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Texas Climate Report: March 1998

Observations of both temperature and precipitation broke records in all regions of the state -- mostly during the second half of the month. Below normal temperatures engulfed the entire state in March, particularly in the High and Low Rolling Plains. Much of the state received above normal precipitation, however below normal conditions existed in West Texas and near or slightly below normal conditions occurred in parts of Central and Southeast Texas.

The first week of March saw Texas with negative temperature departures throughout the northern half of the state, and positive departures in the southern half. Of the first-order stations across the state, Brownsville claimed the highest temperature (88°F) while Amarillo, Lubbock and Midland observed the lowest temperature (21°F) during the first week. Beaumont was the only location that received more than an inch of precipitation through the 7th as 2.60" of rain fell, fueled by the Gulf moisture.

Cold air and strong winds whipped through the Lone Star State on the 8th, reminding the residents that the winter season was not yet over. Freezing temperatures were observed as far south as Houston and Victoria. Wind chill temperatures were extremely uncomfortable since the cold air was accompanied by strong wind gusts reaching speeds of 45 mph in many locales. The vigorous low pressure system and associated cold front spawned severe thunderstorms across the southern half of Texas, producing large hail and destructive winds. The record for daily rainfall amount on the 8th was broken at Corpus Christi early in the morning when 0.89" of rain fell from these storms. On the 9th, Dalhart recorded Texas' lowest temperature for the month (13°F).

Negative temperature departures were spatially vast, but not as extreme throughout the third week of March. More severe weather hit the entire state during the middle of the week, producing damaging tornadoes and breaking precipitation records. Del Rio (15th), Austin (16th) and San Antonio (16th) all set new daily precipitation records after receiving 0.93", 1.34", and 1.23" respectively. Tornadoes touched down in Collin County on the 17th and in Swisher County on the 18th. Gusts of near 70 mph from thunderstorms produced damage in Grayson County, also on the 18th.

Much warmer air resided over Texas throughout the final ten days of the month and caused a breakout of spring fever. Temperature departures nearly reached double-digits in the High Plains over this period. More records were set, this time with temperature rather than precipitation. Midland, Lubbock and San Angelo each set records on the 23rd after observing maximum temperatures of 90°F, 84°F and 87°F respectively. Two days later, Amarillo (87°F) tied its maximum daily temperature record, as did Lubbock (90°F) once again. Very little precipitation fell during the latter part of the month since the state was dominated by warm, dry air until another frontal system passed on the 29th. The trailing air mass caused temperatures to drop and one more record to be broken as El Paso set a new record on the 30th for lowest maximum temperature (50°F).

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 65.7 ‑3.2 87 41.2 ‑2.1 21 53.5 ‑2.6 7 3.19 235% 2.24 389 40
Amarillo 57.0 ‑4.6 87 29.9 ‑2.8 14 43.4 ‑3.7 10 2.46 256% 1.37 664 1
Austin 69.6 ‑2.3 84 49.4 ‑1.7 32 59.5 ‑2.0 11 3.07 164% 1.42 218 53
Brownsville 76.2 ‑2.2 89 59.5 +0.4 44 67.8 ‑1.0 4 0.62 117% 0.39 56 151
College Station 68.5 ‑2.5 85 47.0 ‑2.7 31 57.8 ‑2.5 11 2.43 94% 1.42 269 51
Corpus Christi 73.7 ‑2.0 87 55.7 +0.4 40 64.7 ‑0.9 7 2.47 263% 1.09 107 107
Dallas‑Fort Worth 64.6 ‑3.2 84 45.2 ‑0.4 23 54.9 ‑1.8 11 4.45 161% 2.27 347 45
Del Rio 75.3 ‑0.4 93 50.3 ‑0.6 31 62.8 ‑0.5 4 1.06 154% 0.93 166 106
El Paso 68.1 ‑1.8 86 39.9 ‑0.3 23 54.0 ‑1.1 5 0.18 62% 0.11 342 8
Galveston N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1.27 N/A N/A
Houston 70.9 ‑0.2 84 49.2 ‑0.8 30 60.0 ‑0.6 9 2.32 79% 1.51 212 64
Lubbock 62.1 ‑3.9 90 33.6 ‑2.8 14 47.9 ‑3.3 5 1.33 149% 1.20 538 13
Midland 69.1 ‑2.1 90 38.5 ‑1.7 20 53.8 ‑1.9 4 0.42 72% 0.38 367 27
Port Arthur 69.3 ‑2.2 79 50.9 ‑0.4 36 60.1 ‑1.3 6 5.19 160% 2.81 199 56
San Angelo 68.3 ‑4.3 88 41.8 ‑1.7 23 55.0 ‑3.1 7 1.85 203% 1.37 338 37
San Antonio 70.5 ‑3.0 87 49.0 ‑0.7 32 59.7 ‑2.0 10 2.85 188% 1.65 214 56
Victoria 70.7 ‑3.0 82 51.1 ‑1.7 32 60.9 ‑2.4 7 2.07 134% 1.20 179 60
Waco 66.9 ‑2.7 86 45.5 ‑1.3 25 56.2 ‑2.0 10 2.38 102% 1.03 315 49
Wichita Falls 61.5 ‑4.9 85 39.5 ‑1.1 19 50.5 ‑3.0 10 3.84 174% 1.84 469 27
Shreveport, LA 66.6 ‑2.6 86 45.6 ‑0.2 26 56.1 ‑1.4 8 4.28 119% 2.06 324 56
*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.

mar 1998 average temperatures
mar 1998 average precipitation

Monthly Extremes

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
BENAVIDES 2 DUVAL 0.00
FT HANCOCK 8 SSE HUDSPETH 0.00
KENT 8 SE JEFF DAVIS 0.00
MARATHON BREWSTER 0.00
PORT O CONNOR CALHOUN 0.00
STUDY BUTTE BREWSTER 0.00
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
BOERNE KENDALL 6.95
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours (inches)
Station County Value
BIG WELLS 2W DIMMIT 4.50
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
PERRYTON OCHILTREE 38.8
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
PORT ISABEL CAMERON 69.9
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
PERRYTON OCHILTREE 51.5
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
HEATH CANYON BREWSTER 83.9
Highest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
CASTOLON BREWSTER 105
Lowest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
PERRYTON OCHILTREE 24
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
LIPSCOMB LIPSCOMB 25.3
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
PORT ISABEL CAMERON 65.2
Highest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
PORT ISABEL CAMERON 77
Lowest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
LIPSCOMB LIPSCOMB 7

New Monthly Records

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BENAVIDES 2 DUVAL 0.00 0.00 (1989) 32
FT HANCOCK 8 SSE HUDSPETH 0.00 0.00 (1997) 26
KENT 8 SE JEFF DAVIS 0.00 0.00 (1991) 10
MARATHON BREWSTER 0.00 0.00 (1996) 60
PORT O CONNOR CALHOUN 0.00 0.00 (1996) 40
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BOYS RANCH OLDHAM 2.16 1.75 (1985) 17
BRECKENRIDGE STEPHENS 4.93 4.70 (1979) 65
CENTER CITY MILLS 5.17 4.79 (1990) 35
HAMLIN 1 SW JONES 3.70 3.49 (1973) 67
HUDSPETH RIVER RANCH VAL VERDE 2.76 1.96 (1997) 11
KOPPERL 5 NNE HILL 4.41 3.67 (1995) 11
LAKE KEMP BAYLOR 3.27 3.11 (1990) 29
OLNEY YOUNG 4.92 4.80 (1985) 41
OZONA CROCKETT 2.54 2.35 (1979) 45
PADUCAH COTTLE 3.75 3.63 (1973) 49
PAMPA 2 GRAY 3.38 3.12 (1979) 32
PANDALE 1 N VAL VERDE 3.05 1.82 (1974) 45
PANDALE 11 NE VAL VERDE 2.49 2.43 (1989) 14
PIDCOKE CORYELL 4.69 4.48 (1997) 12
PROCTOR RSVR COMANCHE 5.14 4.99 (1977) 35
RANSOM CANYON LUBBOCK 1.37 1.33 (1988) 11
RICHLAND SPRINGS SAN SABA 4.72 4.55 (1979) 46
ROUND MTN BLANCO 5.00 4.28 (1981) 50
GORDON 1 SW PALO PINTO 6.84 6.71 (1970) 35
WHEELER WHEELER 3.63 3.61 (1988) 18
WOODSON THROCKMORTON 3.75 2.96 (1992) 11
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours Ever in the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BANKERSMITH GILLESPIE 3.24 2.27 (1994) 15
BENBROOK DAM TARRANT 3.83 3.70 (1990) 47
BIG WELLS 2W DIMMIT 4.50 3.04 (1951) 74
BOERNE KENDALL 4.00 3.84 (1911) 102
BOYS RANCH OLDHAM 1.21 0.95 (1987) 17
BRADY MCCULLOCH 2.60 2.30 (1977) 66
BROWNFIELD 2 TERRY 2.04 1.67 (1970) 44
BURLESON JOHNSON 2.95 2.75 (1996) 12
CENTER CITY MILLS 3.21 2.39 (1990) 35
COLEMAN COLEMAN 2.85 2.53 (1953) 99
COMANCHE COMANCHE 2.25 2.25 (1953) 77
CORNUDAS SVC STN HUDSPETH 1.25 0.84 (1964) 55
CRYSTAL CITY ZAVALA 2.97 2.32 (1945) 56
DIMMITT 2 N CASTRO 1.28 1.06 (1985) 37
DUMAS MOORE 1.50 1.50 (1957) 49
EVANT 1 SSW CORYELL 3.40 2.30 (1992) 36
GAINESVILLE 5 ENE COOKE 2.10 2.09 (1995) 10
GOLD GILLESPIE 2.64 1.99 (1968) 47
GOLDTHWAITE 1 WSW MILLS 3.24 2.31 (1977) 63
HUDSPETH RIVER RANCH VAL VERDE 2.76 1.07 (1997) 11
HYE BLANCO 3.25 1.99 (1968) 49
KOPPERL 5 NNE HILL 2.63 1.87 (1995) 11
MENARD MENARD 3.03 2.65 (1974) 91
MERIDIAN BOSQUE 2.28 2.15 (1995) 16
MULLIN MILLS 3.68 3.63 (1977) 49
NIX STORE 1 W LAMPASAS 3.49 2.30 (1970) 47
PADUCAH 10S COTTLE 1.55 1.50 (1985) 26
PANDALE 1 N VAL VERDE 2.94 1.35 (1989) 45
PANDALE 11 NE VAL VERDE 2.45 2.00 (1989) 14
PIDCOKE CORYELL 2.74 1.68 (1981) 12
QUANAH 2 SW HARDEMAN 2.76 2.16 (1939) 92
RICHLAND SPRINGS SAN SABA 4.10 2.50 (1977) 46
ROUND MTN BLANCO 3.00 2.38 (1992) 50
O C FISHER DAM TOM GREEN 1.39 1.39 (1981) 45
SAN SABA SAN SABA 3.12 2.80 (1970) 64
TARPLEY BANDERA 2.25 2.00 (1960) 29
TEAGUE RCH GILLESPIE 2.68 2.45 (1997) 49
TOW LLANO 3.01 1.90 (1985) 19
TULIA SWISHER 1.26 1.16 (1970) 49
WHEELER WHEELER 2.75 2.05 (1988) 18
WOODSON THROCKMORTON 1.91 1.83 (1992) 11
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
TURKEY HALL 46.9 47.0 (1996) 24
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BOYS RANCH OLDHAM 59.5 60.0 (1987) 17
BURLESON JOHNSON 64.2 64.2 (1993) 12
GAINESVILLE 5 ENE COOKE 61.6 62.2 (1996) 11
GLEN ROSE 2 W SOMERVELL 63.6 63.9 (1965) 34
GRANGER DAM WILLIAMSON 65.8 66.0 (1996) 18
LAKE TAWAKONI RAINS 63.9 64.5 (1996) 20
TURKEY HALL 61.1 62.4 (1970) 26
Highest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BIG LAKE 2 REAGAN 94 94 (1971) 32
BOQUILLAS RS BREWSTER 103 103 (1982) 24
CASTOLON BREWSTER 105 105 (1982) 19
FT DAVIS JEFF DAVIS 90 87 (1995) 22
LAJITAS BREWSTER 102 102 (1982) 19
PANTHER JUNCTION BREWSTER 95 94 (1995) 38
VALENTINE JEFF DAVIS 89 89 (1989) 18
Lowest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
LANGTRY VAL VERDE 30 40 (1987) 23
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
VAN HORN CULBERSON 34.1 34.1 (1992) 40
Highest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
HARLINGEN RIO GRANDE AP CAMERON 74 74 (1961) 11
BARDWELL DAM ELLIS 69 68 (1990) 33
BENBROOK DAM TARRANT 70 70 (1982) 44
BURLESON JOHNSON 69 66 (1994) 12
CHOKE CANYON DAM LIVE OAK 70 70 (1995) 15
DEWEYVILLE NEWTON 69 69 (1997) 11
EL PASO 32 ENE HUDSPETH 59 58 (1989) 14
FRANKLIN ROBERTSON 71 70 (1991) 31
GAINESVILLE 5 ENE COOKE 67 63 (1990) 11
LAVON DAM COLLIN 68 68 (1985) 43
LEXINGTON LEE 70 70 (1990) 32
LONGVIEW GREGG 71 70 (1945) 78
MADISONVILLE MADISON 71 71 (1991) 48
MINEOLA 8 ENE WOOD 68 68 (1991) 30
ORANGE 9 N ORANGE 69 69 (1997) 11
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 70 70 (1997) 13
RED ROCK BASTROP 70 70 (1985) 26
O C FISHER DAM TOM GREEN 66 66 (1982) 45
STILLHOUSE HOLLOW DAM BELL 68 68 (1982) 30
TOLEDO BEND DAM NEWTON 70 70 (1997) 23
WATER VALLEY TOM GREEN 66 64 (1967) 29
WAXAHACHIE ELLIS 73 73 (1935) 84
Lowest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
FT HANCOCK 8 SSE HUDSPETH 18 18 (1987) 23
TORNILLO 2 SSE EL PASO 18 18 (1987) 17

Climatic Averages for April

  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 77.8 102 (1925) 52.9 25 (1973) 1.90 9.80 (1890) 4.63 (1914) 2.9 0.4 5.8 94 106
Amarillo 71.5 98 (1989) 42.1 13 (1920) 0.99 6.45 (1997) 2.68 (1911) 1.0 3.5 4.9 266 20
Austin 79.4 99 (1939) 59.8 30 (1926) 2.56 19.82 (1915) 10.00 (1915) 1.7 0.0 6.9 28 166
Brownsville 84.0 102 (1984) 66.5 37 (1903) 1.56 10.35 (1991) 9.37 (1991) 3.5 0.0 3.4 0 312
College Station 78.3 98 (1893) 58.0 28 (1973) 3.38 12.50 (1957) 5.30 (1953) 0.5 0.1 6.9 39 135
Corpus Christi 81.7 102 (1984) 63.2 33 (1987) 1.72 8.04 (1956) 7.19 (1956) 1.9 0.0 4.8 9 234
Dallas‑Fort Worth 76.3 100 (1925) 54.7 29 (1989) 3.50 17.64 (1922) 8.81 (1922) 1.0 0.2 7.6 75 90
Del Rio 83.4 106 (1984) 59.2 33 (1987) 1.98 7.51 (1981) 4.57 (1969) 6.7 0.0 5.2 14 203
El Paso 78.7 98 (1989) 48.0 23 (1983) 0.20 2.24 (1931) 1.08 (1966) 2.0 0.9 1.5 110 62
Galveston 73.5 92 (1953) 65.0 38 (1938) 2.43 11.04 (1904) 9.23 (1904) 0.0 0.0 5.1 16 145
Houston 78.4 95 (1987) 58.1 31 (1987) 3.21 10.92 (1976) 8.16 (1976) 0.8 0.1 6.9 36 135
Lubbock 75.4 100 (1989) 46.7 18 (1920) 0.97 6.18 (1915) 2.18 (1997) 1.7 1.5 4.4 161 44
Midland 79.8 101 (1996) 49.4 20 (1973) 0.83 3.59 (1931) 2.00 (1931) 3.7 0.7 3.1 108 96
Port Arthur 78.3 94 (1987) 59.5 32 (1987) 3.51 15.30 (1973) 10.09 (1973) 0.3 0.0 6.1 32 149
San Angelo 81.2 107 (1925) 52.7 23 (1926) 1.67 5.10 (1977) 3.32 (1971) 5.0 0.6 4.9 70 130
San Antonio 80.3 101 (1996) 58.4 31 (1987) 2.50 11.64 (1915) 6.78 (1915) 2.1 0.0 7.3 32 161
Victoria 80.2 100 (1920) 61.0 33 (1987) 2.41 11.70 (1997) 9.87 (1991) 1.0 0.0 5.8 15 183
Waco 78.0 101 (1963) 56.2 27 (1975) 3.19 13.37 (1957) 5.09 (1957) 1.5 0.2 7.0 66 129
Wichita Falls 75.8 102 (1972) 50.3 24 (1975) 3.01 8.50 (1957) 4.09 (1967) 2.5 0.7 6.8 125 68
Shreveport, LA 77.1 96 (1887) 54.1 31 (1989) 3.75 21.84 (1991) 10.44 (1991) 0.1 0.2 8.2 69 87
Climatic averages are based on 1961-1990 monthly normals, which are provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
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