Skip Nav

Texas Climate Report: February 1998

Temperature anomalies were not as extreme in February as they were in January, however warmer than normal conditions continued across nearly the entire state. Only in extreme West Texas did the monthly mean temperature dip below normal. The Edwards Plateau and Trans Pecos Regions both received less than the expected amount of precipitation for February, while the rest of the state experienced a wet month in general. The Panhandle received about 300% of the normal monthly precipitation and parts of Central and East Texas experienced rainfall totals for the month which were nearly twice the normal amount. Both numerous precipitation days and intense storms throughout February were significant contributors to these high totals.

All first order stations observed more precipitation days for the month than normal, even those stations in West Texas that did not reach their monthly normal precipitation amount. Ten different first-order stations observed ten or more of these days in February, more than one out of every three days were spent reaching for an umbrella. Each week of the month had its fair share of rain as well since there were numerous rain-producing events spread quite evenly throughout the month.

The magnitude of the average daily temperature anomalies oscillated from one week to the next. The first and third weeks of February were near normal with regards to temperature, with a slight tendency for warmer than normal temperatures (+1°F to +2°F) throughout the state. The second and fourth weeks were about 5°F above normal on the average for Texas. It was during the final week that the extreme temperatures were observed for the month. Del Rio observed the state's lowest temperature of 18°F on the 28th.

Severe weather crossed Central and East Texas at least one time in each of the four weeks in February. Much of the severe weather was spawned by the passage of cold fronts on the 3rd, 10th, 16th and 25th, along with a low pressure system that set up in the Southern Region of Texas on the 21st. On the 10th, tornadoes were reported in Frio and Wilson Counties near San Antonio. Numerous reports of damage resulted from these tornadoes and straight line winds of nearly 100 mph. Major damage to Sabine National Forest and Angelina National Forest occurred during these storms east of Lufkin as an approximated 103,000 acres of trees were downed from high winds. The estimated cost of damage is approximately $150 million. Tornadoes in Fort Bend, Galveston and Jim Wells Counties resulted from the severe thunderstorms on the 16th and 17th, while large hail and high winds (75 mph) caused still more damage across Southeast Texas on the 26th.

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 59.9 +0.2 85 38.3 +3.2 26 49.1 +1.7 6 0.68 59% 0.29 438 0
Amarillo 51.8 ‑1.0 75 30.1 +4.6 20 40.9 +1.7 8 2.08 341% 0.76 667 0
Austin 65.0 +1.6 81 45.9 +3.8 37 55.5 +2.7 9 3.26 150% 0.88 258 1
Brownsville 76.6 +4.4 88 52.4 ‑0.1 40 64.5 +2.1 5 1.72 162% 1.17 53 44
College Station 64.5 +1.6 77 43.1 +1.2 32 53.8 +1.4 12 5.23 200% 1.95 306 2
Corpus Christi 71.4 +2.4 81 50.7 +2.7 40 61.1 +2.6 8 2.72 139% 1.13 115 13
Dallas‑Fort Worth 60.6 +1.7 77 41.5 +4.6 30 51.1 +3.2 12 3.22 148% 1.19 383 0
Del Rio 72.0 +4.9 89 43.2 +0.3 29 57.6 +2.5 6 0.34 36% 0.12 208 11
El Paso 59.0 ‑3.2 80 36.1 +2.2 22 47.5 ‑0.6 3 0.15 37% 0.10 481 0
Galveston 63.2 +2.7 72 51.5 +1.6 40 57.4 +2.2 11 4.99 221% 1.19 210 1
Houston 65.7 +0.4 77 44.5 +1.9 35 55.1 +1.2 11 5.85 198% 1.51 276 6
Lubbock 54.6 ‑3.0 76 32.5 +3.9 24 43.5 +0.4 9 1.86 274% 0.99 594 0
Midland 62.1 +0.5 81 36.4 +3.8 27 49.3 +2.2 4 0.50 81% 0.35 434 0
Port Arthur 64.9 +0.6 74 46.6 +2.2 36 55.8 +1.4 11 5.03 149% 1.21 253 1
San Angelo 62.8 +0.8 82 37.1 +2.4 29 49.9 +1.5 6 0.53 50% 0.19 416 0
San Antonio 67.3 +1.6 81 43.2 +1.9 35 55.3 +1.8 8 3.37 186% 1.48 270 3
Victoria 67.6 +0.8 78 46.3 +0.9 33 56.9 +0.8 11 3.33 166% 0.82 225 7
Waco 62.1 +1.3 76 40.8 +2.8 29 51.4 +2.0 10 4.04 193% 1.53 374 0
Wichita Falls 56.7 ‑0.5 81 37.9 +5.8 25 47.3 +2.6 9 2.34 160% 1.22 494 2
Shreveport, LA 62.0 +1.4 74 41.2 +3.2 30 51.6 +2.3 10 7.19 183% 2.71 368 0
*Dep.: Departure of the monthly average temperature from the 1961-1990 monthly normal, which is provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
*Perc. Norm.: Monthly precipitation total divided by 1961-1990 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.

feb 1998 average temperatures
feb 1998 average precipitation

Monthly Extremes

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
BALMORHEA REEVES 0.00
CORNUDAS SVC STN HUDSPETH 0.00
HIGGINS 1 N LIPSCOMB 0.00
LAJITAS BREWSTER 0.00
SALT FLAT HUDSPETH 0.00
STUDY BUTTE BREWSTER 0.00
VALENTINE JEFF DAVIS 0.00
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
MAUD BOWIE 8.60
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours (inches)
Station County Value
PORT MANSFIELD WILLACY 4.30
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
DALHART 6 SW HARTLEY 38.8
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
WESLACO HIDALGO 66.1
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
CLAUDE ARMSTRONG 50.9
PAMPA 2 GRAY 50.9
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
FALCON DAM STARR 80.2
Highest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
FALCON DAM STARR 95
Lowest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
MCALLEN HIDALGO 0
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
SALT FLAT HUDSPETH 23.6
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
PORT ISABEL CAMERON 58.5
Highest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
PORT ISABEL CAMERON 69
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND CAMERON 69
Lowest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
CORNUDAS SVC STN HUDSPETH 14
DALHART 6 SW HARTLEY 14

New Monthly Records

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BALMORHEA REEVES 0.00 0.00 (1996) 74
CORNUDAS SVC STN HUDSPETH 0.00 0.00 (1996) 52
HIGGINS 1 N LIPSCOMB 0.00 0.00 (1995) 47
LAJITAS BREWSTER 0.00 0.00 (1984) 20
SALT FLAT HUDSPETH 0.00 0.00 (1996) 18
VALENTINE JEFF DAVIS 0.00 0.00 (1984) 20
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
ACKER RCH MCMULLEN 3.17 2.90 (1987) 14
CHANNING 2 HARTLEY 1.22 0.95 (1969) 14
CHOKE CANYON DAM LIVE OAK 4.02 3.47 (1987) 15
COLDSPRING 5 SSW SAN JACINTO 8.20 7.31 (1997) 44
DACUS MONTGOMERY 6.92 6.70 (1992) 44
DIMMITT 2 N CASTRO 2.71 1.70 (1986) 39
FLOMOT 4 NE MOTLEY 2.55 2.24 (1997) 46
KATY WOLF HILL HARRIS 6.26 5.63 (1983) 20
MC GREGOR MCLENNAN 6.89 6.30 (1997) 86
NORTHFIELD MOTLEY 3.15 2.81 (1997) 50
OLTON LAMB 1.67 1.49 (1964) 43
PORT MANSFIELD WILLACY 6.53 5.62 (1982) 39
POTEET ATASCOSA 7.64 7.13 (1991) 57
SANTA ROSA 3 WNW HIDALGO 4.38 3.51 (1991) 11
SILVERTON BRISCOE 2.69 1.87 (1983) 56
TULIA SWISHER 2.64 1.89 (1990) 50
WIMBERLEY 1 NW HAYS 6.21 5.37 (1992) 13
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours Ever in the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BOXELDER 3 NNE RED RIVER 3.25 3.09 (1986) 48
CANYON DAM COMAL 2.59 2.15 (1969) 33
CHALK MTN ERATH 2.05 2.05 (1997) 35
DIMMITT 2 N CASTRO 1.11 0.77 (1990) 39
FARMERSVILLE HUNT 3.90 3.75 (1949) 46
FLOYDADA FLOYD 1.50 1.31 (1990) 53
GIDDINGS 5 E LEE 2.98 2.85 (1970) 55
GLEN ROSE 2 W SOMERVELL 2.56 2.52 (1965) 34
MINEOLA 8 ENE WOOD 2.22 2.12 (1997) 29
RAINBOW SOMERVELL 2.65 2.50 (1992) 61
TEXARKANA BOWIE 3.25 2.77 (1986) 30
THREE RIVERS 8 NE LIVE OAK 2.34 1.62 (1991) 11
WIMBERLEY 1 NW HAYS 2.27 2.15 (1994) 13
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
EL PASO 32 ENE HUDSPETH 42.8 43.5 (1984) 12
SALT FLAT HUDSPETH 42.1 43.9 (1997) 16
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
FALCON DAM STARR 65.6 65.2 (1976) 33
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
EL PASO 32 ENE HUDSPETH 54.1 57.0 (1984) 12
SALT FLAT HUDSPETH 60.5 61.0 (1997) 17
TORNILLO 2 SSE EL PASO 62.1 62.7 (1985) 17
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
FALCON DAM STARR 80.2 79.6 (1976) 33
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 67.9 67.9 (1990) 11
Highest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
FT HANCOCK 8 SSE HUDSPETH 85 85 (1976) 24
PINE SPRINGS CULBERSON 72 72 (1996) 10
Lowest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
MCALLEN HIDALGO 0 33 (1989) 54
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BOQUILLAS RS BREWSTER 32.3 32.4 (1984) 23
FT DAVIS JEFF DAVIS 27.3 28.2 (1985) 22
SALT FLAT HUDSPETH 23.6 26.2 (1984) 16
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
ARCHER CITY ARCHER 39.2 39.0 (1987) 30
CHANNING 2 HARTLEY 29.2 27.6 (1995) 10
OLTON LAMB 30.2 30.2 (1992) 32
Highest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 66 65 (1996) 11

Climatic Averages for March

  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 68.9 98 (1916) 43.3 9 (1948) 1.36 5.16 (1979) 2.78 (1943) 0.6 4.4 5.1 299 23
Amarillo 61.6 96 (1907) 32.7 ‑3 (1948) 0.96 4.06 (1922) 3.13 (1922) 0.1 14.7 5.2 555 0
Austin 71.9 98 (1971) 51.1 18 (1948) 1.87 7.23 (1926) 3.00 (1900) 0.6 1.0 7.3 175 66
Brownsville 78.4 106 (1984) 59.1 28 (1901) 0.53 6.46 (1903) 2.76 (1997) 1.2 0.1 3.5 41 159
College Station 71.0 96 (1946) 49.7 17 (1943) 2.58 8.03 (1926) 4.20 (1980) 0.1 1.3 7.3 197 51
Corpus Christi 75.7 102 (1989) 55.3 24 (1980) 0.94 7.69 (1903) 4.66 (1903) 0.8 0.4 4.7 100 119
Dallas‑Fort Worth 67.8 100 (1916) 45.6 10 (1943) 2.77 6.69 (1995) 4.39 (1977) 0.2 2.8 7.3 286 29
Del Rio 75.7 103 (1928) 50.9 19 (1922) 0.69 3.20 (1990) 2.33 (1935) 1.8 0.8 4.7 139 87
El Paso 69.9 93 (1907) 40.2 14 (1971) 0.29 2.26 (1958) 1.32 (1883) 0.0 5.1 2.4 316 10
Galveston 66.7 85 (1879) 56.7 26 (1980) 2.23 9.49 (1973) 8.10 (1973) 0.0 0.2 7.1 145 43
Houston 71.1 96 (1946) 50.0 21 (1943) 2.92 10.66 (1922) 7.47 (1972) 0.1 1.0 8.9 187 50
Lubbock 66.0 95 (1989) 36.4 ‑2 (1922) 0.89 3.56 (1941) 1.80 (1973) 0.1 9.9 4.3 437 10
Midland 71.2 97 (1946) 40.2 9 (1980) 0.58 2.86 (1970) 2.20 (1970) 0.5 5.7 2.8 309 21
Port Arthur 71.5 95 (1946) 51.3 23 (1989) 3.24 10.21 (1949) 6.04 (1979) 0.0 1.0 8.0 155 43
San Angelo 72.6 98 (1908) 43.5 8 (1980) 0.91 5.00 (1953) 4.65 (1953) 1.0 4.3 4.4 247 33
San Antonio 73.5 100 (1991) 49.7 19 (1980) 1.52 6.12 (1992) 3.59 (1992) 0.8 1.7 7.1 167 64
Victoria 73.7 98 (1939) 52.8 21 (1980) 1.55 11.61 (1997) 5.04 (1997) 0.3 0.5 6.6 128 76
Waco 69.6 100 (1971) 46.8 15 (1948) 2.33 8.38 (1905) 3.90 (1912) 0.4 2.1 7.3 247 36
Wichita Falls 66.4 100 (1971) 40.6 6 (1948) 2.21 5.38 (1990) 4.32 (1988) 0.9 6.3 6.1 377 20
Shreveport, LA 69.2 92 (1974) 45.8 15 (1943) 3.59 11.99 (1945) 5.43 (1945) 0.0 2.5 9.3 262 30
Climatic averages are based on 1961-1990 monthly normals, which are provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
College of Arts & Sciences

Be Here. Be ArtSci.