Texas Climate Report: February 2005

The month of February was warmer and wetter than normal for most of Texas in 2005. A low pressure system continued to trek across the state as the month started with lots of showers and cooler than normal temperatures for the majority of the state. Another system moved in from Mexico beginning on the 5th, and showers and heavy clouds dominated most of Texas. Overcast skies remained for most of the state through the first week and a half, with College Station and Houston receiving the heaviest rainfall. A high pressure system moved in on the 9th, and things dried out statewide. Average daily temperatures soared from normal levels to 10°F-20°F above normal.

A cold front moved across the state beginning on the 15th, and temperatures plummeted as a result. Average daily temperatures dropped from 10°F-15°F above normal on the 15th to just below normal levels on the 17th. During the third week of the month, a series of troughs brought light showers to most first-order stations. A frontal system stalled over the state on the 22-24, and a low pressure system from the west collided with it to cause heavy rain for most of central and southeast Texas. Port Arthur, Galveston, College Station, Houston, and Waco all received at an inch of rain over those days. Severe weather was also a result with 42 reports of hail over the three days, including reports of 4.25” in Taylor County, 3.00” in Kendall County, and 2.75” in both Waller and Terrell Counties.

The month ended with partly-to-mostly cloudy skies across the state and light rain associated with the departing low pressure system. A weak frontal system began to pass the state on the 28th, and a high pressure system looked to bring warmer, drier weather in March.

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	‑0.8	84	40.3	+3.8	25	50.1	+1.5	13	2.11	187%	0.66	420	8
Amarillo	54.4	+0.3	73	32.0	+5.0	23	43.2	+2.6	8	0.67	122%	0.37	602	0
Austin	63.5	‑1.6	82	48.1	+4.1	36	55.8	+1.2	11	2.21	111%	0.75	270	19
Brownsville	74.1	+1.9	89	58.4	+5.1	46	66.3	+3.6	8	0.78	66%	0.60	80	122
College Station	64.6	‑0.9	81	49.6	+6.2	36	57.1	+2.6	9	5.07	213%	2.54	240	26
Corpus Christi	70.2	+0.5	88	55.5	+6.2	43	62.8	+3.3	11	3.02	164%	1.43	128	74
Dallas‑Fort Worth	61.5	+1.4	83	43.6	+4.9	31	52.6	+3.2	8	1.62	68%	0.41	357	17
Del Rio	64.6	‑3.4	82	47.8	+3.7	37	56.2	+0.1	10	1.38	144%	0.65	247	9
El Paso	59.0	‑4.4	72	40.9	+3.4	26	49.9	‑0.6	10	*1.92*	492%	0.99	416	0
Galveston	64.7	+0.3	76	54.4	+2.9	44	59.5	+1.5	7	2.76	106%	1.15	169	25
Houston	66.2	‑0.3	81	51.3	+7.0	39	58.8	+3.4	13	6.10	205%	1.59	210	42
Lubbock	56.8	‑1.0	79	35.1	+6.2	23	46.0	+2.7	12	1.32	186%	0.53	525	0
Midland	57.9	‑5.1	76	37.5	+3.4	26	47.7	‑0.9	9	1.51	260%	0.58	478	0
Port Arthur	65.9	+0.6	80	50.4	+4.5	38	58.2	+2.6	10	4.31	129%	1.66	221	35
San Angelo	60.5	‑3.0	82	39.5	+3.5	25	50.0	+0.3	10	2.03	172%	0.61	416	2
San Antonio	63.8	‑3.3	81	48.8	+6.4	35	56.3	+1.6	10	2.42	138%	0.69	248	13
Victoria	67.3	+0.7	84	52.2	+5.5	41	59.8	+3.1	7	5.30	260%	1.84	177	38
Waco	62.3		83	44.7	+5.4	32	53.5	+2.7	9	3.34	137%	1.51	330	14
Wichita Falls	59.0	+0.9	81	39.1	+5.7	27	49.1	+3.4	9	2.28	144%	0.77	442	2
Shreveport, LA	62.2	+0.2	83	45.2	+4.9	31	53.7	+2.5	12	3.76	89%	1.99	328	20
*Bold-italics* indicate a value broke or tied the record from a previous year. Dep.: Departure of the monthly average temperature from the 1971-2000 monthly normal, which is provided by the National Climatic Data Center. Perc. Norm.: Monthly precipitation total divided by 1971-2000 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
MEMPHIS	HALL	0.31
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station	County	Value
SILSBEE 4 N	HARDIN	8.81
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours (inches)
Station	County	Value
CONCHO PARK IVIE RSVR	CONCHO	4.00
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station	County	Value
STRATFORD	SHERMAN	38.6
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station	County	Value
BROWNSVILLE INTL AP	CAMERON	66.3
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station	County	Value
DUMAS	MOORE	48.8
Highest Average Daily nbsp;Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station	County	Value
SANTA ROSA 3 WNW	HIDALGO	74.7
Highest Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station	County	Value
GARCIASVILLE 2 ESE	STARR	93
Lowest Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station	County	Value
DUMAS	MOORE	29
PINE SPRINGS	CULBERSON	29
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station	County	Value
STRATFORD	SHERMAN	25.8
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station	County	Value
PORT ISABEL CAMERON AP	CAMERON	58.9
Highest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station	County	Value
ENCINAL	WEBB	70
Lowest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station	County	Value
MULESHOE 19 S	BAILEY	17
LIPSCOMB	LIPSCOMB	17

New Monthly Records

Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station	County	Value	Previous Record	Yrs. Data
WINKLER CO AP	WINKLER	1.67	1.50 (1989)	60
EL PASO INTL AP	EL PASO	1.92	1.88 (1905)	127
VAN HORN	CULBERSON	1.82	1.32 (1992)	61
CANDELARIA	PRESIDIO	2.74	1.58 (2004)	63
EDNA 7 NW	JACKSON	5.48	4.87 (1998)	10
EL PASO 32 ENE	HUDSPETH	1.45	1.32 (2002)	21
LA TUNA 1 S	EL PASO	1.45	1.43 (2002)	56
PINE SPRINGS	CULBERSON	3.07	2.12 (1944)	21
PORT ARTHUR CITY	JEFFERSON	8.61	7.90 (1987)	29
REFUGIO 3 SW	REFUGIO	5.18	4.46 (1993)	12
ROCKSPRINGS 26SSW	EDWARDS	3.77	2.16 (1997)	10
SILSBEE 4 N	HARDIN	8.81	8.44 (2003)	10
TORNILLO 2 SSE	EL PASO	1.78	1.51 (2003)	26
VALENTINE	JEFF DAVIS	2.23	1.73 (1997)	27
VANDERPOOL 4N	BANDERA	3.21	3.09 (1997)	11
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours Ever in the Month (inches)
Station	County	Value	Previous Record	Yrs. Data
DELL CITY 5 SSW	HUDSPETH	0.95	0.87 (2000)	23
EL PASO 32 ENE	HUDSPETH	0.98	0.58 (2002)	21
FT HANCOCK 8 SSE	HUDSPETH	0.78	0.70 (1978)	33
LYTLE 3 W	MEDINA	3.14	2.72 (1991)	29
UTOPIA	UVALDE	1.60	1.45 (2001)	14
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station	County	Value	Previous Record	Yrs. Data
BALMORHEA	REEVES	58.2	59.6 (2002)	74
BOQUILLAS RS	BREWSTER	67.4	69.9 (1982)	31
CASTOLON	BREWSTER	67.1	69.6 (2002)	25
HEATH CANYON	BREWSTER	67.9	68.9 (1997)	10
KENT 8 SE	JEFF DAVIS	55.7	55.8 (2002)	10
LAJITAS	BREWSTER	68.0	68.4 (2002)	25
PERSIMMON GAP	BREWSTER	61.8	63.5 (1997)	22
PINE SPRINGS	CULBERSON	48.9	51.0 (2002)	15
PLEASANTON	ATASCOSA	64.7	65.0 (2003)	13
STUDY BUTTE	BREWSTER	65.3	67.0 (2002)	12
TERLINGUA RCH	BREWSTER	60.6	62.0 (2002)	12
ZAPATA 1 S	ZAPATA	66.8	67.5 (1968)	32
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station	County	Value	Previous Record	Yrs. Data
ACTON RCH	CROCKETT	40.4	39.1 (2001)	12
BOQUILLAS RS	BREWSTER	40.3	40.1 (1953)	29
BRACKETTVILLE 22 N	KINNEY	44.1	43.6 (1995)	10
CLEVELAND	LIBERTY	47.3	47.1 (1999)	42
ENCINAL	WEBB	56.5	55.7 (2000)	81
FT HANCOCK 8 SSE	HUDSPETH	36.6	35.4 (1995)	31
FT WORTH WSFO	TARRANT	43.7	43.6 (1999)	11
FRIONA	PARMER	32.9	31.5 (1976)	43
HUDSPETH RIVER RANCH	VAL VERDE	44.1	43.7 (2000)	15
JOHNSON CITY	BLANCO	43.5	43.5 (1990)	34
LANGTRY	VAL VERDE	45.8	43.2 (1987)	32
LEVELLAND	HOCKLEY	34.4	33.4 (1938)	58
MEDINA 1NE	BANDERA	44.0	42.2 (1999)	27
MORTON	COCHRAN	33.2	32.9 (1992)	41
ODESSA	ECTOR	38.8	36.6 (2004)	10
OLTON	LAMB	30.5	30.2 (1998)	36
PERRYTON	OCHILTREE	30.2	29.2 (1992)	32
SAM RAYBURN DAM	JASPER	47.1	46.0 (2000)	37
SHEFFIELD	PECOS	39.8	38.7 (1987)	36
WRIGHT PATMAN DAM	CASS	42.4	40.9 (1962)	32
TILDEN 4 SSE	MCMULLEN	52.3	51.6 (1962)	40
TORNILLO 2 SSE	EL PASO	39.2	38.4 (1995)	24
WACO DAM	MCLENNAN	42.4	42.4 (1976)	31
Highest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station	County	Value	Previous Record	Yrs. Data
HUDSPETH RIVER RANCH	VAL VERDE	63	63 (1996)	15
MEDINA 1NE	BANDERA	64	64 (1999)	27

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	69.1	98 (1916)	43.8	9 (1948)	1.41	5.16 (1979)	2.78 (1943)	0.6	3.9	5.3	299	28
Amarillo	62.2	96 (1907)	33.6	‑3 (1948)	1.13	4.14 (2000)	3.13 (1922)	0.1	14.4	5.4	542	2
Austin	72.5	98 (1971)	50.9	18 (1948)	2.14	7.23 (1926)	3.00 (1900)	0.6	0.8	7.9	163	59
Brownsville	78.0	106 (1984)	59.5	28 (1901)	0.93	6.46 (1903)	3.23 (2004)	1.6	0.1	4.2	45	179
College Station	72.6	96 (1946)	50.5	17 (2002)	2.84	8.03 (1926)	4.20 (1980)	0.1	1.2	8.1	149	42
Corpus Christi	75.8	102 (1989)	56.2	24 (1980)	1.74	7.69 (1903)	4.66 (1903)	1.1	0.3	5.1	77	121
Dallas‑Fort Worth	68.3	100 (1916)	46.4	10 (1943)	3.06	7.39 (2002)	4.43 (2002)	0.2	2.1	7.5	248	10
Del Rio	76.0	103 (1928)	51.6	19 (1922)	0.96	3.48 (2004)	2.33 (1935)	2.3	0.7	4.9	111	86
El Paso	70.2	93 (1907)	43.7	14 (1971)	0.26	2.26 (1958)	1.32 (1883)	0.0	4.4	2.2	272	8
Galveston	70.0	85 (1879)	58.2	26 (1980)	2.76	9.49 (1973)	8.10 (1973)	0.0	0.2	7.4	94	65
Houston	73.3	96 (1946)	51.3	21 (1943)	3.36	10.66 (1922)	7.47 (1972)	0.1	1.3	9.1	156	63
Lubbock	66.2	95 (1989)	36.2	‑2 (1922)	0.76	3.56 (1941)	1.80 (1973)	0.2	8.6	4.1	419	7
Midland	70.9	97 (1946)	40.8	9 (1980)	0.42	2.86 (1970)	2.20 (1970)	0.5	4.9	2.6	302	15
Port Arthur	72.0	95 (1946)	52.4	23 (2002)	3.75	10.21 (1949)	6.04 (1979)	0.0	0.6	8.0	143	55
San Angelo	71.1	98 (1908)	43.3	8 (1980)	0.99	5.00 (1953)	4.65 (1953)	0.8	4.0	4.6	258	30
San Antonio	74.3	100 (1991)	49.9	19 (2002)	1.89	6.12 (1992)	3.59 (1992)	0.9	1.5	7.9	149	68
Victoria	73.4	98 (1939)	53.9	21 (2002)	2.25	11.61 (1997)	5.04 (1997)	0.4	0.5	7.0	113	84
Waco	70.2	100 (1971)	46.8	15 (1948)	2.48	8.38 (1905)	3.90 (1912)	0.3	2.1	7.9	235	39
Wichita Falls	67.2	100 (1971)	41.1	6 (1948)	2.27	6.29 (1999)	4.32 (1988)	0.7	5.5	6.4	354	19
Shreveport, LA	69.7	92 (1974)	47.2	15 (1943)	4.18	11.99 (1945)	5.43 (1945)	0.1	2.4	9.7	247	31
Climatic averages are based on 1971-2000 monthly normals, which are provided by the National Climatic Data Center.