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Texas Climate Report: September 1997

Much of Texas experienced unseasonably warm conditions throughout September, especially during the middle portion of the month. The departures from normal for mean monthly temperature generally increased from east to west across the state, with the greatest departure occurring at El Paso (+4°F). Despite a deluge of precipitation associated with a frontal system traversing across the state towards the end of September, none of the first-order stations were able to exceed the normally expected amount for the month.

During the first week, most areas received some rain except for the Panhandle and the Northern Gulf Coast. The dry conditions in the Panhandle were accompanied by slightly above normal temperatures, while the rest of the Lone Star State had departures of nearly zero. Precipitation patterns reversed during the second week as the High Plains received most of the rain (Lubbock, 1.34"). Temperatures rose to above normal levels as Austin, Del Rio, San Antonio, Waco and Wichita Falls all surpassed the 100°F mark.

Temperature departures from the second week essentially doubled for the third week as conditions remained unseasonably warm across Texas. Stations with the highest departures were Midland, +10°F; Abilene, +9°F; Dallas/Ft. Worth, +9°F; Wichita Falls, +9°F; Del Rio, +8°F; Waco, +8°F; San Angelo, +8°F. Del Rio, Waco and Wichita Falls all eclipsed 100°F once again this week, as did Midland, San Angelo and Abilene.

While Hurricane Nora caused havoc in Mexico and the Southwestern United States, Texas was affected by a different weather system. A cool front passed through Texas early in the fourth week, and the storms associated with it affected a large portion of the state. The front collided with warm, moist air brought into Texas by Gulf Coast winds to produce large amounts of precipitation, especially at locations in Southeast Texas such as Palacios (11.00"), Santa Fe (7.80"), and Friendswood (5.60"). Three day totals at Santa Fe exceeded 12 inches for the period from the 21st to the 23rd. Fortunately, flooding was not as bad as it could have been in these areas because of the previously dry conditions. Two people did die, however, at Galveston's East Beach after they swam in surf that measured six to eight feet.

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 90.7 +4.0 100 66.7 +1.4 49 78.7 +2.7 2 0.04 1% 0.03 0 420
Amarillo 84.5 +2.7 99 59.2 +2.8 46 71.8 +2.7 3 1.35 68% 1.31 35 247
Austin 92.4 +1.9 100 70.6 +0.8 61 81.5 +1.3 4 1.46 44% 0.94 0 500
Brownsville 91.9 +1.5 96 72.5 ‑0.7 65 82.2 +0.4 9 4.77 80% 4.10 0 523
College Station 92.6 +4.2 99 68.8 +0.1 56 80.7 +2.1 3 3.66 75% 3.02 0 479
Corpus Christi 92.9 +3.2 99 71.9 ‑0.4 62 82.4 +1.4 7 2.56 46% 1.24 0 530
Dallas‑Fort Worth 91.0 +3.2 99 69.3 +2.4 54 80.2 +2.8 3 2.01 59% 1.91 0 461
Del Rio 95.0 +4.6 102 72.1 +3.0 59 83.5 +3.7 6 1.41 50% 1.05 0 565
El Paso 90.3 +3.2 97 66.4 +4.8 59 78.4 +4.0 7 1.55 91% 0.70 0 408
Galveston N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 4.56 N/A N/A
Houston 90.1 +1.7 98 68.0 +0.1 57 79.0 +0.8 4 4.86 99% 2.69 0 426
Lubbock 87.1 +4.2 98 62.1 +2.7 49 74.6 +3.5 6 1.96 75% 0.73 9 304
Midland 90.2 +4.8 101 63.8 +2.7 51 77.0 +3.7 6 0.86 33% 0.55 3 373
Port Arthur 89.4 +2.1 95 70.5 +0.8 59 79.9 +1.3 7 5.43 86% 3.72 0 455
San Angelo 91.5 +4.7 100 65.6 +1.6 50 78.5 +3.1 5 1.56 46% 0.91 0 412
San Antonio 93.5 +4.2 101 70.8 +1.6 58 82.2 +2.9 5 1.86 55% 0.85 0 522
Victoria 90.9 +2.0 99 69.5 ‑0.8 58 80.2 +0.6 11 5.34 95% 2.43 0 464
Waco 93.8 +4.2 101 68.5 +0.9 51 81.2 +2.6 2 0.49 14% 0.29 0 491
Wichita Falls 91.5 +4.7 103 66.2 +2.3 54 78.8 +3.4 3 0.70 18% 0.68 0 424
Shreveport, LA 89.2 +1.9 95 67.1 +1.1 57 78.2 +1.5 4 2.41 77% 2.17 0 399
*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.

sep 1997 average temperatures
sep 1997 average precipitation

Monthly Extremes

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
AVALON ELLIS 0.00
BRANDON HILL 0.00
HILLSBORO HILL 0.00
RICHLAND SPRINGS SAN SABA 0.00
ROBERT LEE COKE 0.00
WEST MCLENNAN 0.00
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
PALACIOS MUNI AP MATAGORDA 16.16
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours (inches)
Station County Value
ARANSAS WR ARANSAS 7.45
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
FOLLETT LIPSCOMB 67.5
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
LAREDO 2 WEBB 86.5
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
FOLLETT LIPSCOMB 79.0
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
LAREDO 2 WEBB 100.0
Highest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
HEATH CANYON BREWSTER 109
Lowest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
CHANNING 2 HARTLEY 49
DALHART 6 SW HARTLEY 49
PERRYTON OCHILTREE 49
STRATFORD SHERMAN 49
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
DALHART 6 SW HARTLEY 54.6
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 78.1
Highest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
GALVESTON GALVESTON 83
LAJITAS BREWSTER 83
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 83
PORT O CONNOR CALHOUN 83
ROCKPORT ARANSAS 83
Lowest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
MORTON COCHRAN 40

New Monthly Records

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
AVALON ELLIS 0.00 0.33 (1982) 31
BALMORHEA REEVES 0.07 0.07 (1969) 72
BARDWELL DAM ELLIS 0.03 0.29 (1982) 32
BURLESON JOHNSON 0.21 1.61 (1996) 13
COPPERAS COVE 5 NW CORYELL 1.00 1.10 (1989) 14
GAINESVILLE 5 ENE COOKE 0.41 1.80 (1990) 11
GRANGER WILLIAMSON 0.50 0.52 (1989) 29
HILLSBORO HILL 0.00 0.06 (1939) 92
INGRAM #2 KERR 0.23 0.67 (1992) 11
JOE POOL LAKE DALLAS 0.72 1.72 (1990) 14
KERRVILLE 3 NNE KERR 0.38 0.65 (1979) 23
LAKE TAWAKONI RAINS 0.45 0.66 (1975) 22
MERIDIAN BOSQUE 0.46 1.12 (1983) 15
RICHLAND SPRINGS SAN SABA 0.00 0.00 (1977) 47
ROBERT LEE COKE 0.00 0.20 (1983) 53
SAN ANTONIO/SEAWORLD BEXAR 0.32 0.86 (1993) 10
TEAGUE RCH GILLESPIE 0.43 0.48 (1979) 50
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours Ever in the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
CLODINE FORT BEND 6.00 4.57 (1979) 43
VERNON WILBARGER 5.40 3.47 (1989) 63
WHEELER WHEELER 3.50 3.30 (1988) 17
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
LONGVIEW 11 SE RUSK 73.1 73.2 (1989) 20
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
DALLAS LOVE FLD DALLAS 83.9 83.9 (1977) 84
PRESIDIO PRESIDIO 86.0 84.9 (1982) 54
BURLESON JOHNSON 80.7 79.6 (1990) 12
CANDELARIA PRESIDIO 82.7 80.5 (1983) 33
CASTOLON BREWSTER 85.6 85.3 (1992) 17
DELL CITY 5 SSW HUDSPETH 76.5 76.1 (1983) 18
EL PASO 32 ENE HUDSPETH 74.8 72.7 (1992) 12
FT DAVIS JEFF DAVIS 72.5 72.3 (1983) 22
FT HANCOCK 8 SSE HUDSPETH 77.5 75.6 (1969) 23
GAINESVILLE 5 ENE COOKE 79.5 79.2 (1990) 10
GRANGER DAM WILLIAMSON 82.0 81.0 (1980) 17
HART CASTRO 70.5 70.3 (1990) 11
LA TUNA 1 S EL PASO 79.1 79.1 (1977) 47
LAJITAS BREWSTER 84.6 83.5 (1983) 16
MARATHON BREWSTER 74.3 74.1 (1982) 49
MORTON COCHRAN 72.5 72.5 (1983) 31
MT LOCKE JEFF DAVIS 69.5 69.1 (1983) 53
MULESHOE NWR BAILEY 72.8 71.8 (1982) 17
OLTON LAMB 72.0 71.5 (1977) 29
PERSIMMON GAP BREWSTER 81.3 80.8 (1982) 14
PINE SPRINGS CULBERSON 70.2 69.5 (1994) 10
SAN ANTONIO/SEAWORLD BEXAR 82.0 80.5 (1988) 10
TORNILLO 2 SSE EL PASO 77.1 76.7 (1983) 17
TYLER SMITH 80.0 79.8 (1986) 14
UVALDE 3 SW UVALDE 82.4 81.6 (1992) 11
VALENTINE JEFF DAVIS 74.9 74.8 (1983) 18
YSLETA EL PASO 79.9 79.2 (1983) 54
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BARDWELL DAM ELLIS 93.2 92.6 (1977) 32
BAYTOWN HARRIS 90.6 90.5 (1995) 15
BURLESON JOHNSON 92.4 91.2 (1990) 12
DEWEYVILLE NEWTON 90.3 89.0 (1995) 12
EL PASO 32 ENE HUDSPETH 88.7 87.0 (1994) 12
FT DAVIS JEFF DAVIS 88.2 86.6 (1982) 22
FREDERICKSBURG GILLESPIE 93.4 93.4 (1954) 63
GAINESVILLE 5 ENE COOKE 92.2 91.2 (1990) 10
GRANGER DAM WILLIAMSON 95.3 93.1 (1988) 17
HART CASTRO 84.9 84.8 (1994) 11
JOHNSON CITY BLANCO 92.6 92.3 (1982) 29
LAKE TAWAKONI RAINS 92.1 91.5 (1980) 22
LAREDO 2 WEBB 100.0 98.8 (1986) 32
MULESHOE NWR BAILEY 88.7 88.1 (1982) 17
NAVARRO MILLS DAM NAVARRO 94.5 92.8 (1980) 35
ORANGE 9 N ORANGE 90.3 89.0 (1995) 12
PINE SPRINGS CULBERSON 82.2 82.0 (1992) 10
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 89.2 88.3 (1995) 10
SANTA ROSA 3 WNW HIDALGO 93.2 93.0 (1996) 11
SAN ANTONIO/SEAWORLD BEXAR 93.4 91.3 (1995) 10
TYLER SMITH 91.8 89.8 (1988) 14
UVALDE 3 SW UVALDE 96.5 94.1 (1992) 12
Highest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
CANYON DAM COMAL 104 104 (1985) 35
PENWELL ECTOR 102 102 (1995) 21
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 93 93 (1995) 10
RED BLUFF DAM REEVES 105 105 (1995) 40
SAN ANTONIO/SEAWORLD BEXAR 100 99 (1995) 10
UVALDE 3 SW UVALDE 102 102 (1992) 12
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
LONGVIEW 11 SE RUSK 61.9 62.4 (1975) 21
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
PRESIDIO PRESIDIO 73.2 71.1 (1931) 54
BIG SPRING HOWARD 66.3 66.3 (1977) 33
BIG SPRING HOWARD 66.3 66.3 (1986) 44
CANDELARIA PRESIDIO 67.7 65.1 (1995) 33
CANYON RANDALL 61.7 60.8 (1954) 42
CASTOLON BREWSTER 72.8 71.6 (1961) 17
CHANNING 2 HARTLEY 57.6 57.2 (1969) 11
DELL CITY 5 SSW HUDSPETH 60.8 59.9 (1983) 18
EL PASO 32 ENE HUDSPETH 60.8 58.5 (1992) 14
FT HANCOCK 8 SSE HUDSPETH 62.7 60.9 (1990) 23
LA TUNA 1 S EL PASO 66.2 65.0 (1977) 48
LAJITAS BREWSTER 71.8 69.3 (1986) 16
MARATHON BREWSTER 68.4 60.1 (1911) 49
MORTON COCHRAN 59.1 57.7 (1980) 32
MT LOCKE JEFF DAVIS 57.3 56.9 (1983) 53
OLTON LAMB 58.3 57.5 (1990) 30
PANTHER JUNCTION BREWSTER 66.5 66.5 (1977) 38
PERSIMMON GAP BREWSTER 69.1 67.1 (1986) 15
POST GARZA 64.3 63.4 (1969) 31
SAN ANTONIO/SEAWORLD BEXAR 70.7 69.7 (1988) 10
TORNILLO 2 SSE EL PASO 63.2 60.5 (1983) 17
YSLETA EL PASO 65.6 63.0 (1983) 54
Highest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
PRESIDIO PRESIDIO 82 80 (1983) 54
CANDELARIA PRESIDIO 78 76 (1983) 33
EL PASO 32 ENE HUDSPETH 68 67 (1995) 14
FLOYDADA FLOYD 71 71 (1939) 46
JAYTON KENT 75 75 (1989) 24
LAJITAS BREWSTER 83 79 (1985) 16
MARATHON BREWSTER 70 70 (1941) 49
MORTON COCHRAN 67 67 (1980) 32
PANHANDLE CARSON 70 70 (1985) 35
PERSIMMON GAP BREWSTER 76 76 (1982) 15
PILOT POINT ISL DU BOI DENTON 80 80 (1991) 34
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 83 83 (1996) 10
POST GARZA 76 75 (1970) 31
SPEARMAN HANSFORD 75 74 (1990) 67
UVALDE 3 SW UVALDE 76 76 (1993) 11
VALENTINE JEFF DAVIS 68 67 (1985) 18
WINTERS 1 NNE RUNNELS 75 75 (1995) 30

Climatic Averages for October

  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 77.9 103 (1979) 54.8 23 (1993) 2.51 10.88 (1941) 6.08 (1981) 2.4 0.2 5.5 75 118
Amarillo 72.5 95 (1954) 44.5 12 (1993) 1.37 7.64 (1941) 2.66 (1946) 1.1 1.8 4.7 226 25
Austin 82.1 100 (1938) 60.0 30 (1993) 3.43 12.63 (1925) 7.39 (1923) 3.7 0.0 6.7 17 206
Brownsville 85.3 99 (1900) 66.1 35 (1993) 2.80 17.12 (1958) 9.09 (1996) 5.5 0.0 6.5 0 332
College Station 80.2 102 (1938) 58.6 29 (1993) 3.81 18.77 (1994) 13.39 (1994) 2.5 0.0 6.5 31 167
Corpus Christi 83.9 98 (1950) 63.9 28 (1993) 3.02 11.02 (1981) 7.96 (1995) 5.0 0.0 6.3 0 281
Dallas‑Fort Worth 78.5 106 (1951) 55.8 24 (1917) 3.52 14.18 (1981) 4.85 (1959) 3.1 0.0 6.2 51 119
Del Rio 81.7 106 (1979) 59.7 28 (1993) 2.24 11.69 (1930) 7.60 (1969) 3.9 0.0 5.0 19 196
El Paso 78.4 96 (1994) 49.6 25 (1970) 0.76 5.15 (1884) 1.84 (1883) 1.6 0.4 4.4 88 57
Galveston 77.5 94 (1952) 68.0 39 (1993) 2.84 17.78 (1871) 14.01 (1901) 0.0 0.0 5.8 7 248
Houston 81.6 99 (1900) 57.6 29 (1993) 4.27 17.64 (1949) 9.31 (1984) 2.7 0.0 6.7 31 174
Lubbock 74.7 98 (1979) 48.1 18 (1993) 1.86 10.80 (1983) 5.82 (1983) 1.0 0.9 4.9 154 42
Midland 77.3 100 (1979) 50.6 24 (1993) 1.74 7.45 (1986) 3.59 (1985) 2.2 0.1 4.4 106 75
Port Arthur 80.2 99 (1905) 59.2 30 (1993) 4.29 15.09 (1970) 9.26 (1902) 1.7 0.0 5.9 26 172
San Angelo 78.8 100 (1951) 53.6 26 (1993) 2.40 8.68 (1981) 5.11 (1959) 2.6 0.1 5.0 71 108
San Antonio 81.7 99 (1991) 58.8 27 (1993) 3.17 9.75 (1994) 7.08 (1913) 4.1 0.0 6.8 30 191
Victoria 82.4 109 (1926) 60.9 31 (1993) 3.46 17.25 (1960) 8.15 (1994) 4.1 0.0 6.4 15 223
Waco 80.3 101 (1989) 56.8 25 (1993) 3.36 10.51 (1984) 5.72 (1974) 4.2 0.0 6.0 38 146
Wichita Falls 76.9 102 (1979) 52.2 21 (1993) 2.74 11.77 (1941) 5.61 (1959) 3.6 0.2 6.0 104 91
Shreveport, LA 78.7 99 (1938) 54.3 28 (1993) 3.73 14.02 (1949) 6.83 (1949) 2.5 0.2 6.6 63 110
Climatic averages are based on 1961-1990 monthly normals, which are provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
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