Climate of Texas

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Worldwide climate classifications
Worldwide climate classifications

Texas's climate varies widely, from arid in the west to wet in the east. Due to its large size, Texas is home to several different climates. Texas ranks first in tornado occurrence with an average of 124 per year. There are several distinct regions within the state which have varying climates: Northern Plains, Big Bend Country, Texas Hill Country, Piney Woods, and South Texas. Tropical cyclones can impact the state from the Gulf of Mexico, or from an overland trajectory originating in the eastern Pacific ocean. Significant floods have occurred across the state throughout history, both from tropical cyclones and from stalled weather fronts.

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[edit] Regions of Texas

Annual average precipitation across Texas
Annual average precipitation across Texas

[edit] Northern Plains

The Northern Plains's climate can best be described as Humid but it is prone to drought due to climate change. Annually it receives anywhere between 16 to 32 inches (810 mm) of rain. Tornadoes, caused by the convergence of northern and southern prevailing winds are not uncommon, making the region part of the tornado alley. Poor land management, drought, and high wind speeds can cause large dust storms, kept to minimum in modern times, but most troublesome in the 1930s during the great depression. The panhandle region, unprotected by the warm gulf currents experiences colder winters than the other regions of Texas.

[edit] Big Bend Country

The Big Bend Country is the farthest west region in geography. It is also the driest receiving an average annual rainfall of only 16 inches (410 mm) or less. The arid climate is the main reason for desertification of the land, but overgrazing is slowly widening the land area of that desert. In the mountain areas one can see coniferous forests in a wetter and more temperate environment. Winds are strengthened as they are forced to push through canyons and valleys. In the flatter areas these winds are harvested into usable electricity. Big Bend National Park is also Texas's largest national park.

[edit] Texas Hill Country

The Texas Hill Country, or central Texas is shaped by its many rivers and hills. The climate is Subtropical, with cool winters and hot summers. The vegetation is both deciduous in the river valleys, and coniferous where there is greater elevation. In a single year the region can receive up to 48 inches (1,200 mm) of rain, and flooding is common near rivers and in low lying areas.

[edit] Piney Woods

See also: Climate of Beaumont, Texas, Climate of Dallas, Texas, and Climate of Houston

The Piney Woods is the eastern region of Texas. It receives the most rainfall; more than 48 inches (1,200 mm) annually in the far east. This is due to the gulf currents that carry humid air to the region, where it condenses and precipitates. Hurricanes also strike the region, the most disastrous of which was the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. More recently hurricane Rita pummeled the Golden Triangle of southeast Texas. The humidity of the region greatly amplifies the feeling of heat during the summer. The winters along the immediate coast are kept cool by relatively cool gulf waters, preventing temperatures from rising too high during the cold season. Dense fog can form when warm air moves over the cool shelf waters during February and March, stopping ship traffic for days on end.

[edit] South Texas

The region of South Texas includes the semiarid ranch country and the wetter Rio Grande Valley. Considered to be the southernmost tip of the American Great Plains region, its rainfall is similar to that of the Northern Plains. The coastal areas are nearly warm year round. Subtropical forests line the Rio Grande River. Inland, where it is drier, ranches dominate the landscape, characterized by thick spiny brush. The winters are very mild and dry as winds come off the warmer Gulf of Mexico, and the summers are hot and humid.

[edit] Temperature

Monthly normal high and low temperatures (°F) for various Texas cities
City Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Abilene 55/32 61/36 69/44 77/52 85/61 91/68 95/72 94/71 87/64 78/54 65/42 57/34
Amarillo 49/23 54/27 62/34 71/42 79/52 87/61 91/65 89/64 82/56 72/45 58/32 50/24
Austin 60/40 65/44 72/51 79/58 85/65 91/71 95/73 96/73 90/69 81/60 70/49 62/42
Brownsville 69/50 72/53 78/60 82/65 87/72 90/75 92/75 93/75 89/73 84/66 77/59 70/52
Corpus Christi 66/46 70/49 76/56 81/62 86/70 90/74 93/74 93/74 90/72 84/64 75/55 68/48
Dallas 54/34 60/39 68/46 76/54 83/63 91/71 95/75 95/74 88/67 78/56 65/45 56/37
Del Rio 63/40 68/44 76/52 83/58 89/67 94/72 96/74 96/74 91/69 82/60 71/49 64/41
El Paso 57/33 63/38 70/44 78/51 87/61 95/69 94/72 92/70 87/64 78/52 66/40 57/33
Fort Worth 55/36 61/41 69/48 76/56 84/65 92/73 96/77 96/76 88/69 79/58 66/47 57/39
Galveston 62/50 64/52 70/58 75/65 81/72 87/78 89/80 89/80 86/76 80/68 71/59 64/52
Houston 62/41 66/44 73/51 79/58 86/66 91/72 94/74 94/73 89/68 82/59 72/50 65/43
Laredo 66/43 71/47 80/55 88/63 92/69 102/73 99/75 99/75 93/54 86/63 76/53 68/45
Lubbock 52/24 58/29 66/36 75/45 83/56 90/64 92/68 90/66 83/58 74/47 62/34 53/26
Midland 57/30 63/34 71/41 79/49 87/59 93/66 94/69 93/68 86/62 77/51 66/39 58/31
Port Arthur 62/43 65/46 72/52 78/59 84/66 89/72 92/74 92/73 88/69 80/60 71/51 64/44
San Angelo 58/32 64/36 71/43 79/51 86/61 91/68 94/70 93/69 87/63 78/53 66/41 59/34
San Antonio 62/39 67/42 74/50 80/57 86/66 91/72 95/74 95/74 90/69 82/59 71/49 64/41
Victoria 63/44 67/47 73/54 79/60 85/68 90/73 93/75 94/75 90/70 83/62 73/52 65/45
Waco 57/35 62/39 70/47 78/54 85/63 92/71 97/74 97/74 90/67 80/57 68/46 59/38
Wichita Falls 52/29 58/33 67/41 76/49 84/59 92/68 97/72 96/71 88/64 77/52 64/40 54/31
[1]

[edit] Tropical cyclones

The most serious threat from tropical cyclones in Texas residents is from flooding. The worst aspect about tropical cyclones is that the weaker they are, the more efficient they can be at producing heavy rains and catastrophic flooding. Systems with sprawling circulations, such as Hurricane Beulah, also tend to make good rainmakers.[1] Slow moving systems, such as Tropical Storm Amelia (1978) also can produce significant rainfall over the Lone Star State.[2] Tropical cyclones from both the eastern Pacific and Atlantic Basins can impact the Lone Star State.[3]

[edit] Severe weather

Texas ranks first in tornado occurrence with an average of 124 per year.[4]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ David M. Roth. A Brief Climatology of Tropical Cyclones in Texas (continued). Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
  2. ^ David M. Roth. Tropical Storm Amelia (1978) Rainfall Page. Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
  3. ^ David M. Roth. Tropical cyclones affecting the Gulf Coast. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
  4. ^ Weather Channel. Inside Tornadoes. Retrieved on 2008-03-19.
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