Texas Climate Report: May 2010

May 2010 was drier than normal across most of Texas, particularly in North Central and East Texas, though rainfall throughout the month was characterized by isolated locations picking up excessive amounts of precipitation. Flooding was an issue in Del Rio, which set May records after picking up 7.12" of rainfall on the 24th in a 24-hour period and 10.45" for the entire month. Flooding was reported in the Permian Basin as Midland International Airport pickup 1.40" of its monthly total of 1.65" on the 14th. Victoria picked up 6.02" in 24 hours from the 14th-15th, which was over 85% of its precipitation for the entire month. Galveston picked up 3.65" over the same time 24-hour period (3.66" for the month). However, following the excessive rainfall on the weekend of the 14th-16th, rainfall was scarce across most of the state for the rest of May. El Paso picked up only a hundredth of an inch of rain during the entire month. By the end of the month, East Texas had moderate drought conditions as dryness in May, normally one of the wettest months of the year, combined with much warmer than normal temperatures.

Temperatures in May 2010 across West Texas were near normal across the western half of Texas and much above normal in the eastern half of the state. College Station had its second warmest May and Houston had its third warmest May on record. In particular, the end of the month provided a historically hot stretch of weather in Central, East, and Southeast Texas. Houston Hobby set or tied a daily high temperature record each day and Galveston tied the high temperature record on both the 28th and 29th. Waco tied a record high on the 29th, barely missing becoming the eight May day since 1902 to top 100°F. Ironically, Midland was the only first-order station to reach the century mark in May, topping out at 100°F degrees on the 6th, though it had the largest monthly maximum temperature departure from normal. Pecos had the highest maximum temperature in the entire contiguous United States each day in the period from the 21st through the 23rd (104°F, 102°F, and 100°F). Earlier in the month, Laredo accomplished the same feat from the 11th through the 13th (103°F, 100°F, and 97°F).

Severe weather reports were more common during the second half of May than the first. Hail 4.25" in diameter was reported just to the south of Alpine on the 17th, the same day winds in excess of 80 mph damaged a museum and gas station in Floyd County. More than 20 tornadoes were reported in the northern Panhandle the following day, though no significant damage was reported. Two tornadoes were reported just south of the Metroplex on the 20th, a tornado that crossed over the New Mexico border and hit Texline did damage to about 20 irrigation systems on the 23rd, several tornadoes were reported in Hansford and Woodward counties on the 24th, and a brief EF0 tornado touched down in southern Live Oak County on the 25th.

Monthly Summary for Selected Cities

Monthly Extremes

New Monthly Records

Climatic Averages for June