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Texas Climate Report: October 2011

The month of October was much cooler and wetter across Texas than the previous months based on the weather records, but the historic drought of 2011 persisted throughout the state. The majority of the rain that fell across the state occurred over the weekend of the 8th and 9th when a storm system moved across the state and brought significant precipitation into Central Texas and North Texas. Though cities such as Waco, Abilene, and Wichita Falls saw well above average precipitation, other areas such as El Paso and Brownsville remained very dry through October. Overall maximum temperatures were above average and minimum temperatures were slightly below average, indicative of a lack of soil moisture prevalent across the state. Cold fronts were commonplace during October, with several diving south and dropping temperatures quickly. However, temperatures moderated quickly behind these fronts, so any cold air outbreaks were short lived. The air was cold enough in the Panhandle on the 27th to deliver the season’s first snowfall, with Amarillo picking up 3.1" inches of snow.

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 79.5 +1.9 95 54.5 +0.1 34 67.0 +1.0 3 4.09 141% 3.81 76 145
Amarillo 74.1 +2.3 90 44.7 +0.1 28 59.4 +1.2 4 1.23 82% 0.76 207 41
Austin 84.3 +2.9 95 59.1 ‑0.7 44 71.7 +1.1 2 2.19 55% 2.19 29 245
Brownsville 86.9 +2.9 92 65.2 ‑0.7 52 76.0 +1.0 4 1.25 33% 0.71 1 349
College Station 83.7 +1.7 93 58.3 ‑0.7 39 71.0 +0.5 3 0.95 23% 0.82 38 233
Corpus Christi 86.8 +3.2 94 62.8 ‑1.2 42 74.8 +1.0 5 1.95 49% 0.96 12 324
Dallas‑Fort Worth 79.8 +1.9 90 56.5 +0.1 39 68.1 +0.9 6 3.12 76% 1.43 59 166
Del Rio 84.1 +2.4 92 59.6 ‑0.9 37 71.8 +0.7 3 0.39 20% 0.37 30 250
El Paso 82.2 +4.3 90 53.6 +1.8 38 67.9 +3.0 1 0.01 1% 0.01 48 144
Galveston 80.4 +2.3 87 68.6 +0.5 53 74.5 +1.4 6 4.60 133% 4.31 9 313
Houston 83.2 +1.2 91 58.4 ‑0.4 44 70.8 +0.4 6 3.36 75% 3.02 33 221
Lubbock 76.9 +2.5 91 47.8 +0.8 31 62.3 +1.6 5 1.34 79% 0.92 142 66
Midland 80.7 +3.3 95 53.1 +1.8 36 66.9 +2.5 3 1.46 82% 1.33 74 145
Port Arthur 82.9 +2.4 90 58.1 ‑1.5 40 70.5 +0.4 3 0.83 18% 0.58 37 216
San Angelo 82.0 +4.2 97 54.1 +1.1 31 68.0 +2.6 4 2.91 113% 2.83 65 167
San Antonio 83.0 +1.0 93 59.0 ‑0.4 40 71.0 +0.3 3 3.28 85% 3.12 33 229
Victoria 85.5 +2.5 93 58.5 ‑3.1 38 72.0 ‑0.3 4 2.53 59% 1.93 33 257
Waco 81.5 +1.1 93 54.9 ‑1.8 34 68.2 ‑0.4 3 6.20 169% 5.83 66 171
Wichita Falls 78.2 +1.1 90 52.6 +0.2 37 65.4 +0.7 6 5.02 161% 3.69 93 114
Shreveport, LA 82.2 +3.9 92 52.6 ‑2.4 35 67.4 +0.7 5 1.56 35% 0.90 68 151
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.

oct 2011 average temperatures
oct 2011 average precipitation

Monthly Extremes

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
CASTOLON BREWSTER 0.00
EDINBURG 17 NNE HIDALGO 0.00
KERMIT WINKLER 0.00
PANTHER JUNCTION BREWSTER 0.00
PANTHER JUNCTION 2 N BREWSTER 0.00
PERRYTON 21 S OCHILTREE 0.00
POTEET ATASCOSA 0.00
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
JACKSBORO JACK 8.91
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours (inches)
Station County Value
COMANCHE CO CITY AP COMANCHE 7.74
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
DOG CANYON CULBERSON 56.4
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
MCALLEN MILLER INTL AP HIDALGO 78.5
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
DOG CANYON CULBERSON 69.5
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
CASTOLON BREWSTER 92.4
Highest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
PEARSALL FRIO 105
Lowest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
BUSHLAND 1 WSW POTTER 34
LITTLEFIELD LAMB 34
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
DIMMITT 2 N CASTRO 40.2
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 69.6
Highest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
ANGLETON BRAZORIA AP BRAZORIA 81
Lowest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
BRAVO HARTLEY 24
DIMMITT 2 N CASTRO 24

New Monthly Records

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
CASTOLON BREWSTER 0.00 0.00 (2010) 32
PANTHER JUNCTION BREWSTER 0.00 0.00 (2010) 57
PERRYTON 21 S OCHILTREE 0.00 0.00 (1999) 32
POTEET ATASCOSA 0.00 0.00 (2010) 66
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours Ever in the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
ABILENE 2 TAYLOR 4.15 2.72 (2004) 11
ACTON RCH CROCKETT 5.62 5.00 (2002) 15
ALVORD 3 N WISE 4.10 2.70 (2009) 12
BURKETT COLEMAN 4.05 4.00 (1971) 57
CHARLIE CLAY 3.75 3.60 (2006) 16
EDEN CONCHO 3.60 3.08 (1973) 54
EL INDIO MAVERICK 5.70 2.64 (2002) 34
FT GRIFFIN SHACKELFORD 4.10 3.00 (1991) 15
GALVESTON SCHOLES FLD GALVESTON 4.31 3.91 (2006) 29
GLEN COVE 2 NE COLEMAN 4.67 4.10 (2002) 10
HORDS CREEK DAM COLEMAN 4.86 3.80 (2003) 56
HUDSPETH RIVER RANCH VAL VERDE 3.85 3.15 (2002) 24
HUMBLE PUMP STN 5 WN SUTTON 3.72 3.50 (1969) 53
LAKE BRIDGEPORT DAM WISE 3.90 2.76 (2009) 17
LAKE KEMP BAYLOR 3.53 3.30 (2006) 41
LOMA ALTA MCMULLEN 2.52 2.05 (1947) 10
PUTNAM CALLAHAN 5.55 4.98 (1931) 98
WACO DAM MCLENNAN 5.50 4.85 (1974) 40
WACO RGNL AP MCLENNAN 5.83 5.72 (1974) 82
WATER VALLEY 11 NNE COKE 3.30 3.15 (1981) 49
WATSON BURNET 5.50 4.30 (2009) 43
WEATHERFORD PARKER 6.00 5.75 (1959) 105
WOODSON THROCKMORTON 3.84 3.09 (1991) 23
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
CASTOLON BREWSTER 75.8 75.6 (1992) 25
KENT 8 SE JEFF DAVIS 65.4 64.9 (2010) 13
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
ATLANTA CASS 80.8 80.3 (2010) 12
DEKALB BOWIE 81.8 80.9 (1989) 25
DELL CITY 5 SSW HUDSPETH 87.0 86.3 (2007) 29
LONGVIEW GREGG 83.1 82.9 (2004) 10
PEARSALL FRIO 91.3 91.0 (1962) 55
Highest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BURNET MUNI AP BURNET 92 92 (2005) 13
CALLIHAM MCMULLEN 99 97 (2005) 12
FT HOOD BELL 94 94 (2007) 14
HARLINGEN RIO GRANDE AP CAMERON 97 96 (2005) 24
LEXINGTON LEE 100 97 (1998) 41
PEARSALL FRIO 105 102 (1989) 55
PORT O CONNOR CALHOUN 99 99 (2007) 47
SAN ANTONIO STINSON AP BEXAR 95 95 (2005) 14
Lowest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
ALVORD 3 N WISE 50 50 (2002) 10
BONITA 4 NW MONTAGUE 49 51 (2002) 10
BUSHLAND 1 WSW POTTER 34 39 (2002) 12
LAKE ALAN HENRY GARZA 42 45 (2002) 18
PLAINVIEW WATER PRODUCTION HALE 38 42 (2002) 12
WHITE RIVER RESERVOIR CROSBY 43 44 (2000) 14
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
HOUSTON CLOVER FLD BRAZORIA 59.4 59.9 (2010) 10
LUMBERTON HARDIN 52.6 52.8 (2001) 10
TORNILLO 2 SSE EL PASO 40.6 41.9 (1999) 31
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
KENT 8 SE JEFF DAVIS 51.7 50.9 (2004) 15
Highest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
ANGLETON BRAZORIA AP BRAZORIA 81 81 (2009) 10
BIG SPRING HOWARD 71 71 (2000) 56
BIG SPRING HOWARD 71 71 (1997) 45
FT HOOD BELL 76 76 (2007) 14
Lowest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
FT MCKAVETT MENARD 26 27 (2010) 18
NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI AP GUADALUPE 37 37 (2010) 12

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 69.4 85 (1988) 58.3 26 (1911) 3.85 16.18 (1940) 9.01 (1940) 0.0 0.1 8.3 114 88
Houston 72.0 89 (2010) 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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