Weekly Climate Summary: 03/15/2022

While wetter than the previous week, dry conditions remained in the west through this period, however much wetter conditions existed in the east. The Panhandle, Big Bend Country, Hill Country, South Texas Plains, Western Red River Valley, and Southern Gulf Coast all observed less than 0.1” of precipitation across most counties.  Some exceptions to this were Castro, Live Oak, Nueces, and Aransas counties who all observed between 0.15-0.3” of precipitation. The eastern side of the state along the Northern Gulf Coast and in the Piney Woods region record much higher rainfall accumulation across this period. Most counties in these regions observed between 0.6-2.1” of precipitation. Rusk, Panola, and Shelby counties observed some of the highest precipitation in the state between 2.1-2.7”, however, San Augustine County was the wettest across the period observing more than 2.7”.

This week in Texas weather saw extreme negative temperature departures across the state. All regions of the state observed temperatures 6-15 °F cooler than normal. The Big Bend Country, Brazos River Valley, North Central Texas, and Southern Piney Woods observed temperatures 6-9 °F cooler than normal. The remainder of the state including the Panhandle, North Texas, Gulf Coast, and South Texas Plains observed temperatures 9-12 °F cooler than normal in most counties. Several counties across the state observed temperatures 12-15 °F cooler than normal, however, Wharton County observed the most extreme departure with temperatures 15 °F cooler than normal. The least extreme temperature departures in the state were in Refugio, Aransas, Orange, and Jefferson counties where temperatures were 3-6 °F cooler than normal.

Near the end of this period between March 14th and 15th, a low-pressure zone and cold front moved across Texas. As a result, convective systems occurred in East Texas, and several severe weather reports of hail were noted. Specifically, reports of hail were made near the Dallas-Fortworth Metroplex, Brazos Valley Region, and near Lufkin Texas. Ellis, Dallas, Rockwall, Grayson, Brazos, and Henderson counties reported 1.0” hail. Collin, Fannin, Trinity, Angelina, Robertson, and San Augustine counties reported 1.75” hail.