normal.

A Santa Fe freight train, scheduled to depart from the South Plains about 8 o'clock, was held up nearly an hour waiting for the dust to subside. With improved visibility by 11 o'clock it was reported making good time, aided by a strong "tailwind."

A Blue First Thursday Of July In Texas

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the world it appears the 7th day of July has dawned with a very blue tint.

I did no swimming or hill hiking or other aerobic endorphin stimulating activity yesterday. The withdrawal misery was almost unbearable.

This morning my swimming pool is back in full function mode.

However, due to a doctor appointment in Hurst, there will be no noontime hill hiking today.

It is 79 degrees in the outer world, now that the sun has arrived to begin its daily heating duties. Today the sun is scheduled to heat the zone of Texas that I inhabit to 102 degrees, with the Heat Index making it feel like 104.

Yesterday the prediction was for a high likelihood of a thunderstorm, or two. But no thunder rumbled. Today there is no prediction of a thunderstorm, so I likely will be hearing thunder today.

The heat has become HOT enough that I am now having the A/C cycle on and off all night long. I resist reaching that point til I can bear it no longer.

It is now that time of the morning for me to seek soothing waters to get myself some aerobic stimulation and hopefully some endorphin induced relief.

New Blue & Max Poodle Pictures Of Ruby Jean, David Jay & Theo John

This afternoon my poodle nephews, Blue & Max, sent me a new photo of my only niece, Ruby Jean, and my two youngest nephews, David Jay and Theo John. David is the redhead in the middle, with Ruby on the left and Theo on the right.

Ruby and Theo are twins.

My sister in Phoenix tells me that David is extremely fun to play with. He goes to a Montessori school, and though he is barely 2 years old he can read at an 8th grade level and has a memory that you don't want to mess with. As in if he gets you to sing songs with him you better get the words right.

My mom told me that my sister is taking David with her to a conference in Denver, and then on to Phoenix to see his grandma and grandpa. I hope this is a sand storm free visit.

I do not know why Ruby and Theo are not going along to Denver and Phoenix. I do know that Ruby and Theo's grandma and grandpa are planning on heading to Tacoma sometime soon to meet them for the first time.

There is a chance I may go along to Tacoma, about the same chance I have of winning the lottery or going inner tubing in the Trinity River.

Walking In The Shade Of Village Creek Talking To My Sister About The Great Arizona Dust Storm

Today is my weekly weakly take it easy day. I tend to overdo the physical activity activities at times. Thus leading to some areas of soreness that benefit from a rest period.

So, today, on my way to ALDI in Pantego, I called my sister in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler and talked to her on my way to the Village Creek Natural Historic Area to go on a short walk on the cooly shaded paved trail.

I was curious to hear my sister's first hand tale of the dust storm that blew into the Valley of the Sun yesterday.

My sister did not know of impending incoming doom. She was firing up the BBQ, getting ready to grill some steaks, when she saw a dark wall moving towards her. She called for my brother-in-law to come outside. When he saw what was heading their way he wanted the camera to take pictures.

But, my sister told my brother-in-law there was no time for pictures. She wanted to get the lawn furniture pads out of harm's way and cover the pool.

Within 5 minutes the clear blue sky had turned to total darkness. 50mph plus winds blew dust for over an hour. When it was over, daylight returned to reveal several inches of dusty mud covering the outdoors.

Even though I had not gotten gas, after I talked to my sister, I called my mom and dad to hear their dust storm experience. I got the answering machine. I was sort of forewarned that that might happen, due to my sister thinking mom and dad might be at a doctor's appointment.

My sister had not heard from my brother who lives in Maricopa, south of Phoenix. The dust storm came from the south. One would have thought my brother would have called my mom and dad and sister to warn them about what was heading their way.

Meanwhile I heard from my little sister, in Tacoma, asking me what is wrong in Texas? Where does one start to answer that question?

Who Wants To Rent A Cabin At Turner Falls Park In Oklahoma?

In the picture, that is Big Ed on the right, under the cowboy hat. That would make me on the left, without a cowboy hat. Sitting on a rock wall outside The Castle in Turner Falls Park in Davis, Oklahoma.

I don't remember what year this picture was taken. I do remember it was in August and very hot, with a lot of people in the park and cooling off in crystal-clear spring-fed Honey Creek.

I have a few pages on my Eyes on Texas website that people mistake as being the official website for some location or event. This can cause me to get asked some interesting questions.

For example, the webpage I made of my visit to the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup gets me asked a lot of questions from people wanting to buy my rattlesnake skins or rattles. Oddly, many of these inquiries come from the United Kingdom.

The other webpage that generates a lot of questions is the Turner Falls Park webpage. This morning I was asked how many people my cabins can accomodate, what the cost is, are dogs allowed and are any cabins available for the July 30 weekend.

Within an easy drive from my location there are only a few of what I consider to be scenic destinations. One is Turner Falls Park, another is Dinosaur Valley State Park and another is very close to Dinosaur Valley State Park, that being the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.

I have been to Turner Falls twice in summer, once in winter. The winter visit was with Gar the Texan. Taking Gar the Texan somewhere always reminded me of taking my nephews somewhere when they were little, due to a sort of babysitting aspect.

With Gar the Texan the babysitting often involved a case of the vapors, or an accident either caused by the vapors or leading to the vapors. Gar the Texan had a horrible case of the vapors on the way to Turner Falls.

By the time Gar the Texan made it to Turner Falls the case of the vapors was a distant memory and he was now in hyper mode, just like one of my little nephews, climbing up steep cliffs, into caves, doing all sorts of things I do not do due to my acrophobia.

Anyway, I do not know how much a cabin costs to rent at Turner Falls, or if you can keep a dog in the cabin, or if one is available the last weekend of July.

What I do know is Turner Falls Park is a scenic surprise in the Arbuckle Mountains, just a couple miles west of Interstate 35, a bit more that 50 miles from the Red River Texas border with Oklahoma.

Up Early On The 6th Day Of July Wondering About The Texas Drought & The Phoenix Sandstorm

Almost a 5th of July has already come and gone. This is morning is the start of day #6 of July.

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell at the pool oasis below and the sky above, you can sort of see that this day has dawned with yet one more bright clear cloud-free sky in Texas.

Speaking of being cloud-free. The Texas drought continues to worsen. This morning  brought the news that the Tarrant Regional Water District will be going into mandatory water restriction mode when the district's water supply drops to 75 percent of capacity.

Yesterday, in the short distance I drove by the Trinity River, I saw 3 instances of multiple pipelines sucking water out of the Trinity River by Barnett Shale Natural Gas Drillers.

In June Fort Worth broke its water use record, using an all-time high of 8 billion gallons.

How many of those gallons were injected into natural gas wells, I could not help but wonder?

No mention was made, in the article, about the drought, in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, regarding the fact that a new heavy user of water has moved into town in recent years. One would think mention of this would be made in an article about the local water woes.

Am I the only person curious as to what the water gallon total is in Fort Worth and Tarrant County that is being used by the Barnett Shale Natural Gas Drillers?

Meanwhile, news out of Arizona and the Phoenix zone this morning brought astonishing photos of a giant sandstorm that hit the Valley of the Sun on Tuesday.

I must remember to call my mom and dad and sister to see how they fared in this mess.

I will not be going swimming this morning. The pool got its weekly shock treatment late yesterday. The lack of going swimming should have me being grumpy in about 2 hours.

High Anxiety Hiking The Tandy Hills Thinking About Getting Hot in Death Valley

It is currently only 99 degrees. With the humidity making it feel like 102. It was 92 when I took my Hiking Club to the Tandy Hills today. It felt like it was 110.

In the picture you are looking north on the trail you access the Tandy Hills from via the park on View Street.

The hottest I have ever experienced was Death Valley in August of 1998. I was in Las Vegas with my two oldest nephews. The morning paper had the news that conditions were such that Death Valley might break its temperature record that day.

My nephews were up for chasing a record high temperature, so it was off to Badwater in Death Valley we drove.

Unfortunately the temperature did not break the record. If I remember right it only reached 124. Being in 124 degree heat in Death Valley does not feel as HOT as Texas HEAT feels.

When you are at 124 degrees in the super dry desert you drink copious amounts of liquid. But you do not perspire, for the most part. Nor do you find yourself needing to find a restroom facility to void excess liquid. Getting super HOT in the desert is quite a different experience from getting super HOT in Texas.

I woke up this morning feeling a bit of angst, with no reason for the angst. I thought swimming would alter the feeling of foreboding. Post-swim, I still felt angst. Usually over-stimulating myself on the Tandy Hills restores my usual good mood.

But, not today.

I'm sure my high anxiety will dissipate by tomorrow.

Riding The New Texas Giant Wooden Roller Coaster In Six Flags Over Texas

In the picture you are looking at the newly re-built Texas Giant Wooden Roller Coaster in Six Flags Over Texas, right before the coaster drops down what is now the world's steepest wooden roller coaster drop.

Since I have been in Texas I have only been to Six Flags three times. When I moved here I assumed I'd get a season pass and visit frequently.

This assumption was based on assuming that Six Flags was as fun as Disneyland, with Disneyland being a theme park I've visited many many times.

I was not long into my first visit to Six Flags when I realized it was not quite the Disneyland type experience.

Disneyland is immaculate. Six Flags is a bit messy. Litter floating in waterways. Broken down TVs overhead when waiting in line. This may have been all fixed by now. The last time I've been to Six Flags was the year the Titan Hypercoaster opened. I've no idea how many years ago that was.

I did not like the Texas Giant Wooden Roller Coaster in its original form. It was a bone jarring, neck jerking, back aching, bumpy ride. With very uncomfortable seats. The new version appears to be a HUGE improvement.

You can take a virtual ride on the Texas Giant Wooden Roller Coaster via the YouTube video below....

The Morning After A Very Quiet 4th Of July In Texas

I am up early this 5th day of July, looking through the bars of my patio prison cell at a glowing hot tub and a blue oasis.

It is already semi-HOT this morning. 80 degree. Heading to a predicted high of 103, with the humidity making it feel like it is 106.

Thunderstorms are on the menu for today.

I made it through the 4th of July in Texas without seeing a single firework light up the sky or the crack of even one firecracker.

Sometime in the late afternoon of the 4th I did see and hear a loud flyover of several military jets in formation. I assume this was part of one or more of the D/FW Metroplex's 4th of July celebrations. Maybe they were heading towards the Fort Worth Stockyards to fly over Willie's 4th of July Picnic.

The sun has now lit up the outdoors enough to enable me to find my way to the swimming pool. Which is where I am going right now.

No 4th Of July Firecrackers Cracking In Texas While I Drink Beet Juice Lemonade

It is almost 4 in the afternoon of the 4th of July in Texas. I have yet to hear the crack of a single firecracker or any other noisemaker.

Those of you reading this in Washington, particularly those reading this in the Skagit Valley, know why I find this 4th of July quiet so strange.

Before moving to Texas and experiencing the reality of Texas, had you asked me what I thought the 4th of July would be like in Texas I would have guessed that the noise level would be greatly louder than Washington.

Instead it is very, very quiet.

The Tandy Hills Bamboo Tepee is still standing. It has been months since this mysterious piece of Guerrilla Art appeared deep inside the Tandy Hills.

Why did someone go to the effort of hauling 14 long bamboo poles, over difficult, rocky trails, up and down hills, to this particular location? And then build a Bamboo Tepee?

I may not be hearing any firecrackers cracking, but I sure am hearing a lot of cicadas cracking.

Speaking of wildlife. I have not seen a single lizard on the Tandy Hills this year. Last year I saw many lizards, including one very big one. Where are the lizards?

Wink has no 4th of July celebration of the city organized sort. But, apparently a group skinny dipping 4th of July party is planned for one of the Wink Sinkholes. I learned this from the Queen of Wink who was thinking of dipping in the Wink Sink today.

I had a tasty 4th of July lunch today. Pizza, pulled BBQ pork, beet onion salad and beet juice lemonade.

You are what you eat...