Monday, October 16, 2000
Wet weather welcomed in Big Country
By Vivi Hoang
Reporter-News Staff Writer
They came in droves. And when the rain started falling, they left
in droves, too.
An estimated 20,000 people poured into Dyess Air Force Base on
Sunday for its Big Country Appreciation Day. But when the weather
turned wet early in the afternoon, many spectators high-tailed
it to their cars and made a beeline for home.
Those who stuck it out said they were happy to see the area get
some much-needed relief.
The National Weather Service recorded about 0.94 of an inch of
rain at Abilene Regional Airport. Meteorologists say the rest
of the week looks dry and progressively clearer, with lows in
the 50s and highs in the 70s.
So far this year Abilene's gotten 12.29 inches of rain. That's
8.44 inches below normal, reports the National Weather Service.
The city usually averages 20.73 inches of rain by this date.
When lightning forked through the sky around 2 p.m., the crowd
was urged to take shelter in Dyess' two open hangers. By early
evening, the base reported 0.5 of an inch of rain -- though it
seemed much more had fallen as crowd-goers sloshed through deep
puddles and the skies drizzled for hours.
JoNell Torrez of Gorman drove 100 miles with her family for the
event. When the rain set in, they took brief refuge with their
funnel cakes beneath the wing of an EC-130H airplane.
Torrez said she didn't think the weather bothered anyone.
"It didn't dampen their spirits," she said. "We
needed the rain so bad."
Many spectators said the weather was positively pleasant compared
to that of the last Big Country Appreciation Day, when rain and
frigid temperatures hampered the event.
"It beats the heck out of last year," said Paul Archer,
who lives on the base.
Water seemed to gravitate toward the floor of the first- aid tent,
manned by the 7th Medical Group. Those in the group joked they
found a civil engineering project to keep themselves busy, pointing
toward three cement slabs they put in front of the tent's opening
to divert water around the tent.
"The floor's like a waterbed," said Laura Maybee with
the 7th Medical Group.
But, she added, "I'll take any rain, any time we can get
it."
Contact staff writer Vivi Hoang at 676-6736 or hoangv@abinews.com.
Check out our Web page at www.reporternews.com
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Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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