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Texas Climate Report: October 2008

October 2008 turned out to be a transitional month with some variability in temperature and precipitation throughout the state. Several cold fronts pushed their way through Texas during the month, which brought some rain to northern Texas in particular, and left most other areas cooler and dry. Most of South, East and Central Texas recorded below average temperatures for the month, anywhere from half a degree to a couple of degrees cooler. However, West and North Texas saw some slightly above average temperatures, with Dallas/Fort Worth most notably 2.4°F above normal. Still, most temperatures were right around average over the month due in large part to the combination of cooler than normal minimum temperatures and warmer than normal maximum temperatures. Notice San Angelo’s mean October temperature departure was 0.0°F, although maximum and minimum temperatures ran 2.9°F warmer than average and cooler than average, respectively. Victoria’s average minimum temperature ran 6°F below normal, the most substantial temperature departure of the first order stations.

Precipitation was generally below average, with 8 first order stations receiving less than half their normal precipitation, though North Texas and Houston had plentiful rainfall. Because of a dry summer for the most part, several areas are experiencing deficits in their average precipitation for the year. Again, Galveston’s data was missing due to Hurricane Ike which has left the city devastated and mostly non-functional even through October. The Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea were very quiet in terms of tropical activity and no storms were close to threatening 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 78.2 +0.6 92 51.4 ‑3.0 33 64.8 ‑1.2 3 3.15 109% 1.97 96 96
Amarillo 71.7 ‑0.1 87 44.7 +0.1 27 58.2 8 3.87 258% 1.28 219 19
Austin 84.0 +2.6 93 58.1 ‑1.7 40 71.0 +0.4 3 2.01 51% 1.07 29 223
Brownsville 84.6 +0.6 93 64.5 ‑1.4 50 74.5 ‑0.5 7 3.26 86% 0.91 2 305
College Station 81.4 ‑0.6 90 56.7 ‑2.3 38 69.0 ‑1.5 4 1.73 41% 0.82 39 170
Corpus Christi 84.3 +0.7 91 61.4 ‑2.6 41 72.9 ‑0.9 5 1.88 48% 0.85 10 260
Dallas‑Fort Worth 81.3 +3.4 93 57.9 +1.5 43 69.6 +2.4 4 2.29 56% 1.68 38 190
Del Rio 83.0 +1.3 92 58.5 ‑2.0 44 70.7 ‑0.4 4 0.16 8% 0.10 18 202
El Paso 80.2 +2.3 88 51.1 ‑0.7 37 65.7 +0.8 5 0.15 19% 0.06 56 85
Galveston N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 0.00 0% 0.00 N/A N/A
Houston 81.3 ‑0.7 90 57.8 ‑1.0 40 69.5 ‑0.9 5 8.67 193% 3.79 35 184
Lubbock 75.1 +0.7 89 47.5 +0.5 31 61.3 +0.6 7 3.77 222% 1.55 144 37
Midland 77.8 +0.4 89 50.3 ‑1.0 32 64.0 ‑0.4 3 1.61 91% 1.26 101 78
Port Arthur 79.9 ‑0.6 87 57.5 ‑2.1 38 68.7 ‑1.4 7 2.23 48% 1.25 44 167
San Angelo 80.7 +2.9 94 50.1 ‑2.9 30 65.4 3 1.81 70% 1.11 87 109
San Antonio 84.6 +2.6 91 58.3 ‑1.1 39 71.4 +0.7 2 0.26 7% 0.16 32 240
Victoria 84.7 +1.7 92 55.6 ‑6.0 36 70.2 ‑2.1 3 1.36 32% 1.08 36 206
Waco 80.8 +0.4 93 53.4 ‑3.3 33 67.1 ‑1.5 4 3.90 106% 2.92 55 129
Wichita Falls 79.9 +2.8 94 52.1 ‑0.3 34 66.0 +1.3 4 3.41 110% 2.07 90 128
Shreveport, LA 77.5 ‑0.8 85 52.5 ‑2.5 34 65.0 ‑1.7 7 1.41 32% 1.22 89 95
*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.

oct 2008 average temperatures
oct 2008 average precipitation

Monthly Extremes

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
GALVESTON SCHOLES FLD GALVESTON 0.00
BENAVIDES 2 DUVAL 0.00
GRANDFALLS 3 SSE WARD 0.00
MARATHON BREWSTER 0.00
MARFA 2 PRESIDIO 0.00
MENTONE LOVING 0.00
RICHLAND SPRINGS SAN SABA 0.00
SAN ANTONIO/SEAWORLD BEXAR 0.00
TELEGRAPH KIMBLE 0.00
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
HOUSTON NORTH HOUSTON HARRIS 9.22
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours (inches)
Station County Value
DIALVILLE 2 W CHEROKEE 5.20
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
DOG CANYON CULBERSON 53.6
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND CAMERON 78.6
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
DOG CANYON CULBERSON 66.3
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
PRESIDIO PRESIDIO 88.8
Highest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
TILDEN 4 SSE MCMULLEN 104
Lowest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
DUMAS MOORE 42
VEGA 2 NW OLDHAM 42
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
MULESHOE 19 S BAILEY 40.1
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND CAMERON 73.1
Highest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND CAMERON 80
Lowest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
MULESHOE 19 S BAILEY 24
CANYON DAM 2 COMAL 24
DIMMITT 2&nbsnbsp;N CASTRO 24

New Monthly Records

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BURNET MUNI AP BURNET 0.44 1.23 (2007) 10
GALVESTON SCHOLES FLD GALVESTON 0.00 0.00 (1952) 136
BENAVIDES 2 DUVAL 0.00 0.00 (2001) 38
DEL RIO 2 NW VAL VERDE 0.22 0.49 (2001) 13
GONZALES 10 SW GONZALES 0.11 0.37 (1999) 11
GRANDFALLS 3 SSE WARD 0.00 0.00 (2001) 79
LOCKHART 2 SW CALDWELL 0.25 0.56 (2007) 12
MARATHON BREWSTER 0.00 0.00 (1998) 65
MARFA 2 PRESIDIO 0.00 0.00 (1991) 45
RICHLAND SPRINGS SAN SABA 0.00 0.00 (2001) 54
ROCKPORT ARANSAS 0.49 0.63 (1961) 50
SAN ANTONIO/SEAWORLD BEXAR 0.00 0.00 (2007) 19
TELEGRAPH KIMBLE 0.00 0.00 (1992) 54
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BRAVO HARTLEY 6.42 5.18 (1941) 65
CHILDRESS 2 CHILDRESS 5.43 4.42 (2006) 11
DUMAS MOORE 6.98 6.66 (1942) 64
HARTLEY 4 ESE HARTLEY 6.74 6.33 (1946) 65
SANFORD DAM HUTCHINSON 4.94 4.85 (1998) 14
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours Ever in the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
CHILDRESS 2 CHILDRESS 2.37 2.35 (2006) 11
CRAWFORD MCLENNAN 4.79 4.31 (2003) 10
MC LEAN GRAY 3.70 3.65 (2002) 51
PENWELL ECTOR 2.50 2.18 (1981) 50
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
PLEASANTON ATASCOSA 69.3 70.0 (2001) 17
REFUGIO 2 NW REFUGIO 70.2 70.7 (1987) 23
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
JACKSONVILLE CHEROKEE 84.9 84.6 (1956) 43
Highest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
REFUGIO 3 SW REFUGIO 94 94 (2007) 10
TILDEN 4 SSE MCMULLEN 104 103 (1977) 43
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
FT WORTH ALLIANCE AP TARRANT 53.4 53.6 (2005) 11
CONCHO PARK IVIE RSVR CONCHO 52.6 52.7 (2001) 11
DEL RIO 2 NW VAL VERDE 55.2 56.3 (1999) 13
HOUSTON‑PORT HARRIS 60.9 61.7 (1999) 16
LAJITAS BREWSTER 52.2 53.2 (1984) 28
LAKE ALAN HENRY GARZA 50.3 50.4 (1995) 15
PLEASANTON ATASCOSA 53.5 55.4 (2001) 17
REFUGIO 2 NW REFUGIO 56.5 56.9 (1999) 23
SOMERVILLE DAM BURLESON 48.5 48.7 (2001) 39
TERLINGUA RCH BREWSTER 49.7 50.3 (1993) 10
Highest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
KENT 8 SE JEFF DAVIS 67 65 (1993) 13
MONAHANS WARD 70 70 (2002) 45
MORTON COCHRAN 65 64 (1986) 45
MULESHOE NWR BAILEY 63 63 (1986) 28
Lowest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
LONGVIEW E TX RGNL AP GREGG 31 32 (2000) 10
ALICE INTL AP JIM WELLS 41 42 (2005) 13
FT WORTH ALLIANCE AP TARRANT 30 30 (2005) 11
BENAVIDES 2 DUVAL 35 35 (1980) 34
CONCHO PARK IVIE RSVR CONCHO 36 38 (2005) 11
DEL RIO 2 NW VAL VERDE 31 36 (1997) 13
ENCINAL WEBB 31 31 (1917) 82
FT MCKAVETT MENARD 28 28 (2005) 15
LA JOYA HIDALGO 42 42 (1999) 12
PLEASANTON ATASCOSA 32 35 (2005) 17
REFUGIO 3 SW REFUGIO 34 42 (2007) 10
SMITHVILLE BASTROP 25 27 (1993) 79
SOMERVILLE DAM BURLESON 28 28 (1993) 39

Climatic Averages for November

  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 65.1 92 (1980) 42.3 13 (1887) 1.30 5.82 (1913) 2.48 (2004) 0.0 5.3 4.7 353 15
Amarillo 58.4 87 (1980) 31.8 0 (1976) 0.68 5.09 (1905) 3.01 (1905) 0.0 15.9 4.1 594 0
Austin 70.1 91 (2006) 49.3 20 (1976) 2.68 14.10 (2004) 7.55 (2001) 0.0 0.8 8.2 205 51
Brownsville 76.8 98 (1906) 58.6 27 (1911) 1.75 7.69 (1986) 4.08 (1986) 0.5 0.0 5.9 69 166
College Station 70.9 94 (1921) 49.1 19 (1976) 3.18 13.06 (1907) 5.56 (1907) 0.0 1.5 8.4 203 53
Corpus Christi 74.9 98 (1988) 55.4 28 (1993) 1.74 8.64 (1888) 4.61 (1892) 0.4 0.2 6.3 103 122
Dallas‑Fort Worth 65.1 89 (2005) 45.1 19 (1950) 2.57 7.94 (1918) 4.72 (1918) 0.0 2.6 6.4 312 15
Del Rio 70.9 96 (1988) 49.2 17 (1906) 0.96 4.71 (2004) 2.87 (1914) 0.2 1.1 5.0 183 41
El Paso 65.5 87 (1983) 39.8 1 (1976) 0.42 2.50 (1906) 1.19 (1943) 0.0 8.1 3.1 386 2
Galveston 71.3 85 (1988) 59.4 26 (1911) 3.64 16.18 (1940) 9.01 (1940) 0.0 0.1 8.7 112 122
Houston 72.0 89 (1989) 49.8 19 (1976) 4.19 14.10 (1943) 10.83 (1943) 0.0 1.3 8.6 189 65
Lubbock 61.6 90 (2006) 34.5 ‑1 (1957) 0.71 6.65 (2004) 1.67 (2004) 0.0 10.3 3.7 491 0
Midland 65.8 90 (1996) 38.8 10 (1938) 0.65 5.42 (2004) 2.17 (2004) 0.0 6.9 3.1 380 4
Port Arthur 70.9 90 (1905) 50.8 22 (1976) 4.75 22.74 (1902) 7.70 (1946) 0.0 0.8 8.4 181 63
San Angelo 66.5 93 (1980) 41.4 12 (1911) 1.10 5.18 (2004) 2.57 (2001) 0.1 5.8 4.2 330 16
San Antonio 71.4 94 (1988) 48.6 21 (1976) 2.58 9.46 (2004) 4.87 (1977) 0.1 1.9 7.3 197 57
Victoria 73.0 93 (1988) 52.3 24 (1976) 2.64 16.14 (2004) 9.20 (2004) 0.1 0.6 7.5 145 83
Waco 67.8 92 (1988) 45.8 17 (1976) 2.61 10.36 (1902) 4.26 (1952) 0.1 2.9 7.5 271 34
Wichita Falls 63.7 89 (1988) 40.1 14 (1950) 1.68 7.39 (1902) 3.15 (1902) 0.0 6.6 5.5 395 10
Shreveport, LA 66.8 88 (1984) 45.3 16 (1976) 4.68 10.81 (1987) 6.51 (1987) 0.0 3.0 8.9 296 24
Climatic averages are based on 1971-2000 monthly normals, which are provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
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