What year did galveston bay freeze?
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What year did galveston bay freeze?
just curious
You are probably thinking about the great Christmas freeze of 1983. Here's a Shannon Tompkins article from the Houston Chronicle that recounts the event: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mp ... ns/2319895
Mark T,
That's good stuff, I was born in Texas and had to spend way too much time in Oklahoma. Needless to say I was not around when that happened, and I don't think that I would be worried of a repeat performance this time around. I don't think you or anyone else is making that implication either
I will say from a historical point that it obviously can happen again before we know it or would bet against it! Up in my neck of the woods we've seen too many darn floods in too short of a "historical" point of view. With mother nature, I think all bets are off
I do know this..... it's too freak'in cold
Sorry about the GD type post!
That's good stuff, I was born in Texas and had to spend way too much time in Oklahoma. Needless to say I was not around when that happened, and I don't think that I would be worried of a repeat performance this time around. I don't think you or anyone else is making that implication either
I will say from a historical point that it obviously can happen again before we know it or would bet against it! Up in my neck of the woods we've seen too many darn floods in too short of a "historical" point of view. With mother nature, I think all bets are off
I do know this..... it's too freak'in cold
Sorry about the GD type post!
Thanks for another useful link Commodore Mark. That article really brought back some tough memories for me. Right when I was switching from freshwater to saltwater the bay systems got totally derailed. Fortunately they rebounded (though kinda slowly) but then BAM! It happened again. This time the recovery was quicker. It's been a long time since we have had that kind of bad luck and I hope it is still longer.
I agree with that.......brrrr!
-hook
Texan wrote:I do know this..... it's too freak'in cold
I agree with that.......brrrr!
-hook
I remember seeing some pictures of people walking on the ice on Galveston Bay around Texas City. There was even one of a horse drawn wagon on the ice.
Texas and Oklahoma's Greatest Hits
The most significant weather events to strike Texas and Oklahoma
John Nielsen-Gammon
Texas A&M University
Texas State Climatologist
Howard Johnson
University of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Climatological Survey
We have to go back over 100 years to find the most memorable cold snap on record in Texas and Oklahoma: Feb. 12, 1899. On that day, all of Oklahoma got below -10F, and over half of Texas was below 0F. Ice reportedly covered most of Galveston Bay. The Texas state record for coldest temperature was set that day at Tulia, which got down to -23F.
Texas and Oklahoma's Greatest Hits
The most significant weather events to strike Texas and Oklahoma
John Nielsen-Gammon
Texas A&M University
Texas State Climatologist
Howard Johnson
University of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Climatological Survey
We have to go back over 100 years to find the most memorable cold snap on record in Texas and Oklahoma: Feb. 12, 1899. On that day, all of Oklahoma got below -10F, and over half of Texas was below 0F. Ice reportedly covered most of Galveston Bay. The Texas state record for coldest temperature was set that day at Tulia, which got down to -23F.
mike wrote:The article quotes someone that the ice was 4" thick. I would have to see that to believe it. The weather did kill lots of fish.
I dont know about the ice on galvaston bay but I was living in dayton at the time. Just recently move from minnesota and I was cracking up all the water lines freezing. I couldnt believe people left there water lines ontop of the ground. It froze out the valley so all fruit sold in the valley for the next 3 years came from indian river florida.
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I was actually fishing POC the day the bay froze. WOW!!!!!!!! It was something to see.....
The front hit right before Christmas. A buddy and myself hit the Army Hole on CHRISTMAS EVEmorning and tore up the reds. The front stayed and was strong. We had several days in a row where the temps didn't get above freezing. We decided to go hit the Army hole again before new years. We loaded the boat and drove across ESb to the Army Base. When we got to the base we couldn't believe our eyes. The bay was frozen solid a good 50-75 yds out into the bay. The channel to the Army Hole was frozen solid. And the ice was thick!!! We were trying to break the ice with a steel gaff and it took a lot to break it. We turned around and came back in. That's when saw everyone scooping up fish with landing nets everywhere. Any place where the north wind blew against a bank, there were live but helpless fish. After that freeze, limits were lowered and slots restricted more. It was some very hard fishing for the next 3 years after that ...............................
to the comment about 4" ice.... I saw it!!!!!!! It happened!!!!
That same front... I was driving down near George West and saw a horse standing on top of a frozen water trough trying to break the ice with his hooves to get a drink. It was something that south Texas just doesn't see very often.
The front hit right before Christmas. A buddy and myself hit the Army Hole on CHRISTMAS EVEmorning and tore up the reds. The front stayed and was strong. We had several days in a row where the temps didn't get above freezing. We decided to go hit the Army hole again before new years. We loaded the boat and drove across ESb to the Army Base. When we got to the base we couldn't believe our eyes. The bay was frozen solid a good 50-75 yds out into the bay. The channel to the Army Hole was frozen solid. And the ice was thick!!! We were trying to break the ice with a steel gaff and it took a lot to break it. We turned around and came back in. That's when saw everyone scooping up fish with landing nets everywhere. Any place where the north wind blew against a bank, there were live but helpless fish. After that freeze, limits were lowered and slots restricted more. It was some very hard fishing for the next 3 years after that ...............................
to the comment about 4" ice.... I saw it!!!!!!! It happened!!!!
That same front... I was driving down near George West and saw a horse standing on top of a frozen water trough trying to break the ice with his hooves to get a drink. It was something that south Texas just doesn't see very often.
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I was duck hunting that morning in the Hall's Bayou Ranch up above Caranchua Lake. We walked out into the marsh through the the small lakes that were about thigh deep in water. The mud out there was very soft and you would sink about a foot with every step. After the front hit and the north wind blew for a few hours we headed back to the truck. The water was gone and the mud was frozen solid. We walked across the boggiest parts and didn't break through.
I drove over to the causeway to see how much water was gone. It was incredible to see. Most of the bottom of West Bay was exposed. The only water left between the Deer Islands was in the ICW. I for one hope to never see that again. The fishing was horrible for a long time. Just about the time it was getting better we got slapped again in '89. Those of you just coming to the sport of saltwater fishing just can't possibly comprehend how bad the fishing was. Let's just keep our fingers crossed that we can slide through anouther year without a kill.
I drove over to the causeway to see how much water was gone. It was incredible to see. Most of the bottom of West Bay was exposed. The only water left between the Deer Islands was in the ICW. I for one hope to never see that again. The fishing was horrible for a long time. Just about the time it was getting better we got slapped again in '89. Those of you just coming to the sport of saltwater fishing just can't possibly comprehend how bad the fishing was. Let's just keep our fingers crossed that we can slide through anouther year without a kill.
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The freeze of 83 was awsome......and so very sad.
A buddy of mine had a duck hunting day planned in Corpus Christi. There was absolutly no warning of the 15 degree temp. One of my blinds was in the flats, just North of the Kennedy Causway bridge. I used a 17 foot alum. skiff with a go devil motor, in those days and we had to break through ice all the way to the blind. Standing inside of the blind,
we skidded the deeks accross the ice as far as we could. What a mess. No semblence of pattern or purpose. String and weights totally exposed and most of the deeks laying on their side.
At very first light, we were attacked by Pintails from all points of the compass. They were fighting to land among our rediculous looking spread.
I don't recall playing even one note on my pintail whistle. We killed our limit within 15 minutes of shooting time and only then took the time to stand up and look around.
Such a sad sight. The ice, in front of the blind was covered with dead ducks, decoys, and too much blood. The entire area we were hunting in was solid ice and the shoreline downwind from us was thick for about ten yards out with dead and dying fish.
I will never forget that sight. I will never forget my contribution to the degredation of the environment on that freaky day.
After so many years of duck and goose hunting along the Gulf Coast, I never fired at a duck or goose after the freeze of 83.
A buddy of mine had a duck hunting day planned in Corpus Christi. There was absolutly no warning of the 15 degree temp. One of my blinds was in the flats, just North of the Kennedy Causway bridge. I used a 17 foot alum. skiff with a go devil motor, in those days and we had to break through ice all the way to the blind. Standing inside of the blind,
we skidded the deeks accross the ice as far as we could. What a mess. No semblence of pattern or purpose. String and weights totally exposed and most of the deeks laying on their side.
At very first light, we were attacked by Pintails from all points of the compass. They were fighting to land among our rediculous looking spread.
I don't recall playing even one note on my pintail whistle. We killed our limit within 15 minutes of shooting time and only then took the time to stand up and look around.
Such a sad sight. The ice, in front of the blind was covered with dead ducks, decoys, and too much blood. The entire area we were hunting in was solid ice and the shoreline downwind from us was thick for about ten yards out with dead and dying fish.
I will never forget that sight. I will never forget my contribution to the degredation of the environment on that freaky day.
After so many years of duck and goose hunting along the Gulf Coast, I never fired at a duck or goose after the freeze of 83.