Texas Climate Report: October 2013
The first full month of fall brought with it approximately normal temperatures, but a huge spread on rainfall. Central Texas recorded one of the wettest Octobers on record, while West Texas recorded the driest, so rainfall was absolutely hit and miss. Drought conditions with the rainfall improved greatly in the places that received the rain. Drought free conditions pushed from the Sabine River towards the Interstate 45 corridor, with all but far Northeast Texas out of the drought. To the southwest of San Antonio drought conditions drew back as well, but for the remainder of the state drought status remained mostly unchanged as precipitation ranged from normal to slightly below normal.
The biggest weather events this month both slammed Central Texas, and brought soaking rains to nearly anywhere east of Interstate 35. The first soaking rain event occurred on October 13th when an upper level low combined with ample moisture produced heavy rainfall from Midland to Beaumont. The Austin area was hit the hardest, with places outside of town recording over a foot of rain. The second great rainmaker of the month hit some of the same places just as hard. On October 30th the remnants of Tropical Storm Raymond combined with a cold front and another upper level low to produce training thunderstorms that once again produced flooding rains across Central Texas. Just to the south of Austin in Wimberley, Texas, roughly 14 inches of rain were recorded. Both of these systems brought flash flooding for much of Central and East Texas, and together helped to improve drought conditions. To the west of these flooded places, such as in the Big Bend region and the upper Panhandle, zero rainfall was recorded for the whole month.
Because of heavy rainfall and strong cold fronts, the month was cooler than one would expect after so many months of above average temperatures. The first freeze of the season in the Panhandle came a few weeks ahead of normal on October 18th when a cold front brought polar air out of Canada into the state of Texas, giving all Texan's a cool week to dust off their sweaters.
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 |
+0.9 |
90 |
55.2 |
+0.9 |
36 |
66.7 |
+0.9 |
5 |
1.40 |
47% |
0.40 |
79 |
140 |
Amarillo |
73.5 |
+1.6 |
91 |
43.0 |
‑1.7 |
27 |
58.3 |
0.0 |
6 |
0.17 |
10% |
0.10 |
235 |
34 |
Austin |
82.0 |
+0.2 |
93 |
61.0 |
+0.4 |
44 |
71.5 |
+0.3 |
12 |
13.28 |
342% |
6.24 |
20 |
229 |
Brownsville |
87.6 |
+1.9 |
93 |
69.6 |
+2.7 |
57 |
78.6 |
+2.3 |
7 |
1.63 |
44% |
0.59 |
0 |
430 |
College Station |
80.7 |
‑0.7 |
91 |
60.5 |
+0.2 |
44 |
70.6 |
‑0.2 |
11 |
9.10 |
185% |
4.31 |
19 |
200 |
Corpus Christi |
87.1 |
+2.7 |
93 |
67.5 |
+2.7 |
52 |
77.3 |
+2.7 |
7 |
2.45 |
67% |
1.51 |
0 |
388 |
Dallas‑Fort Worth |
78.8 |
+0.5 |
93 |
57.6 |
+0.8 |
43 |
68.2 |
+0.7 |
9 |
3.13 |
74% |
1.25 |
44 |
152 |
Del Rio |
82.0 |
‑0.4 |
94 |
62.2 |
+1.2 |
47 |
72.1 |
+0.4 |
4 |
1.40 |
63% |
0.92 |
9 |
239 |
El Paso |
78.6 |
+0.4 |
89 |
52.3 |
+0.3 |
38 |
65.5 |
+0.4 |
0 |
0.00 |
0% |
0.00 |
58 |
79 |
Galveston |
80.1 |
‑0.5 |
88 |
69.4 |
+1.3 |
58 |
74.7 |
+0.4 |
10 |
6.85 |
124% |
3.13 |
0 |
309 |
Houston |
81.5 |
‑0.5 |
93 |
61.1 |
+0.2 |
46 |
71.3 |
‑0.2 |
13 |
7.08 |
124% |
2.18 |
8 |
212 |
Lubbock |
76.5 |
+1.3 |
95 |
47.6 |
‑0.3 |
32 |
62.1 |
+0.6 |
2 |
1.15 |
60% |
1.11 |
159 |
76 |
Midland |
79.0 |
+1.1 |
96 |
53.5 |
+1.7 |
38 |
66.3 |
+1.5 |
2 |
1.66 |
96% |
1.42 |
79 |
125 |
Port Arthur |
81.0 |
+0.4 |
91 |
62.3 |
+1.8 |
48 |
71.7 |
+1.1 |
11 |
7.78 |
139% |
3.38 |
9 |
221 |
San Angelo |
78.8 |
0.0 |
90 |
54.2 |
+0.6 |
39 |
66.5 |
+0.3 |
7 |
1.46 |
53% |
0.76 |
82 |
137 |
San Antonio |
83.9 |
+1.7 |
93 |
63.0 |
+2.9 |
46 |
73.5 |
+2.3 |
8 |
2.81 |
68% |
0.89 |
11 |
282 |
Victoria |
85.4 |
+1.9 |
95 |
62.9 |
+2.0 |
48 |
74.1 |
+1.9 |
9 |
3.45 |
74% |
2.25 |
4 |
292 |
Waco |
79.3 |
‑0.6 |
91 |
56.3 |
‑0.3 |
39 |
67.8 |
‑0.5 |
10 |
7.30 |
187% |
3.59 |
49 |
145 |
Wichita Falls |
77.5 |
+0.5 |
92 |
52.8 |
+0.8 |
36 |
65.2 |
+0.7 |
4 |
1.95 |
63% |
0.75 |
102 |
115 |
Shreveport, LA |
77.9 |
‑0.3 |
89 |
57.5 |
+2.9 |
42 |
67.7 |
+1.3 |
12 |
7.02 |
142% |
3.07 |
38 |
131 |
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. |
Monthly Extremes
Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches) |
Station |
County |
Value |
BRAVO |
HARTLEY |
0.00 |
JERICHO |
GRAY |
0.00 |
KERMIT |
WINKLER |
0.00 |
MULESHOE #1 |
BAILEY |
0.00 |
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches) |
Station |
County |
Value |
WIMBERLEY 1 NW |
HAYS |
17.97 |
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours (inches) |
Station |
County |
Value |
WIMBERLEY 1 NW |
HAYS |
12.45 |
Lowest Average Daily Temperature (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
BRAVO |
HARTLEY |
52.8 |
Highest Average Daily Temperature (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
MCALLEN MILLER INTL AP |
HIDALGO |
78.7 |
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
BRAVO |
HARTLEY |
69.1 |
Highest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
FALCON DAM |
STARR |
90.2 |
Highest Maximum Temperature (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
LAJITAS |
BREWSTER |
102 |
Lowest Maximum Temperature&nbsnbsp; (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
DUMAS |
MOORE |
40 |
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
BRAVO |
HARTLEY |
36.5 |
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
PORT ARANSAS |
NUECES |
72.2 |
Highest Minimum Temperature (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
BEEVILLE 5 NE |
BEE |
83 |
Lowest Minimum Temperature (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
ROCKSPRINGS |
EDWARDS |
9 |
New Monthly Records
Least Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches) |
Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
BORGER HUTCHINSON CO AP |
HUTCHINSON |
0.26 |
0.28 (2007) |
14 |
BRAVO |
HARTLEY |
0.00 |
0.00 (2001) |
70 |
KERMIT |
WINKLER |
0.00 |
0.00 (2012) |
10 |
MULESHOE #1 |
BAILEY |
0.00 |
0.00 (1992) |
89 |
Greatest Precipitation Overall for the Month (inches) |
Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
AUSTIN‑CAMP MABRY |
TRAVIS |
13.28 |
12.39 (1998) |
76 |
AUSTIN 8SSE |
TRAVIS |
10.66 |
7.16 (2009) |
10 |
BREMOND |
ROBERTSON |
12.01 |
11.45 (2009) |
51 |
CARRIZO SPRINGS 3W |
DIMMIT |
11.75 |
9.37 (1971) |
81 |
DRIPPING SPRINGS 6 E |
HAYS |
14.75 |
11.07 (1998) |
28 |
JASPER |
JASPER |
13.57 |
13.12 (2009) |
62 |
LOS ANGELES 4 WSW |
LA SALLE |
6.35 |
4.62 (1998) |
13 |
PALESTINE 6 WNW |
ANDERSON |
11.23 |
5.43 (2006) |
10 |
SAN SABA 7 NW |
SAN SABA |
5.67 |
5.14 (2004) |
11 |
WIMBERLEY 1 NW |
HAYS |
17.97 |
16.43 (1998) |
29 |
Greatest Precipitation in 24 Hours Ever in the Month (inches) |
Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
AQUILLA 1 SSE |
HILL |
4.24 |
4.19 (2001) |
20 |
BIG SPRING 5 NE |
HOWARD |
1.49 |
1.45 (2008) |
10 |
CARRIZO SPRINGS 3W |
DIMMIT |
11.48 |
7.50 (1945) |
81 |
CORPUS CHRISTI NWS |
NUECES |
1.35 |
1.21 (2006) |
10 |
COTULLA LA SALLE CO AP |
LA SALLE |
7.38 |
7.00 (1985) |
96 |
HALLSVILLE 1 W |
HARRISON |
5.18 |
3.45 (1998) |
16 |
HENDERSON |
RUSK |
8.14 |
7.47 (1957) |
101 |
HOUSTON CLOVER FLD |
BRAZORIA |
4.97 |
4.66 (2003) |
12 |
HUNTSVILLE MUNI AP |
WALKER |
3.43 |
2.76 (2003) |
12 |
JASPER |
JASPER |
10.18 |
5.24 (1994) |
62 |
LEES |
GLASSCOCK |
3.81 |
1.17 (2008) |
10 |
LOMA ALTA |
MCMULLEN |
2.61 |
2.52 (2011) |
12 |
LONGVIEW |
GREGG |
6.55 |
3.01 (2009) |
11 |
LOS ANGELES 4 WSW |
LA SALLE |
5.57 |
1.90 (2009) |
13 |
PALESTINE 6 WNW |
ANDERSON |
5.64 |
2.27 (2006) |
10 |
PINELAND |
SABINE |
7.50 |
7.50 (2006) |
34 |
ROUND ROCK 3 NE |
WILLIAMSON |
7.87 |
6.10 (1998) |
45 |
SAN SABA 7 NW |
SAN SABA |
3.38 |
1.90 (2004) |
11 |
TAYLOR 1 NW |
WILLIAMSON |
4.64 |
3.24 (2004) |
14 |
TURKEY |
HALL |
6.68 |
4.10 (1946) |
57 |
WOODVILLE |
TYLER |
8.00 |
5.95 (2006) |
22 |
Lowest Average Daily Maximum Temperature (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
CORPUS CHRISTI NWS |
NUECES |
83.2 |
83.5 (2008) |
10 |
ELDORADO |
SCHLEICHER |
74.9 |
74.9 (2009) |
10 |
Highest Maximum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
ANGLETON BRAZORIA AP |
BRAZORIA |
92 |
92 (2005) |
12 |
FT STOCKTON PECOS AP |
PECOS |
98 |
98 (2011) |
11 |
HOUSTON CLOVER FLD |
BRAZORIA |
93 |
93 (1998) |
12 |
K‑BAR RCH |
ECTOR |
97 |
97 (2011) |
10 |
MULESHOE 19 S |
BAILEY |
92 |
92 (2007) |
10 |
SAN ANTONIO STINSON AP |
BEXAR |
95 |
95 (2011) |
16 |
Lowest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
BRAVO |
HARTLEY |
36.5 |
37.5 (1976) |
46 |
BUSHLAND 1 WSW |
POTTER |
38.6 |
39.2 (2012) |
14 |
HART |
CASTRO |
38.8 |
39.5 (2009) |
27 |
MULESHOE 19 S |
BAILEY |
39.1 |
39.5 (2009) |
10 |
Highest Average Daily Minimum Temperature (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
DRYDEN 10 NE |
TERRELL |
55.3 |
54.1 (2007) |
10 |
Highest Minimum Temperature Ever in the Month (°F) |
Station |
County |
Value |
Previous Record |
Yrs. Data |
DRYDEN 10 NE |
TERRELL |
71 |
70 (2007) |
10 |
FREER |
DUVAL |
76 |
76 (2004) |
33 |
FT WORTH NAS |
TARRANT |
77 |
76 (2007) |
33 |
HONDO MUNI AP |
MEDINA |
78 |
78 (1998) |
35 |
KENT 8 SE |
JEFF DAVIS |
67 |
67 (2012) |
17 |
LAKE FORK RSVR |
WOOD |
74 |
74 (2004) |
25 |
SAM RAYBURN DAM |
JASPER |
79 |
79 (2009) |
42 |
SAN SABA 7 NW |
SAN SABA |
71 |
70 (2007) |
12 |
VIGO PARK |
SWISHER |
62 |
62 (2007) |
10 |
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 |
66.3 |
92 (1980) |
43.0 |
13 (1887) |
1.41 |
5.82 (1913) |
2.48 (2004) |
0.1 |
4.4 |
4.6 |
329 |
19 |
Amarillo |
60.0 |
87 (1980) |
32.5 |
0 (1976) |
0.80 |
5.09 (1905) |
3.01 (1905) |
0.0 |
14.5 |
4.0 |
564 |
1 |
Austin |
71.4 |
91 (2006) |
50.6 |
20 (1976) |
2.96 |
14.10 (2004) |
7.55 (2001) |
0.1 |
0.4 |
7.5 |
181 |
61 |
Brownsville |
79.1 |
98 (1906) |
59.6 |
27 (1911) |
1.82 |
7.69 (1986) |
4.08 (1986) |
0.4 |
0.0 |
6.0 |
50 |
180 |
College Station |
71.0 |
94 (1921) |
50.5 |
19 (1976) |
3.22 |
13.06 (1907) |
5.56 (1907) |
0.0 |
0.7 |
8.1 |
188 |
61 |
Corpus Christi |
76.0 |
98 (1988) |
56.2 |
27 (2011) |
1.97 |
8.64 (1888) |
4.61 (1892) |
0.4 |
0.1 |
6.0 |
91 |
124 |
Dallas‑Fort Worth |
66.9 |
89 (2005) |
46.2 |
19 (1950) |
2.71 |
7.94 (1918) |
4.72 (1918) |
0.1 |
1.8 |
6.4 |
282 |
29 |
Del Rio |
72.0 |
96 (1988) |
49.6 |
17 (1906) |
0.93 |
4.71 (2004) |
2.87 (1914) |
0.2 |
0.6 |
4.4 |
173 |
47 |
El Paso |
66.2 |
87 (1983) |
40.1 |
1 (1976) |
0.49 |
2.50 (1906) |
1.19 (1943) |
0.0 |
4.9 |
3.1 |
359 |
3 |
Galveston |
71.6 |
85 (1988) |
58.6 |
26 (1911) |
4.51 |
16.18 (1940) |
9.01 (1940) |
0.0 |
0.0 |
8.0 |
94 |
97 |
Houston |
72.5 |
89 (2010) |
52.1 |
19 (1976) |
4.34 |
14.10 (1943) |
10.83 (1943) |
0.1 |
0.4 |
8.2 |
155 |
74 |
Lubbock |
63.6 |
90 (2006) |
35.9 |
‑1 (1957) |
0.85 |
6.65 (2004) |
1.67 (2004) |
0.0 |
9.5 |
3.8 |
460 |
3 |
Midland |
66.6 |
90 (1996) |
39.2 |
10 (1938) |
0.69 |
5.42 (2004) |
2.17 (2004) |
0.0 |
6.4 |
3.0 |
370 |
7 |
Port Arthur |
71.7 |
90 (1905) |
51.8 |
22 (1976) |
4.40 |
22.74 (1902) |
7.70 (1946) |
0.0 |
0.4 |
8.1 |
161 |
64 |
San Angelo |
68.3 |
93 (1980) |
42.3 |
12 (1911) |
1.14 |
5.18 (2004) |
2.57 (2001) |
0.1 |
5.1 |
4.0 |
309 |
18 |
San Antonio |
72.2 |
94 (1988) |
50.1 |
21 (1976) |
2.28 |
9.46 (2004) |
4.87 (1977) |
0.1 |
1.1 |
6.7 |
178 |
62 |
Victoria |
74.2 |
93 (1988) |
51.8 |
24 (1976) |
3.24 |
16.14 (2004) |
9.20 (2004) |
0.1 |
0.5 |
7.3 |
140 |
80 |
Waco |
68.5 |
92 (1988) |
46.5 |
17 (1976) |
2.82 |
10.36 (1902) |
4.26 (1952) |
0.1 |
2.6 |
7.3 |
261 |
36 |
Wichita Falls |
65.1 |
89 (1988) |
40.3 |
14 (1950) |
1.65 |
7.39 (1902) |
3.15 (1902) |
0.0 |
5.8 |
5.3 |
381 |
12 |
Shreveport, LA |
67.5 |
88 (1984) |
45.2 |
16 (1976) |
4.53 |
10.81 (1987) |
6.51 (1987) |
0.0 |
2.7 |
8.7 |
285 |
25 |
Climatic averages are based on 1981-2010 monthly normals, which are provided by the National Climatic Data Center. |