Texas Climate Report: December 1997
Climatic conditions in Texas during the month of December were quite typical of 1997 -- cool and wet. Temperature anomalies continued to follow the trend of the previous two months as most areas of the state were 2°F to 3°F below normal. Other than the Southern and Lower Valley regions, precipitation amounts were well above normal throughout the entire state. Waco (527%), Amarillo (493%), Dallas (377%), Lubbock (330%), Wichita Falls (319%) and Abilene (307%) all recorded monthly precipitation amounts which were over 300% of their normal.
Low pressure resided over Texas to start the final month of 1997. Many areas in North Texas and the Panhandle received between 0.50" and 1.00" of precipitation from this system on the 2nd. A cold front quickly moved across Texas on the 3rd and the air mass behind the front kept average daily temperatures below normal for the rest of the week. A low pressure system in West Texas and a high pressure system over Mississippi and Alabama produced a strong flow of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico inland during the end of the first week. The result of this southerly flow was widespread precipitation across East and North Texas. Dallas broke a daily record on the 7th after receiving 1.31" of rainfall, while Galveston observed 2.10".
Cold air engulfed Texas after another cold front traversed the state on the 9th. Although it was frigid, this continental air mass included very little moisture, keeping most of Texas clear throughout the second week of the month. Temperatures slowly began to return to normal during the middle of December, but the rains soon returned. By the end of the third week a low pressure system and a stationary front sat over Texas, producing widespread and, at times, heavy precipitation on the 20th and 21st. Over two inches of rain fell in both Houston and Austin, while Waco received nearly eight inches (7.98") on the 20th. This 24-hour precipitation amount broke the all-time record at Waco, not only for the month of December, but for the entire year. Amarillo also received 5.0" of snow on the 21st. As 1997 came to a close, near normal temperatures and dry conditions returned to the Lone Star State to greet the New Year. The extremely wet conditions across the state in December were quite characteristic of the entire year.
Monthly Summary for Selected Cities
| |
TMAX (°F) |
TMIN (°F) |
TAVG (°F) |
PRCP |
*Deg. Days |
| Station |
Mean |
*Dep. |
Max. |
Mean |
*Dep. |
Min. |
Mean |
*Dep. |
Days ≥ 0.01" |
Mo. Total |
*Perc. Norm. |
Gr'st 24 hr. |
*HDD |
*CDD |
| Abilene |
53.9 |
‑3.1 |
75 |
31.8 |
‑2.1 |
18 |
42.9 |
‑2.6 |
6 |
3.16 |
307% |
1.52 |
677 |
0 |
| Amarillo |
43.3 |
‑6.8 |
70 |
23.7 |
|
10 |
33.5 |
‑3.4 |
8 |
2.12 |
493% |
0.58 |
967 |
0 |
| Austin |
60.9 |
‑1.1 |
80 |
40.1 |
‑1.1 |
29 |
50.5 |
‑1.1 |
6 |
4.28 |
228% |
2.76 |
445 |
0 |
| Brownsville |
70.7 |
‑1.0 |
79 |
48.7 |
‑3.7 |
32 |
59.7 |
‑2.4 |
6 |
0.46 |
37% |
0.23 |
196 |
40 |
| College Station |
59.7 |
‑1.8 |
77 |
38.5 |
‑2.7 |
26 |
49.1 |
‑2.3 |
9 |
2.86 |
101% |
0.84 |
485 |
0 |
| Corpus Christi |
68.4 |
+0.1 |
83 |
44.0 |
‑4.4 |
27 |
56.2 |
‑2.1 |
5 |
0.20 |
16% |
0.08 |
283 |
17 |
| Dallas‑Fort Worth |
54.9 |
‑2.6 |
72 |
36.3 |
|
23 |
45.6 |
‑1.3 |
7 |
6.93 |
377% |
3.29 |
593 |
0 |
| Del Rio |
63.3 |
‑0.2 |
79 |
36.8 |
‑3.8 |
25 |
50.0 |
‑2.1 |
5 |
0.55 |
90% |
0.29 |
456 |
0 |
| El Paso |
51.6 |
‑5.9 |
64 |
29.6 |
‑1.1 |
17 |
40.6 |
‑3.5 |
8 |
1.41 |
247% |
0.51 |
746 |
0 |
| Galveston |
61.0 |
‑0.9 |
73 |
47.3 |
‑3.6 |
36 |
54.2 |
‑2.2 |
8 |
4.90 |
140% |
1.45 |
327 |
1 |
| Houston |
61.4 |
‑3.3 |
77 |
38.8 |
‑3.4 |
28 |
50.1 |
‑3.4 |
6 |
5.42 |
157% |
2.02 |
454 |
0 |
| Lubbock |
49.3 |
‑4.8 |
72 |
24.7 |
‑2.5 |
11 |
37.0 |
‑3.6 |
5 |
1.75 |
330% |
1.00 |
860 |
0 |
| Midland |
55.5 |
‑2.9 |
72 |
28.5 |
‑2.3 |
19 |
42.0 |
‑2.6 |
6 |
1.35 |
241% |
0.77 |
704 |
0 |
| Port Arthur |
61.7 |
‑2.5 |
77 |
41.5 |
‑2.8 |
30 |
51.6 |
‑2.7 |
8 |
6.62 |
138% |
1.93 |
411 |
3 |
| San Angelo |
56.8 |
‑2.2 |
74 |
31.0 |
‑2.0 |
19 |
43.9 |
‑2.1 |
6 |
1.38 |
175% |
0.59 |
646 |
0 |
| San Antonio |
63.1 |
‑0.4 |
79 |
37.3 |
‑3.5 |
22 |
50.2 |
‑2.0 |
8 |
3.55 |
235% |
2.52 |
449 |
0 |
| Victoria |
63.9 |
‑2.1 |
79 |
40.5 |
‑4.7 |
27 |
52.2 |
‑3.4 |
8 |
1.63 |
80% |
0.66 |
390 |
2 |
| Waco |
57.3 |
‑2.0 |
73 |
36.1 |
‑1.2 |
21 |
46.7 |
‑1.6 |
5 |
9.81 |
527% |
7.98 |
559 |
0 |
| Wichita Falls |
50.7 |
‑4.2 |
70 |
31.6 |
+0.8 |
17 |
41.2 |
‑1.6 |
8 |
4.12 |
319% |
1.34 |
733 |
0 |
| Shreveport, LA |
55.8 |
‑2.7 |
73 |
36.2 |
‑1.1 |
26 |
46.0 |
‑2.0 |
8 |
6.10 |
149% |
2.14 |
580 |
0 |
Bold-italics indicate a value broke or tied the record from a previous year.
*Dep.: Departure of the monthly average temperature from the 1961-1990 monthly normal, which is provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
*Perc. Norm.: Monthly precipitation total divided by 1961-1990 monthly normal, which is provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
*Deg. Days: Computed daily as the departure of the daily average temperature from 65°F and aggregated over the entire month.
*Heating degree day (HDD): Each unit corresponds to a -1°F departure of a daily average temperature from 65°F.
*Cooling degree day (HDD): Each unit corresponds to a +1°F departure of a daily average temperature from 65°F.
|
Monthly Extremes
| Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| ALICE |
JIM WELLS |
0.00 |
| CATARINA |
DIMMIT |
0.00 |
| CHAPMAN RCH |
NUECES |
0.00 |
| ENCINAL |
WEBB |
0.00 |
| FLOUR BLUFF |
NUECES |
0.00 |
| FREER |
DUVAL |
0.00 |
| GOLIAD 1 SE |
GOLIAD |
0.00 |
| LAGUNA 3N |
UVALDE |
0.00 |
| MARATHON |
BREWSTER |
0.00 |
| Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| MIDLOTHIAN |
ELLIS |
11.41 |
| Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours (inches) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| WACO RGNL AP |
MCLENNAN |
7.98 |
| Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| DALHART 6 SW |
HARTLEY |
29.7 |
| Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| PORT ISABEL |
CAMERON |
61.4 |
| Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| PERRYTON |
OCHILTREE |
40.5 |
| Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| LA JOYA |
HIDALGO |
73.7 |
| Highest Maximum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| CONCEPCION 3 S |
DUVAL |
87 |
| Lowest Maximum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| MT LOCKE |
JEFF DAVIS |
19 |
| Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| DALHART 6 SW |
HARTLEY |
17.8 |
| Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| SOUTH PADRE ISLAND |
CAMERON |
54.6 |
| Highest Minimum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| BROWNSVILLE INTL AP |
CAMERON |
69 |
| SOUTH PADRE ISLAND |
CAMERON |
69 |
| Lowest Minimum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| DALHART 6 SW |
HARTLEY |
3 |
New Monthly Records
| Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| ALICE |
JIM WELLS |
0.00 |
0.00 (1917) |
78 |
| CATARINA |
DIMMIT |
0.00 |
0.00 (1990) |
34 |
| CHAPMAN RCH |
NUECES |
0.00 |
0.00 (1977) |
37 |
| ENCINAL |
WEBB |
0.00 |
0.00 (1996) |
80 |
| FREER |
DUVAL |
0.00 |
0.00 (1990) |
44 |
| GOLIAD 1 SE |
GOLIAD |
0.00 |
0.00 (1985) |
41 |
| MARATHON |
BREWSTER |
0.00 |
0.00 (1996) |
53 |
| Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| DALHART MUNI AP |
DALLAM |
2.23 |
1.95 (1959) |
47 |
| ARCHER CITY |
ARCHER |
6.98 |
6.90 (1987) |
54 |
| DEPORT 4 NW |
LAMAR |
7.65 |
7.55 (1987) |
12 |
| FERRIS |
ELLIS |
8.31 |
8.02 (1960) |
48 |
| FORESTBURG 5 S |
MONTAGUE |
5.40 |
5.36 (1947) |
55 |
| HENRIETTA |
CLAY |
11.07 |
7.07 (1991) |
95 |
| ITASCA |
HILL |
8.39 |
4.50 (1992) |
11 |
| KATY WOLF HILL |
HARRIS |
6.79 |
6.51 (1986) |
21 |
| KOPPERL 5 NNE |
HILL |
6.29 |
4.25 (1994) |
11 |
| PERRYTON 21 S |
OCHILTREE |
2.77 |
2.63 (1991) |
18 |
| PERRYTON 11 WNW |
OCHILTREE |
2.85 |
2.66 (1991) |
47 |
| PIDCOKE |
CORYELL |
7.43 |
3.74 (1994) |
12 |
| TURKEY |
HALL |
2.79 |
2.67 (1991) |
42 |
| Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours Ever in the Month (inches) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| WACO RGNL AP |
MCLENNAN |
7.98 |
5.40 (1913) |
97 |
| DALHART MUNI AP |
DALLAM |
1.21 |
0.71 (1959) |
47 |
| ANDICE 2 SW |
WILLIAMSON |
4.94 |
3.96 (1991) |
28 |
| AVALON |
ELLIS |
4.07 |
3.85 (1985) |
29 |
| BARDWELL DAM |
ELLIS |
4.60 |
4.25 (1991) |
31 |
| BENJAMIN 15 W |
KING |
1.61 |
1.20 (1984) |
13 |
| BERTRAM 3 ENE |
BURNET |
3.92 |
2.85 (1991) |
29 |
| BOYS RANCH |
OLDHAM |
0.74 |
0.74 (1984) |
18 |
| BROWNFIELD 2 |
TERRY |
0.93 |
0.87 (1986) |
45 |
| BURNET |
BURNET |
4.52 |
3.20 (1935) |
84 |
| COPPERAS COVE 5 NW |
CORYELL |
4.80 |
3.55 (1991) |
15 |
| DUMONT |
KING |
1.70 |
1.64 (1980) |
26 |
| EVANT 1 SSW |
CORYELL |
1.80 |
1.50 (1992) |
35 |
| FLORENCE 3 SE |
WILLIAMSON |
4.37 |
3.70 (1991) |
33 |
| GATESVILLE 4 SSE |
CORYELL |
4.90 |
3.75 (1985) |
81 |
| GREENVILLE KGVL RADIO |
HUNT |
3.46 |
3.39 (1928) |
92 |
| HENRIETTA |
CLAY |
5.39 |
2.87 (1946) |
95 |
| HILLSBORO |
HILL |
5.91 |
4.68 (1985) |
89 |
| ITASCA |
HILL |
4.65 |
2.48 (1944) |
11 |
| KOPPERL 5 NNE |
HILL |
2.74 |
2.30 (1915) |
11 |
| MC GREGOR |
MCLENNAN |
6.45 |
5.50 (1913) |
83 |
| MEMPHIS |
HALL |
1.34 |
1.32 (1918) |
81 |
| NEW CANEY 2 E |
MONTGOMERY |
5.07 |
3.26 (1982) |
43 |
| PADUCAH 15 S |
KING |
1.59 |
1.50 (1984) |
24 |
| PERRYTON 21 S |
OCHILTREE |
1.63 |
1.40 (1995) |
18 |
| PIDCOKE |
CORYELL |
5.02 |
1.91 (1978) |
12 |
| RANSOM CANYON |
LUBBOCK |
0.88 |
0.65 (1991) |
10 |
| ROSEBUD |
FALLS |
4.48 |
4.02 (1991) |
22 |
| TROY |
BELL |
6.26 |
4.00 (1945) |
56 |
| WATSON |
BURNET |
6.55 |
3.25 (1985) |
30 |
| WELLINGTON |
COLLINGSWORTH |
2.52 |
2.32 (1959) |
45 |
| WHITNEY DAM |
BOSQUE |
5.15 |
5.05 (1991) |
47 |
| Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| VAN HORN |
CULBERSON |
38.4 |
39.0 (1989) |
42 |
| CHANNING 2 |
HARTLEY |
32.3 |
32.6 (1972) |
10 |
| EL PASO 32 ENE |
HUDSPETH |
37.9 |
38.0 (1989) |
11 |
| FT HANCOCK 8 SSE |
HUDSPETH |
40.3 |
41.2 (1989) |
20 |
| MARFA 2 |
PRESIDIO |
38.0 |
40.5 (1989) |
34 |
| TORNILLO 2 SSE |
EL PASO |
40.5 |
41.1 (1989) |
16 |
| VALENTINE |
JEFF DAVIS |
39.6 |
41.5 (1986) |
16 |
| Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| MARATHON |
BREWSTER |
57.1 |
55.9 (1942) |
51 |
| Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| BRAVO |
HARTLEY |
45.0 |
45.8 (1989) |
31 |
| CHANNING 2 |
HARTLEY |
43.3 |
45.6 (1972) |
10 |
| DALHART 6 SW |
HARTLEY |
41.5 |
43.4 (1989) |
10 |
| EL PASO 32 ENE |
HUDSPETH |
49.3 |
51.0 (1992) |
11 |
| FT HANCOCK 8 SSE |
HUDSPETH |
54.5 |
55.7 (1982) |
22 |
| MARFA 2 |
PRESIDIO |
53.2 |
54.0 (1986) |
36 |
| PINE SPRINGS |
CULBERSON |
48.0 |
50.3 (1989) |
11 |
| TORNILLO 2 SSE |
EL PASO |
53.5 |
54.5 (1986) |
16 |
| VALENTINE |
JEFF DAVIS |
53.7 |
53.9 (1986) |
16 |
| Lowest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| VALENTINE |
JEFF DAVIS |
30 |
31 (1996) |
16 |
| Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| HARLINGEN RIO GRANDE AP |
CAMERON |
46.7 |
49.5 (1958) |
11 |
| Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| MARATHON |
BREWSTER |
44.9 |
36.8 (1984) |
51 |
| Highest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| MARATHON |
BREWSTER |
58 |
54 (1984) |
51 |
| Lowest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| HARLINGEN RIO GRANDE AP |
CAMERON |
31 |
32 (1958) |
11 |
Climatic Averages for January
| |
TMAX (°F) |
TMIN (°F) |
PRCP (inches) |
No. Days in Month |
Deg. Days |
| Station |
Avg. |
Record |
Avg. |
Record |
Avg. |
Gr'st Mo. |
Gr'st 24 hr. |
≥ 90°F |
≤ 32°F |
PRCP ≥ 0.01" |
HDD |
CDD |
| Abilene |
54.8 |
90 (1911) |
30.8 |
‑9 (1947) |
1.03 |
4.35 (1968) |
2.18 (1961) |
0.0 |
17.7 |
4.5 |
688 |
0 |
| Amarillo |
49.0 |
83 (1927) |
21.2 |
‑11 (1984) |
0.50 |
2.51 (1939) |
1.74 (1968) |
0.0 |
27.5 |
3.9 |
927 |
0 |
| Austin |
58.9 |
90 (1971) |
38.6 |
‑2 (1949) |
1.71 |
9.21 (1991) |
4.41 (1991) |
0.0 |
8.7 |
7.3 |
514 |
12 |
| Brownsville |
68.9 |
93 (1971) |
49.9 |
18 (1881) |
1.56 |
5.11 (1945) |
3.00 (1988) |
0.1 |
1.2 |
8.0 |
232 |
59 |
| College Station |
58.4 |
88 (1897) |
38.7 |
‑3 (1949) |
2.65 |
15.60 (1991) |
5.63 (1991) |
0.0 |
9.1 |
8.5 |
522 |
11 |
| Corpus Christi |
65.0 |
91 (1971) |
45.3 |
14 (1962) |
1.71 |
10.78 (1958) |
6.38 (1958) |
0.1 |
3.5 |
8.3 |
338 |
31 |
| Dallas‑Fort Worth |
54.1 |
93 (1911) |
32.7 |
‑2 (1949) |
1.83 |
9.07 (1932) |
3.11 (1990) |
0.0 |
15.7 |
6.7 |
670 |
0 |
| Del Rio |
61.9 |
92 (1911) |
38.5 |
12 (1918) |
0.56 |
4.12 (1931) |
1.91 (1994) |
0.0 |
7.2 |
4.8 |
465 |
6 |
| El Paso |
56.1 |
80 (1970) |
29.4 |
‑8 (1962) |
0.40 |
1.84 (1949) |
1.28 (1896) |
0.0 |
19.6 |
4.3 |
688 |
0 |
| Galveston |
58.3 |
78 (1989) |
47.1 |
11 (1886) |
3.26 |
10.75 (1991) |
5.38 (1923) |
0.0 |
2.5 |
9.6 |
396 |
15 |
| Houston |
61.0 |
87 (1902) |
39.7 |
5 (1930) |
3.29 |
13.11 (1891) |
5.89 (1891) |
0.0 |
6.5 |
10.0 |
468 |
16 |
| Lubbock |
52.9 |
87 (1914) |
24.6 |
‑16 (1963) |
0.39 |
4.05 (1949) |
1.96 (1939) |
0.0 |
25.4 |
3.5 |
812 |
0 |
| Midland |
56.5 |
84 (1974) |
28.5 |
‑8 (1962) |
0.40 |
4.99 (1939) |
2.56 (1939) |
0.0 |
20.4 |
3.4 |
698 |
0 |
| Port Arthur |
60.3 |
84 (1909) |
41.5 |
11 (1930) |
4.77 |
14.87 (1991) |
4.92 (1961) |
0.0 |
6.5 |
9.9 |
450 |
13 |
| San Angelo |
56.8 |
91 (1911) |
30.6 |
1 (1947) |
0.80 |
3.65 (1961) |
2.49 (1961) |
0.0 |
17.7 |
4.5 |
660 |
0 |
| San Antonio |
60.8 |
89 (1971) |
37.9 |
0 (1949) |
1.71 |
8.52 (1968) |
3.18 (1968) |
0.0 |
9.5 |
7.7 |
494 |
8 |
| Victoria |
62.8 |
88 (1971) |
42.5 |
12 (1949) |
2.16 |
7.76 (1991) |
4.70 (1991) |
0.0 |
5.3 |
8.0 |
403 |
21 |
| Waco |
56.1 |
90 (1943) |
34.2 |
‑5 (1949) |
1.65 |
6.56 (1932) |
3.19 (1945) |
0.0 |
13.6 |
6.6 |
620 |
6 |
| Wichita Falls |
52.0 |
87 (1969) |
27.6 |
‑12 (1947) |
1.04 |
4.48 (1968) |
2.25 (1919) |
0.0 |
21.6 |
4.4 |
781 |
0 |
| Shreveport, LA |
55.4 |
85 (1950) |
34.8 |
‑2 (1930) |
3.88 |
12.11 (1885) |
7.52 (1885) |
0.0 |
14.1 |
9.4 |
623 |
6 |
| Climatic averages are based on 1961-1990 monthly normals, which are provided by the National Climatic Data Center. |
