This is a preview of our Texas 2036 newsletter about extreme weather in Texas. To receive this weekly highlight of our work, sign up here.
Extreme heat, exceptional drought, increased wildfire risk, intensifying flooding—Texas has had more than its fair share of wild weather this year.
What does this mean for Texans? From the state’s failing water infrastructure to how changing weather trends are impacting our economy, here’s what you need to know.
The casualties of Jackson’s water system failure range from the city’s economy and quality of life to an eviscerated public trust in its water system. Texans are not immune from Jackson’s crisis.
Texas just had the hottest April through July on record. Between now and 2053, the state will experience a dramatic increase in the number of days with a heat index above 100 degrees, according to a First Street Foundation analysis. This is bad for Texans.
It’s your turn!
What do you think about the changing weather trends in Texas and what it means for the state?
Statewide reports already indicate that yields for all major Texas crops, including cotton, corn, sorghum and wheat, are lower this year compared to 2021. Will the agriculture community be hit as hard as it was during Texas’ worst one-year drought of record in 2011?
A broken trunk line in Odessa, a 13-day boil water notice in Laredo and other communities enduring severe water restrictions due to the state of their infrastructure—this is a crisis that endangers economic development and community vitality across Texas.
The fires we have seen this year are a sign of what is to come as two recent studies point to growing wildfire risks across Texas. Higher temperatures, drought and dry conditions, and greater fuel availability in the form of growing and drier vegetation are contributing to this increase.
Last year, Texas 2036 partnered with the Texas State Climatologist on a report, which showed a greater likelihood of more extreme weather in our future.
It is data like this that we use to inform legislators of what type of policy is needed to be reflective of changing climate trends.
This includes recent recommendations to improve clarity and program transparency for the state’s permitting and regulation of carbon capture and underground storage, which the Railroad Commission approved rules around last week. This is an important step towards energy expansion.