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Texas Climate Report: August 2009

August 2009 again continued the trend of above normal temperatures across most of the state, although areas of the panhandle did get some breaks from the extreme heat gripping the rest of the state. Average daytime temperatures topped 100°F during the month in Austin, Del Rio, and San Antonio, all of which were part of a larger area in Central and South Texas that received only a small fraction of the precipitation amount expected in a normal August. Each station other than Amarillo, Houston, and Port Arthur received less than 2 inches of total precipitation, with the Houston and Port Arthur amounts only about half of what is normally expected in August. Rainfall was plentiful in the Panhandle and in extreme Northeast Texas. Amarillo received more than three times its normal August precipitation with 9.08", Center picked up 7.74", and Mount Pleasant ended the month with 6.63" of rainfall. The South Central, Coastal Bend, and Lower Valley regions have been in exceptional drought the entire summer and these conditions have devastated the agriculture and forced the careful conservation of water resources in these areas.

As was the case for most of July, high pressure in place at upper levels across most of the state suppressed most of the convective activity that normally brings summertime rainfall across Texas. Storm systems that did push through the state travelled mostly through the Panhandle and the Red River Valley. However, the final week of the month saw a stationary boundary bring much needed rainfall to areas of Southeast Texas, though most of the rainfall stayed to the northeast of the core drought region. The warmest Texas temperature in August was at Agua Fria on the 16th when the temperature rose to 112°F while the coolest temperature recorded was 52°F on the 21st at Dalhart. Severe weather accompanied heavy rainfall in the Panhandle on the 17th and 18th, including 2.75" hail in Carson and Dallam counties and winds over 70 mph. On the 30th, a waterspout came onshore as a tornado in Galveston, causing damage to the roof of Dolphin World and injuring two police officers when the windows blew out of their squad car.

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 96.7 +3.0 101 71.6 +0.2 60 84.2 +1.6 5 1.25 48% 0.75 0 602
Amarillo 88.4 ‑0.3 98 63.5 ‑0.3 57 76.0 ‑0.3 8 8.07 274% 3.01 0 347
Austin 101.7 +6.1 105 76.5 +3.2 71 89.1 +4.6 4 0.77 33% 0.73 0 755
Brownsville 96.5 +3.9 99 75.9 +0.6 72 86.2 +2.2 4 0.60 20% 0.57 0 664
College Station 99.2 +3.0 103 76.0 +2.8 69 87.6 +2.9 5 0.69 26% 0.54 0 707
Corpus Christi 98.3 +4.9 101 76.8 +2.3 72 87.6 +3.7 4 0.45 13% 0.37 0 708
Dallas‑Fort Worth 95.6 +0.8 101 74.9 +0.9 67 85.2 +0.8 3 1.64 81% 0.99 0 636
Del Rio 100.8 +4.8 104 77.6 +3.5 70 89.2 +4.1 2 0.06 3% 0.05 0 760
El Paso 96.0 +4.0 102 72.1 +1.9 66 84.1 +3.0 5 0.59 34% 0.35 0 597
Galveston 92.3 +3.0 94 80.7 +1.2 73 86.5 +2.1 7 1.08 26% 0.78 0 674
Houston 96.4 +2.9 101 76.1 +3.1 73 86.2 +2.9 5 2.11 55% 0.73 0 665
Lubbock 94.6 +4.6 100 67.2 +1.2 60 80.9 +2.9 3 0.47 20% 0.43 0 500
Midland 95.6 +2.8 103 69.4 +1.5 58 82.5 +2.1 1 0.03 2% 0.03 0 550
Port Arthur 92.2 +0.5 97 75.3 +2.1 72 83.7 +1.2 8 2.71 56% 2.65 0 587
San Angelo 98.0 +4.9 103 71.5 +2.1 58 84.8 +3.5 4 1.89 92% 1.41 0 620
San Antonio 100.3 +5.6 104 76.4 +2.8 71 88.3 +4.1 3 0.45 18% 0.23 0 730
Victoria 98.9 +5.2 104 75.3 +0.7 72 87.1 +2.9 6 1.62 53% 0.74 0 692
Waco 99.6 +2.7 104 75.8 +2.3 66 87.7 +2.5 1 0.01 1% 0.01 0 711
Wichita Falls 97.3 +1.5 107 71.2 ‑0.1 60 84.2 +0.7 5 1.58 66% 1.34 0 606
Shreveport, LA 91.2 ‑2.2 95 71.7 ‑0.6 63 81.5 ‑1.4 5 1.69 62% 1.08 0 518
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.

aug 2009 average temperatures
aug 2009 average precipitation

Monthly Extremes

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
ODESSA SCHLEMEYER FLD ECTOR 0.00
PECOS MUNI AP REEVES 0.00
GARNER FLD AP UVALDE 0.00
CAMP VERDE 3W KERR 0.00
CROSS MCMULLEN 0.00
EL INDIO MAVERICK 0.00
HUMBLE PUMP STN 5 WN SUTTON 0.00
NIXON GONZALES 0.00
ODESSA 1SE ECTOR 0.00
PECOS 8 W REEVES 0.00
PENWELL ECTOR 0.00
PORT ISABEL CAMERON 0.00
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
MT VERNON FRANKLIN 10.63
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours (inches)
Station County Value
PINELAND SABINE 5.80
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
DOG CANYON CULBERSON 67.9
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
LAREDO INTL AP WEBB 92.4
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
DOG CANYON CULBERSON 81.0
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
LAREDO INTL AP WEBB 105.3
Highest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
WASHINGTON SP WASHINGTON 118
Lowest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
FT DAVIS JEFF DAVIS 70
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
DOG CANYON CULBERSON 54.8
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 81.4
PORT O CONNOR CALHOUN 81.4
Highest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
GARNER FLD AP UVALDE 88
Lowest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
DOG CANYON CULBERSON 47

New Monthly Records

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
JUNCTION KIMBLE CO AP KIMBLE 0.04 0.07 (1999) 32
ABERNATHY HALE 0.06 0.08 (2000) 63
CROSS MCMULLEN 0.00 0.25 (2006) 12
EL INDIO MAVERICK 0.00 0.00 (2002) 30
HOUSTON‑PORT HARRIS 0.17 0.57 (1999) 15
HUMBLE PUMP STN 5 WN SUTTON 0.00 0.00 (2000) 55
LA JOYA HIDALGO 0.03 0.10 (2005) 12
NIXON GONZALES 0.00 0.00 (1952) 85
PENWELL ECTOR 0.00 0.00 (2000) 49
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 0.06 0.32 (1990) 22
PORT ISABEL CAMERON 0.00 0.00 (1997) 78
ROCKPORT ARANSAS 0.06 0.27 (1993) 49
THREE RIVERS 8 NE LIVE OAK 0.25 0.29 (2003) 20
VANDERPOOL 4N BANDERA 0.15 0.39 (1999) 15
WELDER W'LIFE FOUND SAN PATRICIO 0.02 0.05 (1990) 39
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
AMARILLO INTL AP POTTER 8.07 7.55 (1974) 118
MT VERNON FRANKLIN 10.63 6.73 (1997) 44
WHEELER WHEELER 7.44 5.16 (1989) 30
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours Ever in the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
DELL CITY 5 SSW HUDSPETH 1.62 1.58 (1990) 30
MONTGOMERY MONTGOMERY 4.10 3.53 (1989) 55
MT PLEASANT TITUS 3.89 3.66 (1961) 65
PINELAND SABINE 5.80 3.51 (2001) 32
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
LAREDO INTL AP WEBB 92.4 89.6 (1964) 26
SAN ANTONIO INTL AP BEXAR 88.3 88.3 (2006) 125
CORPUS CHRISTI INTL AP NUECES 87.6 86.8 (2005) 123
ALICE INTL AP JIM WELLS 91.1 87.6 (1951) 12
COLUMBUS COLORADO 86.6 86.3 (1999) 46
MCALLEN MILLER INTL AP HIDALGO 91.4 89.3 (1998) 47
SAN ANTONIO STINSON AP BEXAR 88.6 87.8 (2006) 12
NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI AP GUADALUPE 88.0 86.8 (2006) 10
AUSTIN‑CAMP MABRY TRAVIS 89.1 88.5 (2006) 110
AMISTAD DAM VAL VERDE 88.8 88.3 (2006) 45
BISHOP NUECES 88.3 88.2 (2005) 25
BRACKETTVILLE 22 N KINNEY 85.9 85.7 (1997) 10
CALLIHAM MCMULLEN 88.5 88.0 (2006) 10
CANYON DAM COMAL 87.2 86.3 (1962) 45
CHOKE CANYON DAM LIVE OAK 88.1 88.0 (1997) 25
DEL RIO 2 NW VAL VERDE 89.2 87.6 (2001) 14
DRIPPING SPRINGS 6 E HAYS 86.4 85.8 (2006) 25
EL CAMPO WHARTON 87.2 87.2 (1954) 29
FLORESVILLE WILSON 87.3 87.2 (1963) 43
GONZALES 1N GONZALES 88.1 86.9 (1985) 44
HEBBRONVILLE JIM HOGG 90.0 88.2 (1997) 41
HUDSPETH RIVER RANCH VAL VERDE 87.3 86.3 (1997) 19
LA GRANGE FAYETTE 88.4 87.6 (2006) 46
LANGTRY VAL VERDE 90.0 89.5 (1977) 35
LEXINGTON LEE 87.0 86.5 (1962) 43
MATHIS 4 SSW JIM WELLS 86.8 86.7 (2006) 44
MCALLEN HIDALGO 90.1 88.7 (2006) 62
POST GARZA 84.2 84.2 (2000) 41
POTEET ATASCOSA 88.3 88.3 (2006) 59
REFUGIO 2 NW REFUGIO 86.9 86.0 (1985) 22
SAN ANTONIO 8 NNE BEXAR 87.4 87.0 (2006) 12
SANTA ROSA 3 WNW HIDALGO 88.1 88.0 (2006) 22
SAN ANTONIO/SEAWORLD BEXAR 90.3 87.3 (2006) 19
SINTON 3 NW SAN PATRICIO 87.5 87.3 (1963) 42
TILDEN 4 SSE MCMULLEN 88.4 88.1 (1985) 46
WASHINGTON SP WASHINGTON 87.9 87.0 (1999) 53
WELDER W'LIFE FOUND SAN PATRICIO 87.2 86.5 (2005) 15
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
ATLANTA CASS 90.5 90.7 (2008) 10
WRIGHT PATMAN DAM CASS 87.9 87.9 (1992) 39
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
HARLINGEN RIO GRANDE AP CAMERON 98.9 98.6 (2005) 20
LAREDO INTL AP WEBB 105.3 102.2 (1952) 26
SAN ANTONIO INTL AP BEXAR 100.3 99.8 (2006) 125
CORPUS CHRISTI INTL AP NUECES 98.3 98.0 (2005) 123
ALICE INTL AP JIM WELLS 104.5 100.9 (1952) 12
MCALLEN MILLER INTL AP HIDALGO 102.8 100.0 (1998) 48
HONDO MUNI AP MEDINA 100.8 100.3 (2006) 30
SAN ANTONIO STINSON AP BEXAR 101.3 100.1 (2006) 12
NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI AP GUADALUPE 101.4 100.1 (2006) 10
AMISTAD DAM VAL VERDE 101.0 100.7 (1982) 45
BRACKETTVILLE 22 N KINNEY 99.6 98.8 (1997) 10
CALLIHAM MCMULLEN 102.2 100.5 (2006) 11
CANYON DAM COMAL 100.3 99.2 (1962) 46
DEL RIO 2 NW VAL VERDE 101.9 99.5 (2001) 14
DRIPPING SPRINGS 6 E HAYS 100.2 99.4 (2000) 25
FALCON DAM STARR 104.6 104.5 (1997) 45
HEBBRONVILLE JIM HOGG 104.1 101.4 (1997) 44
HUDSPETH RIVER RANCH VAL VERDE 99.6 98.1 (1999) 19
HUNT 10 W KERR 95.2 94.6 (1999) 10
KERRVILLE 3 NNE KERR 98.3 98.1 (2006) 34
LA GRANGE FAYETTE 101.8 100.7 (1993) 47
MCALLEN HIDALGO 101.1 99.8 (2002) 65
MC COOK HIDALGO 104.3 102.9 (1998) 51
MEDINA 1NE BANDERA 98.9 98.1 (2006) 26
POST GARZA 98.4 97.5 (1999) 43
POTEET ATASCOSA 101.7 101.2 (1952) 59
REFUGIO 3 SW REFUGIO 98.6 95.6 (2000) 10
SAN ANTONIO 8 NNE BEXAR 99.6 98.6 (2006) 12
SANTA ROSA 3 WNW HIDALGO 99.6 99.2 (2002) 23
SAN ANTONIO/SEAWORLD BEXAR 102.8 100.0 (2006) 20
WELDER W'LIFE FOUND SAN PATRICIO 96.9 96.8 (2005) 17
Highest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
LAREDO INTL AP WEBB 110 108 (1962) 26
ALICE INTL AP JIM WELLS 108 108 (1953) 12
SAN ANTONIO STINSON AP BEXAR 105 105 (1999) 12
NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI AP GUADALUPE 105 104 (2003) 10
HEBBRONVILLE JIM HOGG 114 108 (1999) 44
MATHIS 4 SSW JIM WELLS 104 104 (1997) 44
MEDINA 1NE BANDERA 103 103 (1996) 26
PORT ISABEL CAMERON 99 99 (2005) 70
REFUGIO 3 SW REFUGIO 102 102 (2008) 10
SAN ANTONIO 8 NNE BEXAR 103 103 (2000) 12
SAN ANTONIO/SEAWORLD BEXAR 107 104 (2000) 20
WASHINGTON SP WASHINGTON 118 110 (1998) 56
Lowest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
TERLINGUA RCH BREWSTER 76 76 (2004) 13
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
ALICE INTL AP JIM WELLS 77.7 75.4 (2008) 12
PALACIOS MUNI AP MATAGORDA 80.2 78.7 (2006) 65
MCALLEN MILLER INTL AP HIDALGO 79.9 78.6 (1998) 47
SAN ANTONIO STINSON AP BEXAR 75.9 75.5 (2006) 12
NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI AP GUADALUPE 74.6 73.6 (2007) 10
AUSTIN‑CAMP MABRY TRAVIS 76.5 76.3 (2006) 111
DEL RIO 2 NW VAL VERDE 76.6 75.8 (2001) 14
FREEPORT 2 NW BRAZORIA 79.1 79.0 (2006) 49
GONZALES 1N GONZALES 75.6 75.3 (2006) 44
HEBBRONVILLE JIM HOGG 76.0 75.3 (1998) 42
MATAGORDA 2 MATAGORDA 78.8 78.7 (2001) 67
MCALLEN HIDALGO 79.1 78.7 (2006) 64
REFUGIO 2 NW REFUGIO 75.9 75.3 (2006) 22
SAN ANTONIO/SEAWORLD BEXAR 77.8 74.6 (2006) 19
SINTON 3 NW SAN PATRICIO 77.5 77.3 (1998) 43
WASHINGTON SP WASHINGTON 73.9 73.5 (1977) 53
Highest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
FT HOOD BELL 86 82 (1967) 11
ALICE INTL AP JIM WELLS 83 79 (2004) 12
SAN ANTONIO STINSON AP BEXAR 80 78 (2007) 12
NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI AP GUADALUPE 80 80 (2008) 10
BOYS RANCH OLDHAM 76 76 (2006) 30
CALLIHAM MCMULLEN 79 79 (2006) 10
DRIPPING SPRINGS 6 E HAYS 77 77 (2000) 25
FLATONIA FAYETTE 81 80 (1951) 93
GONZALES 1N GONZALES 79 79 (1997) 44
HEBBRONVILLE JIM HOGG 87 79 (1997) 42
SAN ANTONIO 8 NNE BEXAR 78 78 (2006) 12
SANFORD DAM HUTCHINSON 78 78 (2003) 15
SANTA ROSA 3 WNW HIDALGO 86 81 (2006) 22
TILDEN 4 SSE MCMULLEN 80 80 (1964) 46
WASHINGTON SP WASHINGTON 84 77 (1997) 53
WELDER W'LIFE FOUND SAN PATRICIO 82 82 (2005) 17
Lowest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
ACTON RCH CROCKETT 60 60 (2005) 16
BRACKETTVILLE 22 N KINNEY 63 63 (1992) 10
CHILDRESS 2 CHILDRESS 60 61 (2006) 11
CONCHO PARK IVIE RSVR CONCHO 59 63 (2004) 10
FT MCKAVETT MENARD 54 55 (2003) 16
FT DAVIS JEFF DAVIS 51 51 (2005) 34
PADUCAH 15 S KING 57 59 (2004) 13
TERLINGUA RCH BREWSTER 60 60 (2004) 11

Climatic Averages for September

  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 86.7 107 (2000) 64.4 38 (1989) 2.91 11.03 (1974) 6.70 (1961) 12.5 0.0 6.5 18 327
Amarillo 81.8 103 (1995) 56.3 30 (1984) 1.88 6.42 (1923) 3.49 (1900) 7.0 0.2 6.4 56 173
Austin 90.1 112 (2000) 68.8 41 (1942) 2.91 20.78 (1921) 19.03 (1921) 18.2 0.0 7.2 2 439
Brownsville 89.4 105 (2000) 72.6 51 (1909) 5.31 30.57 (1886) 12.09 (1967) 20.0 0.0 9.3 0 494
College Station 90.9 112 (2000) 68.5 41 (1901) 3.91 12.13 (1958) 6.83 (1896) 18.1 0.0 7.0 0 440
Corpus Christi 89.9 109 (2000) 71.6 52 (2000) 5.03 20.33 (1967) 8.76 (1967) 18.7 0.0 9.0 0 485
Dallas‑Fort Worth 87.7 111 (2000) 67.2 40 (1942) 2.42 10.80 (1932) 9.57 (1932) 15.5 0.0 6.1 2 376
Del Rio 90.6 110 (2000) 69.4 43 (1908) 2.06 17.15 (1964) 5.52 (1970) 20.2 0.0 5.7 2 453
El Paso 87.1 104 (1982) 63.7 41 (1945) 1.61 6.68 (1974) 2.52 (1958) 14.3 0.0 6.5 9 305
Galveston 86.5 104 (2000) 75.6 52 (1942) 5.76 26.01 (1885) 11.65 (1961) 4.7 0.0 9.5 0 482
Houston 89.3 109 (2000) 68.4 45 (1942) 4.33 13.37 (1913) 7.98 (1976) 15.9 0.0 8.9 1 412
Lubbock 83.4 105 (1930) 58.4 33 (1983) 2.57 13.93 (1936) 7.80 (2008) 9.2 0.0 6.3 33 223
Midland 86.1 107 (1953) 61.6 36 (1989) 2.31 9.70 (1980) 4.37 (1986) 11.9 0.0 6.0 19 281
Port Arthur 88.0 105 (2000) 69.4 45 (1967) 6.10 21.96 (1980) 15.01 (1980) 13.0 0.0 10.0 1 417
San Angelo 86.6 107 (2005) 63.0 35 (1913) 2.95 11.00 (1980) 6.25 (1980) 13.2 0.0 5.4 12 321
San Antonio 90.0 111 (2000) 68.8 41 (1942) 3.00 15.78 (1946) 7.28 (1973) 18.4 0.0 6.5 2 439
Victoria 89.9 111 (2000) 70.3 45 (1942) 5.00 19.05 (1978) 7.83 (1978) 18.5 0.0 9.9 1 454
Waco 90.1 111 (2000) 67.0 39 (1942) 2.88 11.17 (1913) 6.03 (1936) 18.3 0.0 6.6 6 416
Wichita Falls 87.5 111 (2000) 63.7 38 (1989) 3.19 10.23 (1980) 6.22 (1980) 15.1 0.0 6.4 18 339
Shreveport, LA 87.6 109 (2000) 66.4 42 (1984) 3.21 16.46 (1913) 7.04 (1913) 14.4 0.0 6.9 6 353
Climatic averages are based on 1971-2000 monthly normals, which are provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
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