Texas Climate Report: April 2000

Texas experienced more moderate temperatures for the month of April as nine stations recorded below average mean monthly temperatures, while the rest recorded closer to normal temperatures than in previous months. This month marks the first time since December 1999 in which a first order station recorded below normal monthly temperatures, a welcome break in the recent heat wave for many portions of the state. Austin recorded the greatest negative departure (-2.3°F), and El Paso had the greatest positive departure (+4.9°F) of all the first-order stations. Eight stations received greater than average precipitation for the month, with Port Arthur recording the highest amount in the state (8.77", 250% of normal). The lowest amounts of precipitation were in the Edwards Plateau, South Central, Southern, and the Lower Valley.

April began with significant rain showers and severe weather as a low pressure system centered over West Texas moved across the state. In Southern Texas, Laredo (Webb County), reported 2.50" diameter hail on the 1st. Houston received 2.68" of rain on the 2nd, and another 1.46" on the 3rd, the majority of their monthly total. Beaumont/Port Arthur recorded nearly three inches of rain over this same two day period. Temperatures drastically warmed in the next two days as much of the state experienced highs in the middle 80s. However, a cool front from the Pacific Northwest entered on the 6th, bringing with it cooler temperatures and more rain for portions of the state. After the front exited the state, temperatures then began to gradually warm up through the 10th.

Another low pressure system developed in East Texas along a stationary front extending across the state, bringing severe weather and copious amounts of rain for much of the Upper Coast and East Texas on the 11th and 12th. In the Edwards Plateau region, Irion, Schleicher, and Brown counties had reports of hail up to 2.75" in diameter on the 11th. Sixty mph winds destroyed a carport in Dallas, and near Waxahachie, a three-mile stretch of southbound I-35 was closed due to flooding, also on the 11th. Beaumont/Port Arthur received the greatest rain total with 5.75" falling on the 12th. Other significant rain was measured in Longview (1.94"), Waco (1.81"), and Victoria (1.76") on the 12th.

Hot temperatures returned to the state as several high temperature records were set from the 20th to the 23rd. Maximum temperatures of 97°F at Austin Bergstrom and 98°F at Austin Mabry and San Antonio International Airport were all records for the April 23rd. The month ended with a low moving out of the Rockies bringing severe weather to the Low Rolling Plains and North Central Texas. On the 29th, Jones and Motley counties reported 3 to 4 inch hail, and a half-mile wide tornado was spotted near Olney (Young County) on the 30th. Also on the 30th, brief tornado touchdowns were seen in Motley and Cottle counties, and a tornado damaged trailer homes and power lines in Throckmorton County.

Monthly Summary for Selected Cities

Monthly Extremes

New Monthly Records

Climatic Averages for May