Weekly Climate Summary 10/04/2021

This week in Texas weather saw an increase in precipitation across the state compared to this fall season. The region around the Edwards Plateau and Gulf Coast saw the most accumulation in the state. Accumulation averaged between 2-4” for most of these regions, with pockets around Mason County, Washington County, and Comal County averaging 4-6”. Furthermore, Nueces County saw the largest precipitation accumulation during this period at 8-10”. North of the Edwards Plateau as well as the southern portion of the Panhandle saw precipitation between 1-2”. The rest of the state including the Piney Woods Region, The Big Bend Region, the northern Panhandle as well as the South Texas Plains saw precipitation similar to what we’ve seen this fall. These areas averaged between 0.1-1” of precipitation.

Temperature departure varied across the state during this week. Starting in the central portion of the Gulf Coast, temperatures were below the normal at 0.1-2 degrees Fahrenheit cooler. Directly Northwest of the Gulf Coast in the southern portion of the Piney Woods and Prairies and Lakes Regions, as well as the eastern portion of the Hill Country and the South Plains saw temperatures 0.1-2 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the normal. The remainder of these regions as well as the eastern portion of the Panhandle and Big Bend Country saw temperature departure higher at 2-6 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the normal. Certain counties along the Red River and in the Northeast Panhandle recorded even higher departures at 6-8 degrees warmer, such as in Baylor County, Lamar County, and Lipscomb County. In the western portion of the Panhandle and Big Bend Country temperature departure went back down to 0.1-2 degrees warmer than the normal. Finally, the three most northwest counties in the Big Bend region, Culberson, Hudspeth, and El Paso, had negative temperature departures. These counties recorded temperatures 0.1-4 degrees cooler than the normal.

This week saw another cold front pass across the state, however, it was weaker compared to the cold front which passed through previously during September. While not reducing the temperature as much, humidity dropped across the state due to the front. This cold front began passing through on Thursday, September 30th, and had passed through by the end of the next day Friday, October 1st. Due to the passing front, rain showers increased causing the increase in precipitation seen especially in southeast Texas. Looking forward, increased rain chances are expected to continue across the state.