Isolated thunderstorms this evening. Skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 77F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Isolated thunderstorms this evening. Skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 77F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.

The United States Drought Monitor shows Hunt County and the entire North Texas area are under extreme, severe or even exceptional drought conditions.

The United States Drought Monitor shows Hunt County and the entire North Texas area are under extreme, severe or even exceptional drought conditions.

Hunt County received a brief break Thursday from the extreme drought conditions and excessive heat with scattered showers and thunderstorms bringing cooler temperatures and a splash of desperately needed rainfall.

Unfortunately the respite was only temporary, and it may have only made matters worse in the long run.

David Alexander of the Hunt County Fire Marshal’s Office said the county will stay under a ban on outdoor burning. The office has handed out citations to people who, despite the ban already being in place for two weeks, continue to conduct controlled burns on their properties.

“It is extremely hot, the vegetation is so dry and there is no relief in sight,” Alexander said.

The Hunt County Commissioners Court first issued the burn ban during a special session on July 5. Alexander said the commissioners are expected to vote to renew the ban during Tuesday’s regular session as conditions are unchanged.

Officers with the Fire Marshal’s Office are issuing citations for those they find conducting fires during the ban.

“The first week we began issuing warning books to all the fire departments,” Alexander said, noting that the firefighters would hand out the notifications at illegal burn sights, alerting those responsible that the ban is in effect and informing them of the repercussions should they be caught again.

Alexander said the message is still not getting through.

“We probably had issued a half-dozen citations the second week,” he said.

Hunt County’s ban prohibits the outdoor burning of trash or other items in any of the unincorporated areas of Hunt County. A violation of the ordinance can result in a fine of up to $500 for each occurrence. Also, if an illegal burn during the ban causes damage to another person’s property, the incident will be investigated as arson. The ordinance does not prohibit outdoor cooking in an enclosed apparatus designed for cooking, such as a grill.

After several days of high temperatures well into the triple digits, a weak cool front passed through North Texas on Thursday, which resulted in scattered precipitation and a high in the mid-90s.

Majors Field recorded receiving only 0.03 inch of rain during the lunch hour Thursday, while there were reports of some locations receiving almost a half inch.

Even with the rain, the The Keetch-Byram Drought Index — which monitors soil moisture levels and is an indicator of the potential for grass fires — and the United States Drought Monitor listed Hunt County under extreme drought conditions Friday.

The National Weather Service forecast was calling for highs to return into the triple digits this weekend and to remain there each afternoon for the next several days with little chance of any additional precipitation in the immediate future.

The continued drought has also meant additional water restrictions for much of Hunt County.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) was reporting Friday that all cities and water supply corporations remain under a “watch” level, meaning each has at least a 180-day supply of water available.

The cities of Quinlan and Wolfe City and the Caddo Basin Water Supply District were under “Code 1” Friday, meaning the use of water for non-essential uses, such as outdoor watering, is restricted to no more than twice a week.

The Jacobia Water Supply Corporation was reported to be under “Code 2” Friday, meaning all outdoor water usage is prohibited except by hand-held hoses with manual on/off nozzles, although water usage for livestock is exempt from the restriction.

The North Texas Municipal Water District continued its alert Friday, requesting everyone receiving water purified by the district to reduce water use immediately, especially outdoor water use. Much of southern Hunt County receives water exclusively from the North Texas Municipal Water District.

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.

Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox.

First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.