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Texas Climate Report: August 2012

As expected, August was hot all across the state of Texas. Temperature anomalies generally increased from east to west, with the highest anomalies in the Trans-Pecos and Edwards Plateau regions and the lowest anomalies in the extreme northeast Panhandle and East Texas. Precipitation came in two distinct events, though accumulations were isolated for the most part. The majority of the rainfall that fell across the state came after a weak high pressure brought significant moisture and rainfall to south and central Texas. The other big story for the month of August was an unusually strong cold front, which passed across Texas from August 18-20, dropping temperatures by nearly 20 degrees for much of the state and providing isolated rainfall accumulations throughout East Texas. Remnants of the system provided rain for the Low Rolling Plains west of Wichita Falls in the following days.

Drought conditions intensified in the Panhandle and the Big Country, which experienced low precipitation accumulations and high temperatures; the same can be said of the Coastal Bend and Lower Valley near Corpus Christi and southward, which has seen significant drying out over the month. The aforementioned precipitation events dropped the most rainfall in the eastern Trans-Pecos and North Central Texas near Dallas-Fort Worth, both of which saw conditions generally improve by the end of August.

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 98.1 +4.1 108 72.9 +1.3 62 85.5 +2.7 7 1.20 46% 0.54 0 643
Amarillo 94.0 +4.6 107 66.0 +1.8 57 80.0 +3.2 6 1.18 41% 0.70 0 474
Austin 99.0 +2.0 107 75.3 +0.7 70 87.1 +1.3 3 1.25 53% 1.21 0 692
Brownsville 95.8 +1.4 105 77.4 +1.2 73 86.6 +1.3 4 3.85 158% 3.08 0 676
College Station 97.8 +1.6 105 76.5 +2.0 72 87.2 +1.9 5 1.71 64% 0.84 0 696
Corpus Christi 99.2 +4.8 107 77.5 +2.5 73 88.3 +3.6 3 0.12 4% 0.08 0 731
Dallas‑Fort Worth 97.5 +1.4 108 75.5 +0.4 65 86.5 +0.9 5 3.19 167% 1.97 0 675
Del Rio 101.8 +4.7 106 77.9 +2.6 71 89.8 +3.6 3 0.11 5% 0.06 0 777
El Paso 96.4 +4.0 102 72.4 +2.7 64 84.4 +3.3 6 0.65 32% 0.47 0 610
Galveston 92.0 +1.7 97 81.2 +1.5 75 86.6 +1.6 7 6.14 140% 2.22 0 679
Houston 95.4 +0.9 99 76.8 +2.0 72 86.1 +1.5 7 3.88 103% 3.10 0 662
Lubbock 94.0 +2.7 105 67.8 +1.2 56 80.9 +1.9 7 2.91 152% 1.23 0 500
Midland 96.9 +3.3 106 71.7 +2.9 60 84.3 +3.1 5 0.75 41% 0.40 0 607
Port Arthur 91.2 ‑1.0 95 75.1 +1.1 71 83.1 0.0 13 5.34 99% 1.79 0 571
San Angelo 99.3 +4.6 107 72.6 +1.9 63 86.0 +3.3 8 0.77 34% 0.41 0 657
San Antonio 98.5 +2.5 103 76.0 +1.3 71 87.2 +1.9 2 2.41 115% 2.41 0 698
Victoria 96.7 +1.7 105 74.5 +0.8 69 85.6 +1.3 4 1.40 49% 1.09 0 646
Waco 97.9 +1.1 105 75.0 +1.2 68 86.5 +1.2 7 1.68 82% 1.07 0 675
Wichita Falls 98.8 +2.2 112 71.5 +0.1 61 85.2 +1.2 7 2.68 107% 1.57 0 633
Shreveport, LA 94.1 0.0 101 73.2 +1.1 62 83.6 +0.5 11 3.62 133% 2.14 0 585
Bold-italics indicate a value broke or tied the record from a previous year.
*Dep.: Departure of the monthly average temperature from the 1981-2010 monthly normal, which is provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
*Perc. Norm.: Monthly precipitation total divided by 1981-2010 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 2012 average temperatures
aug 2012 average precipitation

Monthly Extremes

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
CALLIHAM MCMULLEN 0.00
CHOKE CANYON DAM LIVE OAK 0.00
FALLS CITY 7 WSW WILSON 0.00
PORT ARANSAS 10 SSW NUECES 0.00
PORT MANSFIELD WILLACY 0.00
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value
ANAHUAC CHAMBERS 7.37
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours (inches)
Station County Value
ANAHUAC CHAMBERS 5.46
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
MT LOCKE JEFF DAVIS 73.7
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
LAREDO INTL AP WEBB 90.9
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
CAPROCK CANYON SP BRISCOE 81.7
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
FALCON DAM STARR 104.1
Highest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
WELLINGTON COLLINGSWORTH 115
Lowest Maximum Temperature  (°F)
Station County Value
CAPROCK CANYON SP BRISCOE 66
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
TORNILLO 2 SSE EL PASO 60.4
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
GALVESTON SCHOLES FLD GALVESTON 81.2
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 81.2
Highest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
GARNER FLD AP UVALDE 88
Lowest Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value
MULESHOE #1 BAILEY 47

New Monthly Records

Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
BUSHLAND 1 WSW POTTER 0.41 0.48 (2011) 12
CALLIHAM MCMULLEN 0.00 0.00 (2011) 31
CHOKE CANYON DAM LIVE OAK 0.00 0.00 (2011) 27
FALLS CITY 7 WSW WILSON 0.00 0.00 (2011) 63
MATHIS 4 SSW JIM WELLS 0.07 0.10 (1993) 49
MONAHANS 6 ENE WARD 0.68 0.71 (2009) 10
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 0.01 0.06 (2009) 24
PORT MANSFIELD WILLACY 0.00 0.00 (2011) 48
SAN ANGELO WFO TOM GREEN 0.71 1.36 (2010) 10
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
DALLAS REDBIRD AP DALLAS 2.66 2.28 (2008) 10
FT WORTH ALLIANCE AP TARRANT 5.75 5.47 (2003) 12
JUSTIN DENTON 6.88 3.87 (2008) 10
LAKE BRIDGEPORT DAM WISE 5.83 4.79 (1944) 18
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours Ever in the Month (inches)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
FT WORTH ALLIANCE AP TARRANT 2.79 2.04 (2003) 12
JUSTIN DENTON 4.12 2.45 (2004) 10
LAKE BRIDGEPORT DAM WISE 3.26 2.45 (2004) 18
QUITMAN 2 WOOD 2.55 1.94 (2008) 13
SCOTLAND ARCHER 2.40 2.24 (2008) 16
TERRELL MUNI AP KAUFMAN 2.20 1.78 (2009) 12
WILDWOOD TYLER 3.37 3.02 (2003) 20
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
TORNILLO 2 SSE EL PASO 75.3 76.3 (1981) 31
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
CORPUS CHRISTI INTL AP NUECES 88.3 87.7 (2011) 70
FT DAVIS JEFF DAVIS 78.0 76.9 (1994) 36
FT HOOD BELL 87.9 87.1 (1962) 12
PERSIMMON GAP BREWSTER 86.0 85.7 (2010) 23
WELDER W'LIFE FOUND SAN PATRICIO 87.2 87.2 (2009) 17
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
CORPUS CHRISTI INTL AP NUECES 99.2 98.8 (2011) 70
DEL RIO INTL AP VAL VERDE 101.8 101.6 (2011) 50
FT HOOD BELL 99.4 98.9 (1962) 12
WELDER W'LIFE FOUND SAN PATRICIO 96.9 96.9 (2009) 19
Highest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
ABERNATHY HALE 103 103 (2011) 10
ABILENE RGNL AP TAYLOR 108 107 (2011) 69
AMARILLO INTL AP POTTER 107 106 (1944) 72
BENAVIDES 2 DUVAL 108 108 (1991) 41
BENBROOK DAM TARRANT 108 108 (2010) 59
BIG BEND RCH SP PRESIDIO 100 99 (2011) 13
BORGER HUTCHINSON CO AP HUTCHINSON 108 106 (2011) 10
BROWNFIELD 2 TERRY 107 107 (2011) 58
BROWNSVILLE INTL AP CAMERON 105 104 (2005) 95
CHILDRESS 2 CHILDRESS 110 110 (2011) 15
CORPUS CHRISTI INTL AP NUECES 107 107 (2011) 70
CORPUS CHRISTI NAS NUECES 101 101 (2005) 59
DALHART MUNI AP DALLAM 106 106 (2007) 62
DIMMITT 2 N CASTRO 107 105 (2003) 50
FT HOOD BELL 106 106 (1962) 12
FT STOCKTON PECOS AP PECOS 106 106 (2011) 11
HART CASTRO 104 104 (2011) 26
JAYTON KENT 109 108 (2003) 32
LAKE KEMP BAYLOR 112 111 (2011) 38
LITTLEFIELD LAMB 108 106 (2011) 45
MCALLEN HIDALGO 106 106 (2003) 67
MORTON COCHRAN 106 105 (2011) 47
MULESHOE NWR BAILEY 106 106 (2011) 31
PADUCAH COTTLE 113 113 (2011) 51
PALACIOS MUNI AP MATAGORDA 101 101 (1954) 68
PENWELL ECTOR 109 109 (2011) 37
PERRYTON OCHILTREE 109 106 (2011) 44
PERSIMMON GAP BREWSTER 107 107 (1994) 23
PINE SPRINGS NP CULBERSON 103 101 (2011) 11
PLAINVIEW HALE 107 107 (1944) 98
PLAINVIEW WATER PRODUCTION HALE 104 103 (2011) 13
PORT ARANSAS NUECES 99 97 (2007) 22
POST GARZA 109 107 (2011) 46
ROCKPORT ARANSAS 102 101 (2011) 51
ROCKPORT ARANSAS CO AP ARANSAS 103 102 (2011) 11
SANFORD DAM HUTCHINSON 106 106 (2011) 18
SAN ANGELO WFO TOM GREEN 107 106 (2011) 10
SILVERTON BRISCOE 107 105 (2011) 48
TULIA SWISHER 106 106 (2011) 63
TURKEY HALL 112 111 (2011) 42
VALENTINE JEFF DAVIS 103 103 (2011) 28
VIGO PARK SWISHER 107 106 (2011) 10
WELDER W'LIFE FOUND SAN PATRICIO 103 103 (1990) 19
WELLINGTON COLLINGSWORTH 115 114 (2011) 49
WHITE RIVER RESERVOIR CROSBY 108 108 (2011) 15
Lowest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
CORSICANA CAMPBELL FLD NAVARRO 77 78 (2004) 10
FT WORTH ALLIANCE AP TARRANT 78 80 (2008) 12
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
TORNILLO 2 SSE EL PASO 60.4 62.3 (1981) 31
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
CORPUS CHRISTI INTL AP NUECES 77.5 77.1 (1977) 70
FT DAVIS JEFF DAVIS 65.1 63.3 (2003) 36
FT HOOD BELL 76.4 76.4 (2007) 12
PANTHER JUNCTION BREWSTER 72.7 71.0 (1977) 50
Highest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
AMARILLO INTL AP POTTER 77 75 (2011) 72
BIG BEND RCH SP PRESIDIO 75 73 (2010) 10
BIG SPRING HOWARD 83 80 (1953) 54
BORGER HUTCHINSON CO AP HUTCHINSON 80 79 (2011) 10
BUSHLAND 1 WSW POTTER 72 72 (2011) 11
CORPUS CHRISTI INTL AP NUECES 84 83 (1951) 70
COTULLA LA SALLE CO AP LA SALLE 82 80 (2011) 13
DEL RIO INTL AP VAL VERDE 82 82 (2011) 50
FREEPORT 2 NW BRAZORIA 84 84 (1997) 52
GALVESTON SCHOLES FLD GALVESTON 85 85 (2011) 29
HOUSTON HOOKS MEM AP HARRIS 81 79 (2011) 11
LITTLEFIELD LAMB 74 74 (2003) 45
MORTON COCHRAN 74 74 (2011) 47
PAMPA 2 GRAY 76 76 (1978) 48
PANTHER JUNCTION BREWSTER 78 78 (1969) 50
PENWELL ECTOR 80 79 (2011) 37
PERSIMMON GAP BREWSTER 80 80 (1982) 23
REFUGIO 3 SW REFUGIO 81 81 (2011) 11
TULIA SWISHER 74 74 (2003) 63
VICTORIA RGNL AP VICTORIA 81 81 (2011) 57
Lowest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F)
Station County Value Previous Record Yrs. Data
COPE RCH REAGAN 50 50 (1970) 44
FT WORTH ALLIANCE AP TARRANT 61 61 (2010) 12
TORNILLO 2 SSE EL PASO 49 56 (2004) 31

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 86.8 107 (2000) 64.2 38 (1989) 2.24 11.03 (1974) 6.70 (1961) 10.7 0.0 5.8 11 326
Amarillo 82.6 103 (1995) 56.4 30 (1984) 1.92 6.42 (1923) 3.49 (1900) 6.5 0.1 6.3 43 178
Austin 90.5 112 (2000) 69.4 41 (1942) 2.99 20.78 (1921) 19.03 (1921) 18.1 0.0 6.7 2 450
Brownsville 90.5 105 (2000) 73.1 51 (1909) 5.92 30.57 (1886) 12.09 (1967) 19.3 0.0 10.0 0 504
College Station 90.5 112 (2000) 69.4 41 (1901) 3.18 12.13 (1958) 6.83 (1896) 18.2 0.0 6.7 2 450
Corpus Christi 90.1 109 (2000) 72.0 52 (2000) 4.98 20.33 (1967) 8.76 (1967) 17.1 0.0 8.8 0 482
Dallas‑Fort Worth 88.4 111 (2000) 67.5 40 (1942) 2.55 10.80 (1932) 9.57 (1932) 13.8 0.0 5.5 6 395
Del Rio 90.8 110 (2000) 69.8 43 (1908) 2.20 17.15 (1964) 5.52 (1970) 18.6 0.0 5.3 1 460
El Paso 87.6 104 (1982) 63.3 41 (1945) 1.51 6.68 (1974) 2.52 (1958) 11.7 0.0 6.3 4 317
Galveston 87.4 104 (2000) 75.9 52 (1942) 6.03 26.01 (1885) 11.65 (1961) 7.7 0.0 9.1 0 499
Houston 89.7 109 (2000) 69.8 45 (1942) 4.12 13.37 (1913) 7.98 (1976) 17.0 0.0 8.0 1 443
Lubbock 84.5 105 (1930) 58.8 33 (1983) 2.51 13.93 (1936) 7.80 (2008) 8.0 0.0 5.8 23 223
Midland 86.9 107 (1953) 62.0 36 (1989) 1.86 9.70 (1980) 4.37 (1986) 11.1 0.0 5.4 11 295
Port Arthur 88.2 105 (2000) 69.7 45 (1967) 5.97 21.96 (1980) 15.01 (1980) 12.1 0.0 8.9 1 419
San Angelo 87.8 107 (2005) 63.5 35 (1913) 2.46 11.00 (1980) 6.25 (1980) 12.2 0.0 4.8 9 329
San Antonio 90.3 111 (2000) 69.1 41 (1942) 3.03 15.78 (1946) 7.28 (1973) 17.8 0.0 6.6 2 443
Victoria 90.4 111 (2000) 69.2 45 (1942) 4.16 19.05 (1978) 7.83 (1978) 18.0 0.0 9.5 1 445
Waco 89.8 111 (2000) 66.4 39 (1942) 3.06 11.17 (1913) 6.03 (1936) 16.1 0.0 5.8 6 399
Wichita Falls 88.1 111 (2000) 63.3 38 (1989) 2.81 10.23 (1980) 6.22 (1980) 13.6 0.0 6.0 13 334
Shreveport, LA 88.2 109 (2000) 65.6 42 (1984) 3.16 16.46 (1913) 7.04 (1913) 13.7 0.0 6.9 6 363
Climatic averages are based on 1981-2010 monthly normals, which are provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
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