From flooding to drought

How quickly the winds change — or in this case, the rains.

Just three months ago, Tarrant County was sopping wet. In the midst of one of the wettest springs on record, North Texas and the rest of the state endured some treacherous weather, including major rain storms and dangerous flash flooding.

The National Weather Service said almost 17 inches of rain fell in Dallas-Fort Worth during May.

And in July, the U.S. Drought Monitor showed the drought in Texas to be effectively over. Only 3 percent of the state was considered “abnormally dry.”

But nothing gold can stay.

Tuesday marked the 42nd day since North Texas had rain. The Texas Forest Service has determined that only weeks after the drought was declared over, parts of Tarrant County have regressed into “drought conditions.”

That prompted Tarrant County commissioners to approve a 90-day ban on outdoor burning.

The bright side? A wet winter is in the forecast.

Even so, Tarrant County residents must keep conservation and fire safety top of mind.

This story was originally published August 18, 2015 at 6:00 PM with the headline "From flooding to drought."