Aerial Austin tour

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Our recent rains are proving very beneficial to Central Texas. The grass is growing again, and lake levels are rising.

Many people know what the improvements look like from the ground, but the difference is dramatic from the air.

KXAN's Mary Lee and Daniel Axelbaum decided the only way to show these major changes was to take a tour of Central Texas from the sky.  The pilot for the day was Drew David, an experienced ground instructor for the Austin Academy of Aviation.

"It's totally different from the air," said David. "One of the great things about learning how to fly in Austin is how beautiful it is over Lake Travis, Lake Austin."

The first thing Lee and Axelbaum noticed was a return to green after a very dry summer. Just two months ago, Central Texas was in the worst drought in 50 years, and lake levels dropped to their lowest levels in decades.

Now, things are looking up. Lake Travis is on the rise, increasing more than 15 feet, thanks to the rain. But LCRA is reporting the lake has a long way to go. There are still islands all over the lake, which is still almost 20 feet below its monthly average.

"You get a good rain, especially one that last a few weeks, and all of a sudden, it's green again," said David.

Most of the Hill country is completely out of the drought with parts of the Metro and Eastern counties in the abnormally dry to moderate drought category.