Texas Climate Report: May 1999
Temperatures across most of the state were near normal to slightly above normal for May of 1999. Mean monthly temperatures of two to three degrees below normal were found only in the Panhandle, while the Central and South Central regions experienced normal May temperatures. The greatest above normal departures were 2.4°F in El Paso and 2.5°F in Del Rio, and these two cities also recorded the smallest percentage of average precipitation, 8% and 15%, respectively. Except for Austin, most of the central portions of the state had below normal rainfall for May. North Texas and the Gulf Coast regions recorded above normal precipitation.
A cold front extending from a low pressure system in the Central Plains moved through Texas during the first week of May. Numerous reports of tornadoes occurred in the High Plains region on the 1st, and there were reports of hail as big as grapefruit in Sterling County on the 3rd. On the 4th, tornadoes were spotted in Van Zandt, Hunt, Rains, Henderson, and Anderson counties in the northeastern part of the state. These storms were part of the same system that caused the devastating tornadoes in the Oklahoma City area that same day. Temperatures records were set on the 4th and 5th in both Corpus Christi and Brownsville. On the 4th, Corpus Christi soared to 100°F, while Brownsville reached 99°F. Brownsville recorded 102°F on the 5th, breaking a 77-year record for that day by eight degrees.
Another cold front, this time associated with a low in the Northern Plains, passed across Texas from the 10th to the 13th. On the 11th there were reports of large hail in the Central and North Central regions, and tornadoes touched down in San Saba and Mason counties, the latter causing six injuries. Corpus Christi and the surrounding counties experienced hail and wind damage as the front moved through.
At the end of the month, a front that moved into Texas on the 23rd and remained draped across Central and South Texas for nearly a week. On the 24th, heavy rains produced some localized flooding in West Texas and hail and high wind reports were numerous. A tornado was spotted in Castro County on the 25th, also accompanied by high winds and hail. In south Bexar County on the 26th, a man died when he was struck by lightning while exiting his vehicle. Three to four inch hail damaged cars and broke out windows in Hood County on the 27th.
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 |
84.1 |
‑0.3 |
98 |
60.9 |
‑0.2 |
41 |
72.5 |
‑0.2 |
9 |
1.77 |
60% |
0.91 |
14 |
255 |
| Amarillo |
74.6 |
‑4.5 |
89 |
49.9 |
‑1.7 |
38 |
62.3 |
‑3.1 |
8 |
4.29 |
173% |
2.72 |
132 |
56 |
| Austin |
85.6 |
+0.9 |
94 |
67.3 |
+0.8 |
59 |
76.4 |
+0.8 |
8 |
7.07 |
148% |
3.95 |
0 |
361 |
| Brownsville |
89.4 |
+1.6 |
102 |
73.2 |
+1.2 |
64 |
81.3 |
+1.4 |
4 |
3.59 |
122% |
2.84 |
0 |
513 |
| College Station |
85.4 |
+1.4 |
90 |
64.7 |
‑0.3 |
50 |
75.0 |
+0.4 |
8 |
4.16 |
87% |
2.07 |
0 |
319 |
| Corpus Christi |
87.0 |
+0.8 |
100 |
70.2 |
+0.7 |
62 |
78.6 |
+0.7 |
4 |
2.23 |
67% |
1.47 |
0 |
429 |
| Dallas‑Fort Worth |
83.2 |
+0.3 |
91 |
64.3 |
+1.7 |
54 |
73.8 |
+1.0 |
15 |
6.91 |
142% |
2.97 |
3 |
282 |
| Del Rio |
89.6 |
+1.4 |
100 |
69.9 |
+3.6 |
55 |
79.8 |
+2.5 |
4 |
0.29 |
14% |
0.24 |
0 |
467 |
| El Paso |
87.9 |
+0.8 |
96 |
60.4 |
+3.9 |
49 |
74.1 |
+2.3 |
1 |
0.02 |
8% |
0.02 |
1 |
291 |
| Galveston |
82.7 |
+2.9 |
86 |
72.3 |
+0.5 |
65 |
77.5 |
+1.7 |
9 |
3.56 |
99% |
2.50 |
0 |
394 |
| Houston |
87.4 |
+2.8 |
93 |
65.8 |
+1.4 |
53 |
76.6 |
+2.1 |
9 |
4.10 |
78% |
2.32 |
0 |
365 |
| Lubbock |
79.0 |
‑4.1 |
94 |
55.2 |
‑0.6 |
40 |
67.1 |
‑2.3 |
5 |
3.38 |
144% |
1.39 |
66 |
139 |
| Midland |
87.5 |
+0.1 |
99 |
60.1 |
+2.0 |
41 |
73.8 |
+1.0 |
7 |
1.10 |
56% |
0.62 |
9 |
289 |
| Port Arthur |
85.3 |
+1.2 |
90 |
66.6 |
+0.3 |
54 |
75.9 |
+0.7 |
4 |
2.98 |
52% |
2.61 |
0 |
349 |
| San Angelo |
86.9 |
‑0.5 |
97 |
62.7 |
+1.6 |
45 |
74.8 |
+0.6 |
6 |
1.55 |
52% |
0.68 |
3 |
313 |
| San Antonio |
85.8 |
+0.5 |
93 |
66.5 |
+0.8 |
53 |
76.1 |
+0.6 |
8 |
2.78 |
66% |
1.59 |
0 |
352 |
| Victoria |
87.1 |
+1.8 |
94 |
67.0 |
‑0.7 |
53 |
77.0 |
+0.4 |
7 |
6.43 |
143% |
2.02 |
0 |
382 |
| Waco |
84.4 |
|
91 |
63.2 |
‑1.0 |
46 |
73.8 |
‑0.5 |
11 |
3.14 |
69% |
1.49 |
1 |
282 |
| Wichita Falls |
82.6 |
‑0.7 |
93 |
59.5 |
+0.4 |
47 |
71.1 |
‑0.1 |
12 |
4.86 |
119% |
1.56 |
9 |
204 |
| Shreveport, LA |
82.6 |
‑0.6 |
89 |
61.4 |
‑0.6 |
49 |
72.0 |
‑0.6 |
13 |
3.96 |
76% |
1.14 |
1 |
224 |
Bold-italics indicate a value broke or tied the record from a previous year.
*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.
|
Monthly Extremes
| Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| EL PASO INTL AP |
EL PASO |
0.02 |
| Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| ROCKWALL |
ROCKWALL |
10.61 |
| Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours (inches) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| SEMINOLE |
GAINES |
5.40 |
| Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| DALHART 6 SW |
HARTLEY |
59.2 |
| Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| HEATH CANYON |
BREWSTER |
85.8 |
| Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| SILVERTON |
BRISCOE |
72.6 |
| Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| HEATH CANYON |
BREWSTER |
101.7 |
| Highest Maximum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| FALCON DAM |
STARR |
111 |
| RIO GRANDE CITY |
STARR |
111 |
| Lowest Maximum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| DALHART 6 SW |
HARTLEY |
50 |
| Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| DALHART 6 SW |
HARTLEY |
44.5 |
| Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| PORT ISABEL |
CAMERON |
76.2 |
| Highest Minimum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| PORT ISABEL |
CAMERON |
81 |
| Lowest Minimum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
| GLEN ROSE 2 W |
SOMERVELL |
29 |
New Monthly Records
| Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| HUDSPETH RIVER RANCH |
VAL VERDE |
0.32 |
0.35 (1998) |
11 |
| Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| ANDICE 2 SW |
WILLIAMSON |
8.46 |
8.22 (1975) |
30 |
| HART |
CASTRO |
6.41 |
5.34 (1955) |
42 |
| MULESHOE NWR |
BAILEY |
6.36 |
5.36 (1988) |
18 |
| Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours Ever in the Month (inches) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| BRAVO |
HARTLEY |
4.59 |
3.19 (1996) |
58 |
| CRANE 2E |
CRANE |
3.03 |
2.05 (1989) |
39 |
| HOUSTON DEER PARK |
HARRIS |
4.02 |
3.70 (1981) |
51 |
| HART |
CASTRO |
3.66 |
3.31 (1991) |
42 |
| LAJITAS |
BREWSTER |
1.30 |
1.20 (1991) |
21 |
| OLTON |
LAMB |
3.80 |
3.00 (1994) |
43 |
| SEMINOLE |
GAINES |
5.40 |
5.02 (1954) |
73 |
| TULIA |
SWISHER |
3.17 |
2.72 (1949) |
52 |
| TYLER |
SMITH |
2.98 |
2.84 (1986) |
16 |
| Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| BRAVO |
HARTLEY |
60.2 |
60.2 (1983) |
29 |
| GLEN ROSE 2 W |
SOMERVELL |
66.4 |
66.6 (1994) |
33 |
| Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| BRAVO |
HARTLEY |
74.6 |
74.7 (1995) |
31 |
| SILVERTON |
BRISCOE |
72.6 |
74.6 (1992) |
35 |
| Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| PORT ARANSAS |
NUECES |
84.5 |
84.2 (1989) |
11 |
| Highest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| HARLINGEN RIO GRANDE AP |
CAMERON |
103 |
102 (1953) |
12 |
| BROWNSVILLE INTL AP |
CAMERON |
102 |
102 (1974) |
118 |
| MCALLEN MILLER INTL AP |
HIDALGO |
110 |
107 (1984) |
39 |
| ALICE |
JIM WELLS |
108 |
108 (1927) |
70 |
| BENAVIDES 2 |
DUVAL |
108 |
107 (1995) |
26 |
| BISHOP |
NUECES |
106 |
104 (1948) |
16 |
| MCALLEN |
HIDALGO |
109 |
106 (1974) |
53 |
| PORT MANSFIELD |
WILLACY |
101 |
98 (1973) |
38 |
| SANTA ROSA 3 WNW |
HIDALGO |
105 |
100 (1998) |
13 |
| WESLACO |
HIDALGO |
105 |
105 (1945) |
73 |
| Lowest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| BISHOP |
NUECES |
75 |
76 (1944) |
16 |
| TURKEY |
HALL |
57 |
57 (1973) |
28 |
| Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| GLEN ROSE 2 W |
SOMERVELL |
50.5 |
50.6 (1993) |
34 |
| PINE SPRINGS |
CULBERSON |
50.7 |
51.8 (1987) |
10 |
| TOLEDO BEND DAM |
NEWTON |
54.7 |
56.2 (1988) |
24 |
| Highest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| BIG LAKE 2 |
REAGAN |
73 |
73 (1998) |
34 |
| PARIS |
LAMAR |
75 |
75 (1998) |
96 |
| PORT ISABEL |
CAMERON |
81 |
81 (1933) |
62 |
| STERLING CITY |
STERLING |
75 |
75 (1974) |
27 |
| Lowest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F) |
| Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
| GLEN ROSE 2 W |
SOMERVELL |
29 |
30 (1994) |
34 |
| TOLEDO BEND DAM |
NEWTON |
40 |
40 (1996) |
24 |
Climatic Averages for June
| |
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 |
91.4 |
110 (1907) |
68.9 |
44 (1919) |
2.86 |
9.60 (1961) |
4.35 (1941) |
19.0 |
0.0 |
6.0 |
0 |
456 |
| Amarillo |
87.6 |
108 (1998) |
60.7 |
38 (1917) |
3.70 |
10.73 (1965) |
6.15 (1960) |
12.8 |
0.0 |
8.9 |
6 |
279 |
| Austin |
91.1 |
108 (1998) |
71.5 |
51 (1926) |
3.72 |
14.96 (1981) |
8.65 (1941) |
20.8 |
0.0 |
6.8 |
0 |
489 |
| Brownsville |
91.0 |
103 (1918) |
74.9 |
56 (1919) |
2.73 |
13.80 (1887) |
8.18 (1942) |
22.9 |
0.0 |
6.3 |
0 |
540 |
| College Station |
90.3 |
108 (1901) |
71.0 |
53 (1970) |
3.68 |
15.03 (1905) |
6.70 (1905) |
19.7 |
0.0 |
6.5 |
0 |
471 |
| Corpus Christi |
90.4 |
106 (1998) |
73.4 |
56 (1919) |
3.38 |
13.35 (1973) |
8.26 (1924) |
19.4 |
0.0 |
6.6 |
0 |
507 |
| Dallas‑Fort Worth |
91.9 |
113 (1980) |
70.0 |
48 (1903) |
2.98 |
11.58 (1928) |
4.14 (1928) |
19.5 |
0.0 |
6.4 |
0 |
480 |
| Del Rio |
93.6 |
112 (1988) |
71.7 |
49 (1919) |
2.11 |
13.71 (1935) |
8.88 (1935) |
24.7 |
0.0 |
5.2 |
0 |
531 |
| El Paso |
96.5 |
114 (1994) |
64.3 |
46 (1988) |
0.67 |
3.18 (1984) |
1.82 (1897) |
26.0 |
0.0 |
3.1 |
0 |
462 |
| Galveston |
85.0 |
99 (1918) |
77.2 |
57 (1903) |
4.44 |
15.49 (1919) |
12.56 (1961) |
1.1 |
0.0 |
7.2 |
0 |
483 |
| Houston |
90.1 |
103 (1980) |
70.6 |
52 (1970) |
4.96 |
16.28 (1989) |
10.35 (1989) |
18.4 |
0.0 |
8.5 |
0 |
462 |
| Lubbock |
90.0 |
114 (1994) |
64.3 |
39 (1917) |
2.75 |
7.95 (1967) |
5.70 (1967) |
16.9 |
0.0 |
6.7 |
0 |
366 |
| Midland |
93.4 |
116 (1994) |
65.7 |
47 (1983) |
1.55 |
5.10 (1940) |
3.95 (1940) |
20.9 |
0.0 |
5.2 |
0 |
438 |
| Port Arthur |
89.4 |
106 (1902) |
72.0 |
53 (1903) |
5.59 |
18.90 (1989) |
10.20 (1961) |
17.1 |
0.0 |
7.9 |
0 |
471 |
| San Angelo |
92.7 |
110 (1994) |
66.4 |
40 (1912) |
2.33 |
6.01 (1982) |
2.86 (1961) |
21.0 |
0.0 |
5.4 |
0 |
435 |
| San Antonio |
91.8 |
107 (1998) |
72.6 |
48 (1919) |
3.81 |
11.95 (1986) |
6.30 (1986) |
20.7 |
0.0 |
6.4 |
0 |
516 |
| Victoria |
90.7 |
107 (1934) |
72.7 |
54 (1919) |
4.89 |
12.68 (1973) |
9.30 (1977) |
20.1 |
0.0 |
7.5 |
0 |
501 |
| Waco |
92.0 |
109 (1980) |
70.9 |
52 (1964) |
3.28 |
12.06 (1961) |
6.40 (1938) |
22.1 |
0.0 |
6.7 |
0 |
495 |
| Wichita Falls |
91.5 |
117 (1980) |
68.0 |
50 (1928) |
3.52 |
8.60 (1989) |
5.36 (1985) |
20.8 |
0.0 |
6.6 |
0 |
444 |
| Shreveport, LA |
89.7 |
104 (1936) |
69.0 |
52 (1977) |
4.29 |
17.11 (1989) |
8.00 (1902) |
17.2 |
0.0 |
7.9 |
0 |
432 |
| Climatic averages are based on 1961-1990 monthly normals, which are provided by the National Climatic Data Center. |
