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Texas Climate Report: August 2001

After a relatively dry July, August arrived with plentiful precipitation for the majority of the state. Only four of the twenty first-order stations in Texas (Amarillo, Brownsville, Del Rio, and Lubbock) recorded below-average rainfall. San Antonio, with 7.83" of precipitation, recorded 308% of their August average. Port Arthur recorded a sizeable 13.81" with 13 days of precipitation, which is 259% of normal rainfall. As a result, the Palmer index for the majority of the state is at or above normal, with the exception of the Trans Pecos (severe drought) and High Plains (moderate drought) regions. August temperatures were also above normal for most of Texas. Eighteen first-order stations recorded greater-than-average mean temperatures. Del Rio was the hottest station in the state with a monthly mean of 88.5°F (3.7°F above average).

August began much the same way that July ended: hot and dry. During the first week and a half, maximum temperatures throughout the state reached into the 90s and 100s. However, on the 10th, a cold front moved into Oklahoma, dropping temperatures in the Panhandle and triggering scattered precipitation in the northern portions of Texas. The front eventually passed through the state on the 13th, bringing scattered rain as it moved southeast. On the 15th, another weak cold front moved into the northern portions of Texas, dropping maximum temperatures in the Panhandle into the 80s and producing more scattered precipitation. However, temperatures quickly rebounded, and dry conditions returned through the 25th.

The weather would dramatically change starting on the 26th. Strong southerly flow, carrying with it moisture from the south, coupled with a low pressure trough extending from the northeast portion of the United States began what would become a wet ending to August. The trough was short-lived, but the strong, moist flow continued through the end of the month, triggering wave after wave of precipitation for areas outside the Panhandle and Trans Pecos regions. Most stations recorded a majority of their rainfall during this period. Port Arthur recorded the most as 12.85" fell from the 25th to the 31st, with 5.27" on the 30th and 4.44" on the 31st. Austin (4.90"), College Station (3.45"), Corpus Christi (5.61"), Galveston (9.06"), Houston (4.29"), San Antonio (7.66"), Victoria (7.13"), and Waco (4.49") also recorded the majority of their monthly totals during the 25th to the 31st.

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 94.3 ‑0.2 101 72.5 +0.8 64 83.4 +0.2 10 3.39 121% 2.97 0 577
Amarillo 92.2 +3.1 100 65.2 +1.4 59 78.7 +2.2 9 1.39 43% 0.42 0 433
Austin 97.5 +2.0 105 74.9 +1.0 69 86.2 +1.4 8 9.48 462% 5.92 0 667
Brownsville 95.7 +2.1 99 77.2 +1.8 72 86.5 +2.0 5 1.80 65% 1.32 0 675
College Station 97.6 +2.8 105 74.7 +1.5 71 86.2 +2.2 8 3.53 146% 1.12 0 667
Corpus Christi 94.1 +0.7 99 75.3 +0.3 71 84.7 +0.5 7 7.83 237% 2.56 0 617
Dallas‑Fort Worth 94.2 ‑2.0 102 75.6 +2.0 69 84.9 8 2.72 123% 0.85 0 624
Del Rio 99.0 +3.0 105 77.5 +3.9 70 88.3 +3.5 N/A N/A N/A 0.29 0 732
El Paso 92.5 ‑1.0 101 69.5 +2.9 64 81.0 +0.9 8 1.72 109% 0.60 0 506
Galveston N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 3.11 N/A N/A
Houston 93.4 +0.9 101 73.6 +1.6 70 83.5 +1.2 10 4.83 138% 1.61 0 581
Lubbock 92.3 +2.7 99 67.1 +0.9 61 79.7 +1.8 7 1.11 44% 0.36 0 462
Midland 93.5 ‑0.6 100 70.5 +3.0 63 82.0 +1.2 8 3.44 204% 2.28 0 533
Port Arthur 90.9 ‑0.8 96 73.4 +0.1 70 82.1 ‑0.5 13 13.81 259% 5.74 0 539
San Angelo 94.3 ‑1.0 103 71.9 +3.5 66 83.1 +1.2 8 3.67 190% 1.09 0 569
San Antonio 96.3 +1.0 102 74.8 +0.3 69 85.5 +0.6 8 7.83 308% 3.34 0 642
Victoria 94.5 +0.6 101 73.9 ‑0.3 70 84.2 +0.1 12 8.97 298% 4.83 0 605
Waco 96.8 ‑0.4 106 76.2 +2.2 70 86.5 +0.9 9 4.85 289% 3.80 0 673
Wichita Falls 97.0 +1.1 105 73.7 +2.3 66 85.3 +1.7 8 4.22 170% 2.87 0 637
Shreveport, LA 91.5 ‑1.6 98 73.0 +1.7 68 82.2 13 4.10 169% 1.55 0 542
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.

aug 2001 average temperatures
aug 2001 average precipitation

Monthly Extremes

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
EL INDIO MAVERICK 0.00
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
PORT ARTHUR CITY JEFFERSON 20.22
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours (inches)
Station County Value
TROY BELL 9.90
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
MT LOCKE JEFF DAVIS 71.5
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
HEATH CANYON BREWSTER 90.0
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
CHISOS BASIN BREWSTER 83.3
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
CASTOLON BREWSTER 103.5
Highest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
CASTOLON BREWSTER 111
Lowest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
BRACKETTVILLE KINNEY 71
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
MT LOCKE JEFF DAVIS 59.3
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
MATAGORDA 2 MATAGORDA 78.7
Highest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
PALACIOS MUNI AP MATAGORDA 84
Lowest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
MT LOCKE JEFF DAVIS 53

New Monthly Records

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
EL PASO 32 ENE HUDSPETH 0.71 0.85 (1986) 16
EL INDIO MAVERICK 0.00 0.00 (2000) 22
LAJITAS BREWSTER 0.30 0.71 (1996) 20
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
VICTORIA RGNL AP VICTORIA 8.97 7.81 (1960) 55
AUSTIN‑CAMP MABRY TRAVIS 9.48 8.90 (1974) 109
YOAKUM LAVACA 11.54 11.40 (1998) 73
CEDAR CREEK 5 S BASTROP 7.96 6.60 (1996) 22
DAVILLA MILAM 8.17 5.80 (1996) 51
DRIPPING SPRINGS 6 E HAYS 5.14 3.85 (1991) 17
FT WORTH WSFO TARRANT 4.84 4.07 (1950) 11
GOLIAD GOLIAD 12.48 10.63 (1980) 87
GOLIAD 1 SE GOLIAD 14.01 9.75 (1975) 51
GRANGER DAM WILLIAMSON 9.76 4.54 (1996) 22
HOUSTON‑PORT HARRIS 8.88 6.74 (1992) 10
JARRELL WILLIAMSON 5.48 5.36 (1955) 69
KATY WOLF HILL HARRIS 9.37 8.63 (1975) 25
NORTHINGTON RCH KENDALL 7.98 7.44 (1998) 16
PLEASANTON ATASCOSA 7.21 6.88 (1998) 11
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 6.73 6.39 (1996) 14
PORT ARTHUR CITY JEFFERSON 20.22 7.41 (1977) 26
ROSEBUD FALLS 7.21 7.05 (1966) 28
RUNGE KARNES 12.77 10.67 (1973) 97
SEGUIN 1 SSW GUADALUPE 13.22 7.56 (1996) 10
SPRING BRANCH 2SE COMAL 9.93 9.70 (1974) 43
STILLHOUSE HOLLOW DAM BELL 14.44 10.15 (1974) 38
STOCKDALE 6N WILSON 8.92 7.22 (1998) 26
TERRELL KAUFMAN 8.77 6.44 (1947) 57
TROY BELL 14.95 8.50 (1996) 61
WHARTON WHARTON 15.63 10.64 (1953) 61
WOLFE CITY HUNT 6.72 6.23 (1946) 56
YORKTOWN DEWITT 12.57 8.47 (1946) 56
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours Ever in the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
LONGVIEW 11 SE RUSK 3.69 3.07 (1977) 26
YOAKUM LAVACA 7.60 6.34 (1971) 73
ALICE JIM WELLS 7.30 7.05 (1980) 78
BERTRAM 3 ENE BURNET 4.83 4.12 (1974) 34
BOERNE KENDALL 7.25 5.45 (1971) 107
CEDAR CREEK 5 S BASTROP 3.20 2.80 (1994) 22
DAVILLA MILAM 4.70 3.05 (1945) 51
DENTON 2 SE DENTON 4.04 3.00 (1915) 85
EVANT 1 SSW CORYELL 4.15 3.15 (1986) 39
FERRIS ELLIS 3.23 2.58 (1996) 53
GOLIAD GOLIAD 6.50 4.70 (1914) 87
GOLIAD 1 SE GOLIAD 7.43 5.00 (1960) 51
GRANGER DAM WILLIAMSON 2.90 2.07 (1983) 22
HONEY GROVE FANNIN 4.75 4.54 (1946) 86
HOUSTON‑PORT HARRIS 3.39 2.18 (1992) 10
NEW BRAUNFELS COMAL 4.50 3.80 (1956) 99
NORTHINGTON RCH KENDALL 4.23 4.12 (1998) 16
PINELAND SABINE 3.51 2.74 (1996) 24
PLEASANTON ATASCOSA 2.74 2.03 (1998) 11
PORT ARTHUR CITY JEFFERSON 8.00 3.50 (1978) 26
RUNGE KARNES 6.38 5.97 (1940) 97
SABINAL UVALDE 6.62 6.10 (1980) 87
SEGUIN 1 SSW GUADALUPE 7.18 3.50 (1998) 10
SPEAKS 2 LAVACA 7.75 6.35 (1967) 34
SPRING BRANCH 2SE COMAL 4.97 4.00 (1998) 43
STILLHOUSE HOLLOW DAM BELL 6.04 3.97 (1974) 38
TEMPLE BELL 5.10 3.00 (1955) 101
TROY BELL 9.90 4.40 (1953) 61
WOLFE CITY HUNT 4.20 3.05 (1971) 56
YORKTOWN DEWITT 6.50 3.60 (1944) 56
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
HARLINGEN RIO GRANDE AP CAMERON 86.6 86.5 (1998) 14
CRYSTAL CITY ZAVALA 89.3 88.7 (1951) 47
FREER DUVAL 88.5 88.0 (1999) 28
KERRVILLE 3 NNE KERR 83.8 83.2 (2000) 26
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BRACKETTVILLE KINNEY 83.6 86.6 (2000) 70
MATAGORDA 2 MATAGORDA 88.5 88.5 (1967) 59
Highest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
HARLINGEN RIO GRANDE AP CAMERON 102 102 (1999) 14
COPE RCH REAGAN 106 105 (1996) 35
CRYSTAL CITY ZAVALA 108 108 (1969) 48
KERRVILLE 3 NNE KERR 103 103 (1999) 26
GEORGETOWN LAKE WILLIAMSON 106 106 (1998) 22
PLEASANTON ATASCOSA 106 106 (1999) 10
Lowest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BAYTOWN HARRIS 76 77 (1994) 19
BRACKETTVILLE KINNEY 71 72 (1966) 70
CROCKETT HOUSTON 74 74 (1974) 63
DEWEYVILLE NEWTON 77 77 (1998) 16
ELGIN BASTROP 76 76 (1971) 38
FAIRFIELD 3 W FREESTONE 77 80 (1997) 32
FLATONIA FAYETTE 75 75 (1996) 83
FRANKLIN ROBERTSON 74 74 (1987) 35
GROVETON TRINITY 78 80 (1996) 36
HALLETTSVILLE 2 N LAVACA 74 75 (1966) 105
HENDERSON RUSK 73 73 (1997) 59
HOUSTON‑PORT HARRIS 78 78 (1996) 11
HUNTSVILLE WALKER 75 75 (1986) 90
MARLIN 3 NE FALLS 75 78 (1996) 59
ORANGE 9 N ORANGE 77 77 (1998) 16
PORT MANSFIELD WILLACY 76 76 (1997) 35
SAN ANTONIO/SEAWORLD BEXAR 76 77 (1998) 13
VICTORIA CP&L VICTORIA 80 80 (1915) 20
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
ARLINGTON SIX FLAGS TARRANT 76.5 76.4 (2000) 13
BISHOP NUECES 75.5 75.1 (1951) 18
CANDELARIA PRESIDIO 69.5 69.4 (1998) 35
CATARINA DIMMIT 76.4 76.1 (1964) 27
COPE RCH REAGAN 69.8 68.6 (2000) 34
DRIPPING SPRINGS 6 E HAYS 72.6 72.4 (1993) 17
JOHNSON CITY BLANCO 72.1 72.1 (1993) 32
KERRVILLE 3 NNE KERR 70.9 70.2 (1977) 26
LANGTRY VAL VERDE 77.7 77.5 (1985) 27
LAREDO 2 WEBB 77.4 77.1 (1997) 34
MARLIN 3 NE FALLS 75.2 75.2 (1951) 59
MATAGORDA 2 MATAGORDA 78.7 78.4 (1993) 60
SEMINOLE GAINES 67.4 67.1 (1999) 68
TAHOKA LYNN 69.3 69.0 (1943) 63
WRIGHT PATMAN DAM CASS 72.7 72.6 (1960) 31
VICTORIA CP&L VICTORIA 76.1 75.9 (1999) 18
WESLACO HIDALGO 76.7 76.4 (1997) 73
Highest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
DEL RIO INTL AP VAL VERDE 82 82 (1998) 96
BURLESON JOHNSON 82 82 (1998) 16
EL PASO 32 ENE HUDSPETH 72 70 (1994) 17
LAREDO 2 WEBB 81 81 (1980) 34
NAVARRO MILLS DAM NAVARRO 81 81 (1998) 38
ROBSTOWN NUECES 80 80 (1998) 44
Lowest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
MCALLEN MILLER INTL AP HIDALGO 57 64 (1967) 39
CHAPMAN RCH NUECES 54 60 (1967) 39
PANTHER JUNCTION BREWSTER 55 56 (1957) 41

Climatic Averages for September

  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 86.7 107 (2000) 65.3 38 (1989) 3.21 11.03 (1974) 6.70 (1961) 12.0 0.0 6.8 6 336
Amarillo 81.8 103 (1995) 56.4 30 (1984) 1.99 6.42 (1923) 3.49 (1900) 6.4 0.2 6.5 26 149
Austin 90.5 112 (2000) 69.8 41 (1942) 3.30 20.78 (1921) 19.03 (1921) 17.0 0.0 7.7 0 456
Brownsville 90.4 105 (2000) 73.2 51 (1909) 6.00 30.57 (1886) 12.09 (1967) 18.7 0.0 9.9 0 504
College Station 88.4 112 (2000) 68.7 41 (1901) 4.87 12.13 (1958) 6.83 (1896) 14.9 0.0 7.6 0 408
Corpus Christi 89.7 109 (2000) 72.3 52 (2000) 5.52 20.33 (1967) 8.76 (1967) 17.6 0.0 9.4 0 480
Dallas‑Fort Worth 87.8 111 (2000) 66.9 40 (1942) 3.39 10.80 (1932) 9.57 (1932) 14.4 0.0 7.1 0 372
Del Rio 90.4 110 (2000) 69.1 43 (1908) 2.83 17.15 (1964) 5.52 (1970) 19.2 0.0 6.3 0 444
El Paso 87.1 104 (1982) 61.6 41 (1945) 1.70 6.68 (1974) 2.52 (1958) 11.8 0.0 6.5 0 282
Galveston 84.5 104 (2000) 75.4 52 (1942) 5.93 26.01 (1885) 11.65 (1961) 2.2 0.0 9.3 0 450
Houston 88.4 109 (2000) 67.9 45 (1942) 4.89 13.37 (1913) 7.98 (1976) 14.3 0.0 9.2 0 396
Lubbock 82.9 105 (1930) 59.4 33 (1983) 2.60 13.93 (1936) 5.50 (1936) 7.7 0.0 7.0 17 200
Midland 85.4 107 (1953) 61.1 36 (1989) 2.62 9.70 (1980) 4.37 (1986) 10.8 0.0 6.5 10 259
Port Arthur 87.3 105 (2000) 69.7 45 (1967) 6.31 21.96 (1980) 15.01 (1980) 12.7 0.0 10.1 0 408
San Angelo 86.8 107 (1952) 64.0 35 (1913) 3.41 11.00 (1980) 6.25 (1980) 12.4 0.0 6.6 6 318
San Antonio 89.3 111 (2000) 69.2 41 (1942) 3.41 15.78 (1946) 7.28 (1973) 16.8 0.0 7.2 0 429
Victoria 88.9 111 (2000) 70.3 45 (1942) 5.60 19.05 (1978) 7.83 (1978) 17.1 0.0 9.6 0 438
Waco 89.6 111 (2000) 67.6 39 (1942) 3.52 11.17 (1913) 6.03 (1936) 17.6 0.0 7.0 0 408
Wichita Falls 86.8 111 (2000) 63.9 38 (1989) 3.82 10.23 (1980) 6.22 (1980) 14.5 0.0 6.9 6 318
Shreveport, LA 87.3 109 (2000) 66.0 42 (1984) 3.12 16.46 (1913) 7.04 (1913) 13.3 0.0 7.0 0 351
Climatic averages are based on 1961-1990 monthly normals, which are provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
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