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Texas Climate Report: December 2000

The year 2000 had a cold ending as Texas experienced the coldest December temperatures since 1997. Every station except El Paso recorded below-normal temperatures during the month. Austin's monthly mean temperature of 43.9°F was 7.7°F below average, the largest departure in the state (Shreveport was 8.9°F below average). This was also the coldest December on record for Austin, and the third coldest for Dallas/Fort Worth, Lubbock, and Wichita Falls.

Unlike the cold temperatures, the precipitation in December was not evenly distributed across the state as only 8 out of 19 stations recorded above-normal rainfall. Amarillo recorded over 3 times its normal precipitation for the month, all of it due to heavy snowfall. They received 21.2" of snow, breaking the December snowfall record previously set in 1987. Other stations that recorded measurable snow during December are Abilene (2") Dallas/Fort Worth (1.3"), Lubbock (8.2"), Midland (1.2"), and Wichita Falls (1.5").

Several major storm systems moved through Texas during December. On the 11th, a polar front originating in Canada moved through the state, dropping temperatures below freezing in the northern portions of the state. However, this front did not trigger any significant precipitation. On Christmas Eve, a low pressure system developed over western New Mexico and began moving southeast. Once in Texas, this system produced significant winter weather for much of the state. On the 25th through the 27th, large amounts of snow fell in the Panhandle, while central portions of the state received a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Areas just south of Dallas recorded in excess of 4 inches of snow on the 27th. On New Year's Eve, winter precipitation again fell on the northern portions of the state as another low pressure system moved through Texas.

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 49.1 ‑7.9 71 30.0 ‑3.9 19 39.6 ‑5.9 5 0.91 88% 0.61 783 0
Amarillo 44.9 ‑5.2 68 21.2 ‑2.5 8 33.1 ‑3.8 3 1.47 342% 1.16 981 0
Austin 54.2 ‑7.8 74 36.6 ‑4.6 26 45.4 ‑6.2 11 2.87 153% 1.52 599 0
Brownsville 66.5 ‑5.2 83 47.8 ‑4.6 35 57.2 ‑4.9 11 1.10 88% 0.31 262 27
College Station 54.7 ‑6.8 74 35.6 ‑5.6 25 45.2 ‑6.2 10 3.77 133% 1.38 607 0
Corpus Christi 63.7 ‑4.6 84 42.8 ‑5.6 28 53.3 ‑5.0 9 1.68 133% 1.13 366 11
Dallas‑Fort Worth 47.8 ‑9.7 69 31.0 ‑5.3 20 39.4 ‑7.5 8 3.57 194% 2.40 785 0
Del Rio 57.9 ‑5.6 69 38.0 ‑2.6 27 48.0 ‑4.1 5 0.51 84% 0.32 521 0
El Paso 56.3 ‑1.2 65 31.7 +1.0 21 44.0 ‑0.1 5 0.42 74% 0.30 644 0
Galveston 58.1 ‑3.8 77 44.7 ‑6.2 34 51.4 ‑5.0 10 2.55 73% 0.83 412 1
Houston 57.4 ‑7.3 78 37.7 ‑4.5 26 47.6 ‑5.9 13 2.69 78% 1.13 532 0
Lubbock 46.9 ‑7.2 67 23.3 ‑3.9 7 35.1 ‑5.5 3 0.92 174% 0.88 923 0
Midland 51.2 ‑7.2 71 29.6 ‑1.2 20 40.4 ‑4.2 4 0.33 59% 0.20 755 0
Port Arthur 57.4 ‑6.8 77 38.8 ‑5.5 27 48.1 ‑6.2 10 1.99 41% 1.27 516 0
San Angelo 53.1 ‑5.9 76 32.0 ‑1.0 22 42.6 ‑3.4 6 0.60 76% 0.26 686 0
San Antonio 55.8 ‑7.7 72 36.9 ‑3.9 28 46.4 ‑5.8 9 1.57 104% 0.58 570 0
Victoria 60.5 ‑5.5 81 39.3 ‑5.9 30 49.9 ‑5.7 10 1.93 95% 0.87 463 2
Waco 51.0 ‑8.3 71 32.5 ‑4.8 20 41.7 ‑6.6 8 2.65 142% 1.57 713 0
Wichita Falls 45.0 ‑9.9 66 27.9 ‑2.9 18 36.4 ‑6.4 5 1.27 98% 0.85 877 0
Shreveport, LA 48.0 ‑10.5 71 31.5 ‑5.8 23 39.7 ‑8.3 14 7.56 184% 2.21 774 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.

dec 2000 average temperatures
dec 2000 average precipitation

Monthly Extremes

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
ACKERLY 4SE HOWARD 0.00
BELMONT GONZALES 0.00
CORNUDAS SVC STN HUDSPETH 0.00
DELL CITY 5 SSW HUDSPETH 0.00
EXXON GAS PLANT KLEBERG 0.00
FLOMOT 4 NE MOTLEY 0.00
FT DAVIS JEFF DAVIS 0.00
GAIL BORDEN 0.00
MARATHON BREWSTER 0.00
PAINT ROCK CONCHO 0.00
RISING STAR 1 S EASTLAND 0.00
ROSCOE NOLAN 0.00
SHEFFIELD PECOS 0.00
VALENTINE JEFF DAVIS 0.00
YSLETA EL PASO 0.00
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
TEXARKANA BOWIE 7.17
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours (inches)
Station County Value
FAIRFIELD 3 W FREESTONE 4.46
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
LIPSCOMB LIPSCOMB 28.7
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
PORT ISABEL CAMERON AP CAMERON 57.4
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
FOLLETT LIPSCOMB 38.1
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
EDINBURG HIDALGO 67.4
Highest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
EDINBURG HIDALGO 86
SANTA ROSA 3 WNW HIDALGO 86
Lowest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
FOLLETT LIPSCOMB 13
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
LIPSCOMB LIPSCOMB 15.3
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
PORT ISABEL CAMERON AP CAMERON 48.0
Highest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
HARLINGEN RIO GRANDE AP CAMERON 66
MCALLEN MILLER INTL AP HIDALGO 66
Lowest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
LIPSCOMB LIPSCOMB 0

New Monthly Records

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
ACKERLY 4SE HOWARD 0.00 0.00 (1999) 39
CORNUDAS SVC STN HUDSPETH 0.00 0.00 (1999) 56
DELL CITY 5 SSW HUDSPETH 0.00 0.00 (1999) 20
FLOMOT 4 NE MOTLEY 0.00 0.00 (1988) 47
FT DAVIS JEFF DAVIS 0.00 0.00 (1985) 76
GAIL BORDEN 0.00 0.00 (1999) 57
MARATHON BREWSTER 0.00 0.00 (1998) 55
PAINT ROCK CONCHO 0.00 0.00 (1996) 77
RISING STAR 1 S EASTLAND 0.00 0.00 (1996) 55
ROSCOE NOLAN 0.00 0.00 (1999) 65
SHEFFIELD PECOS 0.00 0.00 (1999) 37
VALENTINE JEFF DAVIS 0.00 0.00 (1988) 20
YSLETA EL PASO 0.00 0.00 (1996) 50
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours Ever in the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BOYS RANCH OLDHAM 1.06 0.74 (1997) 21
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
HARLINGEN RIO GRANDE AP CAMERON 56.2 57.6 (1960) 14
AUSTIN BERGSTROM AP TRAVIS 43.8 43.9 (1963) 50
FT WORTH MEACHAM FLD TARRANT 39.5 43.3 (1945) 21
TYLER POUNDS FLD SMITH 40.0 40.9 (1905) 24
BURLESON JOHNSON 39.2 41.3 (1989) 14
CHANNING 2 HARTLEY 31.2 32.3 (1997) 13
COLORADO CITY MITCHELL 38.9 40.8 (1914) 52
LONGVIEW GREGG 39.7 40.5 (1963) 70
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
FT WORTH MEACHAM FLD TARRANT 48.1 53.0 (1944) 21
TYLER POUNDS FLD SMITH 48.4 48.6 (1899) 24
MINERAL WELLS AP PALO PINTO 49.2 51.5 (1963) 46
ANSON JONES 48.1 52.5 (1960) 36
BISHOP NUECES 63.1 67.3 (1944) 16
BRIDGEPORT WISE 48.1 50.2 (1963) 63
BURLESON JOHNSON 48.4 54.2 (1986) 15
CARTA VALLEY EDWARDS 53.8 56.7 (1963) 29
CHANNING 2 HARTLEY 43.1 43.3 (1997) 13
COLORADO CITY MITCHELL 50.9 52.3 (1914) 52
DENVER CITY YOAKUM 50.7 51.6 (1997) 10
DRIPPING SPRINGS 6 E HAYS 53.3 54.8 (1989) 17
FOWLERTON LA SALLE 58.6 59.0 (1989) 35
GAINESVILLE 5 ENE COOKE 45.3 47.9 (1989) 14
GROVETON TRINITY 53.4 53.9 (1983) 28
HART CASTRO 45.6 46.1 (1989) 15
HOUSTON NWSO GALVESTON 57.9 62.7 (1997) 11
JEFFERSON MARION 47.5 50.8 (1905) 21
KENT 8 SE JEFF DAVIS 51.9 52.9 (1997) 10
LAKE FORK RSVR WOOD 48.0 48.6 (1989) 12
STERLING CITY STERLING 53.5 53.8 (1963) 30
TEXARKANA BOWIE 45.3 49.7 (1989) 29
TYLER SMITH 49.1 51.2 (1989) 17
Lowest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BISHOP NUECES 40 40 (1946) 16
KENT 8 SE JEFF DAVIS 24 25 (1989) 10
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
HARLINGEN RIO GRANDE AP CAMERON 45.5 46.7 (1997) 14
AUSTIN BERGSTROM AP TRAVIS 33.3 33.7 (1963) 52
FT WORTH MEACHAM FLD TARRANT 31.0 33.0 (1945) 21
TYLER POUNDS FLD SMITH 31.5 32.8 (1905) 25
CHANNING 2 HARTLEY 19.3 19.6 (1972) 14
PINE SPRINGS CULBERSON 24.7 25.9 (1989) 11

Climatic Averages for January

  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 54.8 90 (1911) 30.8 ‑9 (1947) 1.03 4.35 (1968) 2.18 (1961) 0.0 17.7 4.5 688 0
Amarillo 49.0 83 (1927) 21.2 ‑11 (1984) 0.50 2.67 (1999) 1.74 (1968) 0.0 27.5 3.9 927 0
Austin 58.9 90 (1971) 38.6 ‑2 (1949) 1.71 9.21 (1991) 4.41 (1991) 0.0 8.7 7.3 514 12
Brownsville 68.9 93 (1971) 49.9 18 (1881) 1.56 5.11 (1945) 3.00 (1988) 0.1 1.2 8.0 232 59
College Station 58.4 90 (1999) 38.7 ‑3 (1949) 2.65 15.60 (1991) 5.63 (1991) 0.0 9.1 8.5 522 11
Corpus Christi 65.0 91 (1971) 45.3 14 (1962) 1.71 10.78 (1958) 6.38 (1958) 0.1 3.5 8.3 338 31
Dallas‑Fort Worth 54.1 93 (1911) 32.7 ‑2 (1949) 1.83 9.07 (1932) 3.15 (1998) 0.0 15.7 6.7 670 0
Del Rio 61.9 92 (1911) 38.5 12 (1918) 0.56 4.12 (1931) 1.91 (1994) 0.0 7.2 4.8 465 6
El Paso 56.1 80 (1970) 29.4 ‑8 (1962) 0.40 1.84 (1949) 1.28 (1896) 0.0 19.6 4.3 688 0
Galveston 58.3 78 (1989) 47.1 11 (1886) 3.26 10.75 (1991) 5.38 (1923) 0.0 2.5 9.6 396 15
Houston 61.0 87 (1902) 39.7 5 (1930) 3.29 13.11 (1891) 5.89 (1891) 0.0 6.5 10.0 468 16
Lubbock 52.9 87 (1914) 24.6 ‑16 (1963) 0.39 4.05 (1949) 1.96 (1939) 0.0 25.4 3.5 812 0
Midland 56.5 84 (1974) 28.5 ‑8 (1962) 0.40 4.99 (1939) 2.56 (1939) 0.0 20.4 3.4 698 0
Port Arthur 60.3 84 (1909) 41.5 11 (1930) 4.77 14.87 (1991) 6.94 (1998) 0.0 6.5 9.9 450 13
San Angelo 56.8 91 (1911) 30.6 1 (1947) 0.80 3.65 (1961) 2.49 (1961) 0.0 17.7 4.5 660 0
San Antonio 60.8 89 (1971) 37.9 0 (1949) 1.71 8.52 (1968) 3.18 (1968) 0.0 9.5 7.7 494 8
Victoria 62.8 88 (1971) 42.5 12 (1949) 2.16 7.76 (1991) 4.70 (1991) 0.0 5.3 8.0 403 21
Waco 56.1 90 (1943) 34.2 ‑5 (1949) 1.65 6.56 (1932) 4.79 (1998) 0.0 13.6 6.6 620 6
Wichita Falls 52.0 87 (1969) 27.6 ‑12 (1947) 1.04 4.48 (1968) 2.25 (1919) 0.0 21.6 4.4 781 0
Shreveport, LA 55.4 85 (1950) 34.8 ‑2 (1930) 3.88 12.96 (1999) 7.52 (1885) 0.0 14.1 9.4 623 6
Climatic averages are based on 1961-1990 monthly normals, which are provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
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