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Texas Climate Report: May 2004

The month of May was warm and dry for the northern half of the state, while the southern portion was rather wet and had below normal temperatures. The first week of May was very warm and dry with average temperatures across the state reaching 5°F-10°F above normal due to a series of high pressure systems that moved across the state. Beginning on the 8th, scattered showers brought some relief to stations in the Southern, Upper Coast, and East regions.

Tornadoes were reported in Jackson, Montgomery, and Hartley Counties on the 11th, as a few days of severe weather began due to a slow-moving cold front. On the 13th, heavy rains fell and flooding occurred in many parts of the state. The city of Hearne in Robertson County saw 17.50" of rain fall in a 9-hour period, and two dams within the county broke. Other stations that received heavy rain were Port Arthur (2.37"), Victoria (2.46"), Lufkin (3.01"), and College Station (5.04"). Tornadoes were reported in Jones, Jasper, Throckmorton, and Mason Counties on the 13th and nearly 3.00" hail fell in Mason and Gillespie Counties.

The state remained warm and fairly dry for the second half of the month. Seven of the first order stations hit 100°F for the first time in 2004. On the 25th–27th, a low pressure system brought rain and severe weather to portions of the state. There were tornadoes reported in Nolan, Taylor, Val Verde, Kinney, and Fisher Counties, and significant hail fell in Fisher (2.00") and Val Verde (3.00" and 4.25") counties. A weak cold front passed over the state at the end of the month, but temperatures remained in the 90s for most of the state as June began.

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 83.1 ‑1.6 93 61.1 +0.1 39 72.1 ‑0.7 5 1.73 61% 0.97 34 261
Amarillo 84.9 +6.3 97 53.8 +2.1 36 69.3 +4.1 1 0.09 4% 0.09 54 194
Austin 85.5 +0.7 100 67.4 +2.0 50 76.5 +1.4 10 3.34 66% 1.16 2 367
Brownsville 87.0 +0.1 98 71.6 52 79.3 5 5.37 217% 4.56 0 451
College Station 85.3 96 67.1 +1.8 48 76.2 +0.9 9 7.81 155% 5.14 3 360
Corpus Christi 83.2 ‑2.4 95 69.1 ‑0.4 52 76.2 ‑1.3 5 5.36 154% 2.78 1 356
Dallas‑Fort Worth 83.5 +0.3 96 65.3 +2.3 46 74.4 +1.3 5 4.73 92% 2.42 20 319
Del Rio 87.1 ‑1.6 107 68.1 +1.4 49 77.6 ‑0.1 4 2.39 103% 1.66 2 401
El Paso 89.8 +3.1 100 62.7 +2.1 48 76.3 +2.6 1 0.50 132% 0.50 6 363
Galveston 80.9 ‑0.5 86 71.6 ‑0.7 58 76.3 ‑0.6 4 3.66 99% 2.15 0 358
Houston 85.8 +0.3 96 68.1 +2.0 53 76.9 +1.1 10 7.33 142% 2.74 0 379
Lubbock 87.3 +4.5 101 57.6 +2.0 37 72.5 +3.3 4 1.00 43% 0.67 33 273
Midland 88.7 +1.9 100 61.2 +2.4 39 75.0 +2.2 1 0.10 6% 0.10 22 338
Port Arthur 83.4 ‑0.9 90 67.2 +0.8 50 75.3 ‑0.1 4 9.56 164% 3.93 1 329
San Angelo 86.9 +1.3 100 62.1 +1.5 41 74.5 +1.4 3 0.86 28% 0.42 18 318
San Antonio 84.9 ‑1.1 104 67.4 +1.9 49 76.1 +0.3 10 1.80 38% 0.60 2 353
Victoria 84.8 ‑0.3 95 66.8 ‑1.3 50 75.8 ‑0.8 7 12.66 247% 5.98 2 343
Waco 84.2 ‑0.6 95 65.7 +2.4 47 74.9 +0.8 4 3.86 87% 2.89 12 328
Wichita Falls 85.8 +2.3 98 60.9 +1.6 44 73.4 +2.0 3 1.81 46% 1.60 26 295
Shreveport, LA 83.8 +0.6 90 65.1 +2.4 51 74.5 +1.5 7 4.56 87% 2.00 7 310
Bold-italics indicate a value broke or tied the record from a previous year.
*Dep.: Departure of the monthly average temperature from the 1971-2000 monthly normal, which is provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
*Perc. Norm.: Monthly precipitation total divided by 1971-2000 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.

may 2004 average temperatures
may 2004 average precipitation

Monthly Extremes

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
CLARENDON DONLEY 0.00
ALLISON WHEELER 0.00
ANDREWS ANDREWS 0.00
BENJAMIN 15 W KING 0.00
BOOKER LIPSCOMB 0.00
BORGER HUTCHINSON 0.00
CANADIAN 20NE HEMPHILL 0.00
CANADIAN 6 NW HEMPHILL 0.00
CANADIAN 22SE HEMPHILL 0.00
CANADIAN 15 SW HEMPHILL 0.00
CHILDRESS 2 CHILDRESS 0.00
DARROUZETT LIPSCOMB 0.00
DERBY 1 S FRIO 0.00
FLOYDADA FLOYD 0.00
GRUVER HANSFORD 0.00
HIGGINS 1 N LIPSCOMB 0.00
KNAPP 2 SW SCURRY 0.00
LA TUNA 1 S EL PASO 0.00
LIPSCOMB LIPSCOMB 0.00
MEMPHIS HALL 0.00
MIAMI ROBERTS 0.00
NORTHFIELD MOTLEY 0.00
NOTLA 3 SE OCHILTREE 0.00
PAMPA 2 GRAY 0.00
PANHANDLE CARSON 0.00
PERRYTON OCHILTREE 0.00
PERRYTON 21 S OCHILTREE 0.00
STRATFORD SHERMAN 0.00
TRUSCOTT 3 W KNOX 0.00
WELLINGTON COLLINGSWORTH 0.00
WHEELER WHEELER 0.00
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
POINT COMFORT CALHOUN 13.62
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours (inches)
Station County Value
ROCKPORT ARANSAS CO AP ARANSAS 7.46
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
DALHART 6 SW HARTLEY 65.4
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
HEATH CANYON BREWSTER 83.7
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
MATAGORDA 2 MATAGORDA 78.8
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
BOQUILLAS RS BREWSTER 100.5
CASTOLON BREWSTER 100.5
Highest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
BOQUILLAS RS BREWSTER 113
Lowest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
BROWNSVILLE CAMERON 8
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
DALHART 6 SW HARTLEY 47.3
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND CAMERON 73.0
Highest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
BROWNSVILLE INTL AP CAMERON 82
Lowest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
MARFA 2 PRESIDIO 30

New Monthly Records

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
CHILDRESS MUNI AP CHILDRESS 0.01 0.08 (1966) 98
BIG SPRING HOWARD 0.08 0.09 (1990) 54
CLARENDON DONLEY 0.00 0.19 (1984) 92
DALHART MUNI AP DALLAM 0.17 0.20 (1974) 54
ANDREWS ANDREWS 0.00 0.00 (1996) 43
BENJAMIN 15 W KING 0.00 0.46 (2002) 20
BIG SPRING HOWARD 0.08 0.09 (1990) 55
BOOKER LIPSCOMB 0.00 0.41 (1925) 67
BORGER HUTCHINSON 0.00 0.11 (1966) 54
COPE RCH REAGAN 0.10 0.11 (1962) 55
COPPER BREAKS SP HARDEMAN 0.05 0.99 (1998) 14
DALHART 6 SW HARTLEY 0.30 0.51 (2000) 13
DARROUZETT LIPSCOMB 0.00 0.22 (1962) 62
DERBY 1 S FRIO 0.00 0.02 (1989) 24
EVANT 1 SSW CORYELL 0.58 0.95 (1998) 40
FLOMOT 4 NE MOTLEY 0.14 0.23 (1962) 54
FLOYDADA FLOYD 0.00 0.00 (1998) 59
GRUVER HANSFORD 0.00 0.14 (1966) 59
HAMILTON 2E HAMILTON 0.44 0.65 (1990) 45
HIGGINS 1 N LIPSCOMB 0.00 0.15 (1970) 58
KNAPP 2 SW SCURRY 0.00 0.05 (1984) 67
LA TUNA 1 S EL PASO 0.00 0.00 (2003) 58
LAKE ALAN HENRY GARZA 0.47 0.63 (1998) 11
LIPSCOMB LIPSCOMB 0.00 0.30 (1970) 55
MEMPHIS HALL 0.00 0.06 (1984) 89
MIAMI ROBERTS 0.00 0.11 (1970) 99
NORTHFIELD MOTLEY 0.00 0.00 (1966) 55
NOTLA 3 SE OCHILTREE 0.00 0.10 (1962) 58
ODESSA ECTOR 0.01 0.02 (1998) 53
PAMPA 2 GRAY 0.00 0.26 (1970) 41
PANHANDLE CARSON 0.00 0.00 (1984) 78
PERRYTON OCHILTREE 0.00 0.00 (1893) 90
PERRYTON 21 S OCHILTREE 0.00 0.66 (1984) 27
PLAINVIEW HALE 0.16 0.19 (2000) 95
QUANAH 2 SW HARDEMAN 0.08 0.12 (1945) 98
SANFORD DAM HUTCHINSON 0.44 0.53 (1996) 11
SHAMROCK 2 WHEELER 0.02 0.17 (1966) 39
SILVERTON BRISCOE 0.11 0.26 (1946) 63
SILVER VALLEY COLEMAN 1.34 1.36 (1984) 28
STERLING CITY 8 NE STERLING 0.15 0.39 (1984) 28
STRATFORD SHERMAN 0.00 0.00 (2002) 75
TRUSCOTT 3 W KNOX 0.00 0.39 (1988) 37
TURKEY HALL 0.07 0.10 (1945) 48
WELLINGTON COLLINGSWORTH 0.00 0.00 (1984) 58
WHEELER WHEELER 0.00 0.14 (1994) 24
WINTERS 1 NNE RUNNELS 0.78 0.82 (1984) 35
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
GRANGER WILLIAMSON 10.17 9.48 (1989) 36
PORT ARTHUR CITY JEFFERSON 13.10 11.75 (1991) 28
REFUGIO 3 SW REFUGIO 8.03 6.02 (1994) 10
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours Ever in the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
CLEBURNE 7 SE JOHNSON 2.60 2.45 (1995) 10
CORSICANA 8 E NAVARRO 5.67 2.75 (1995) 13
DAVILLA MILAM 5.83 3.44 (1990) 54
FRANKLIN ROBERTSON 5.76 5.02 (1965) 42
GRANGER WILLIAMSON 6.22 4.31 (1974) 36
REFUGIO 3 SW REFUGIO 5.09 2.78 (1997) 10
RICHMOND FORT BEND 4.13 4.07 (1948) 54
WILDWOOD TYLER 2.83 2.70 (1994) 12
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BISHOP NUECES 76.0 76.2 (1944) 20
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
ALICE INTL AP JIM WELLS 87.3 88.5 (1954) 11
BISHOP NUECES 84.0 85.5 (1941) 21
BROWNSVILLE CAMERON 84.2 84.2 (1913) 17
CHOKE CANYON DAM LIVE OAK 84.2 84.5 (1992) 20
EL CAMPO WHARTON 82.4 83.7 (1970) 31
HEBBRONVILLE JIM HOGG 85.9 85.9 (1992) 38
MATAGORDA 2 MATAGORDA 78.8 79.7 (1997) 60
MATHIS 4 SSW JIM WELLS 82.5 82.6 (1970) 38
Highest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
SAN ANTONIO INTL AP BEXAR 104 103 (1989) 120
RUSK CHEROKEE 99 98 (1998) 57
SAN ANTONIO/SEAWORLD BEXAR 102 102 (1989) 14
Lowest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BROWNSVILLE CAMERON 8 60 (1917) 17
BURLESON JOHNSON 59 59 (1990) 17
EMORY RAINS 56 57 (1979) 42
EVANT 1 SSW CORYELL 58 60 (1966) 32
FRANKLIN ROBERTSON 58 60 (1994) 38
GRANGER DAM WILLIAMSON 58 62 (1994) 24
HAMILTON 2E HAMILTON 57 58 (1978) 29
LA GRANGE FAYETTE 60 64 (1966) 41
LAKE FORK RSVR WOOD 60 60 (1994) 16
LAKE TAWAKONI RAINS 57 58 (1979) 28
LEXINGTON LEE 60 60 (1994) 41
MARLIN 3 NE FALLS 57 60 (1953) 64
MC GREGOR MCLENNAN 56 56 (1979) 44
GEORGETOWN LAKE WILLIAMSON 60 64 (1997) 22
SANFORD DAM HUTCHINSON 50 50 (1994) 10
SOMERVILLE DAM BURLESON 60 60 (1994) 38
STUDY BUTTE BREWSTER 78 78 (1997) 12
Highest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
HARLINGEN RIO GRANDE AP CAMERON 80 80 (2000) 17
PORT ARTHUR SE TX AP JEFFERSON 79 79 (2000) 87
HOUSTON HOBBY AP HARRIS 80 79 (1996) 58
BROWNSVILLE INTL AP CAMERON 82 82 (1902) 122
SAN ANTONIO INTL AP BEXAR 79 79 (1990) 120
ARLINGTON SIX FLAGS TARRANT 76 76 (2003) 16
BAY CITY WTR WKS MATAGORDA 80 78 (2002) 58
BAYTOWN HARRIS 80 80 (2000) 21
BEAUMONT CITY JEFFERSON 79 79 (2000) 55
BEAUMONT RSCH CTR JEFFERSON 80 79 (1996) 40
BRENHAM WASHINGTON 79 79 (1990) 107
BURLESON JOHNSON 77 77 (2000) 17
CHANNING 2 HARTLEY 69 67 (2000) 22
CROCKETT HOUSTON 78 77 (2000) 67
DEWEYVILLE NEWTON 80 80 (1996) 18
HOUSTON‑PORT HARRIS 80 79 (2002) 14
MULESHOE #1 BAILEY 70 68 (1998) 74
NACOGDOCHES NACOGDOCHES 80 79 (2003) 30
ORANGE 9 N ORANGE 80 80 (1996) 18
PLAINS YOAKUM 69 69 (2000) 38
ROBSTOWN NUECES 79 79 (2000) 45
RUSK CHEROKEE 76 76 (2000) 58
SAM RAYBURN DAM JASPER 78 76 (2003) 36
SOMERVILLE DAM BURLESON 79 79 (1990) 39
THOMPSONS 3 WSW FORT BEND 79 79 (1990) 45
TOLEDO BEND DAM NEWTON 78 75 (2003) 29
TYLER SMITH 78 78 (2000) 21
WACO DAM MCLENNAN 79 76 (2003) 33
WASHINGTON SP WASHINGTON 77 77 (2003) 52
Lowest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
HARLINGEN RIO GRANDE AP CAMERON 50 51 (1954) 17
CORPUS CHRISTI NAS NUECES 53 56 (1954) 56
MCALLEN MILLER INTL AP HIDALGO 51 52 (1970) 44
FT WORTH NAS TARRANT 37 42 (1954) 28
FT WORTH MEACHAM FLD TARRANT 44 45 (1994) 25
ACTON RCH CROCKETT 39 41 (1996) 13
ARANSAS WR ARANSAS 47 47 (1954) 35
BENBROOK DAM TARRANT 38 38 (1954) 50
BISHOP NUECES 46 49 (1944) 20
BOQUILLAS RS BREWSTER 44 44 (1995) 22
FALCON DAM STARR 49 50 (1976) 39
FT MCKAVETT MENARD 37 37 (1878) 12
FT DAVIS JEFF DAVIS 35 36 (1988) 26
FT WORTH WSFO TARRANT 44 45 (1994) 10
HEATH CANYON BREWSTER 48 51 (1995) 10
HUDSPETH RIVER RANCH VAL VERDE 43 45 (1996) 16
KARNES CITY 2 N KARNES 49 49 (1984) 24
LAKE ALAN HENRY GARZA 42 42 (1994) 11
LAKE PALO PINTO PALO PINTO 41 42 (1994) 11
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 55 58 (1990) 15
PORT MANSFIELD WILLACY 48 52 (1976) 40
PROCTOR RSVR COMANCHE 41 41 (1994) 40
ROCKPORT ARANSAS 51 52 (1970) 43
SANTA ROSA 3 WNW HIDALGO 50 50 (1996) 18
SAN ANTONIO/SEAWORLD BEXAR 50 50 (1994) 14
TERLINGUA RCH BREWSTER 40 44 (1994) 11
VALENTINE JEFF DAVIS 32 35 (1991) 21

Climatic Averages for June

  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 91.1 110 (1907) 68.5 44 (1919) 3.06 9.60 (1961) 4.35 (1941) 18.7 0.0 6.4 0 442
Amarillo 87.4 108 (1998) 61.1 38 (1917) 3.28 10.73 (1965) 6.15 (1960) 12.8 0.0 8.3 7 285
Austin 90.9 108 (1998) 71.1 51 (1926) 3.81 14.96 (1981) 8.65 (1941) 20.8 0.0 7.5 0 495
Brownsville 90.5 103 (1918) 74.9 56 (1919) 2.93 13.80 (1887) 8.18 (1942) 24.2 0.0 6.6 0 545
College Station 91.7 108 (1901) 71.5 53 (1970) 3.79 15.03 (1905) 6.70 (1905) 20.9 0.0 7.4 0 497
Corpus Christi 90.2 106 (1998) 73.5 56 (1919) 3.53 13.35 (1973) 8.26 (1924) 20.6 0.0 6.7 0 520
Dallas‑Fort Worth 91.1 113 (1980) 70.7 48 (1903) 3.23 11.58 (1928) 4.14 (1928) 20.3 0.0 7.0 0 478
Del Rio 93.7 112 (1988) 72.1 49 (1919) 2.34 13.71 (1935) 8.88 (1935) 24.7 0.0 6.1 0 545
El Paso 95.3 114 (1994) 68.8 46 (1988) 0.87 3.18 (1984) 1.82 (1897) 25.9 0.0 3.5 0 497
Galveston 86.6 99 (1918) 77.8 57 (1903) 4.04 15.49 (1919) 12.56 (1961) 2.8 0.0 8.0 0 515
Houston 90.7 103 (1980) 71.8 52 (1970) 5.35 19.21 (2001) 11.02 (2001) 20.1 0.0 9.7 0 485
Lubbock 90.0 114 (1994) 64.1 39 (1917) 2.98 8.48 (2000) 5.70 (1967) 17.4 0.0 7.4 2 381
Midland 92.7 116 (1994) 66.4 47 (1983) 1.71 5.10 (1940) 3.95 (1940) 21.3 0.0 4.9 0 438
Port Arthur 89.4 106 (1902) 72.3 53 (1903) 6.58 18.90 (1989) 10.20 (1961) 16.6 0.0 9.2 0 480
San Angelo 90.8 110 (1994) 67.6 40 (1912) 2.52 6.01 (1982) 3.88 (1999) 20.0 0.0 6.2 0 442
San Antonio 91.4 107 (1998) 71.6 48 (1919) 4.30 11.95 (1986) 6.30 (1986) 20.6 0.0 7.7 0 505
Victoria 90.3 107 (1934) 73.3 54 (1919) 4.96 12.68 (1973) 9.30 (1977) 20.2 0.0 8.4 0 514
Waco 92.0 109 (1980) 70.6 52 (1964) 3.08 12.06 (1961) 6.40 (1938) 21.9 0.0 7.3 0 497
Wichita Falls 91.7 117 (1980) 67.8 50 (1928) 3.69 8.60 (1989) 5.36 (1985) 19.9 0.0 7.2 0 448
Shreveport, LA 89.8 104 (1936) 69.9 52 (1977) 5.05 17.11 (1989) 8.00 (1902) 17.7 0.0 8.6 0 436
Climatic averages are based on 1971-2000 monthly normals, which are provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
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