Volume 20 Number 9 SEPTEMBER 2007

September 2007 was a warm month across the entire state. In fact, every first-order station recorded an above average monthly mean temperature. A persistent ridge of high pressure anchored over the southeastern United States was the main culprit for the warm temperatures. In all, 7 of the 20 first-order stations recorded departures from normal of at least 3ºF for monthly mean temperature. Dallas/Forth Worth and Galveston recorded their 10^th warmest Septembers on record, with monthly mean temperatures of 81.6ºF and 83.0ºF, respectively. Houston recorded its 8^th warmest September on record with a monthly mean temperature of 81.9ºF. Despite the warm temperatures, only one station (Amarillo) recorded a maximum temperature in the triple digits.

Precipitation patterns were varied across the state. The area stretching from roughly the South Plains through the extreme western Hill County to the western Coastal Bend recorded below average rainfall for the month. Abilene and Midland only recorded 42% and 54 % of their normal rainfalls, respectively, while San Antonio recorded only 36% of its normal rainfall total. Most of North Texas, including Waco, Dallas/Forth Worth, and Wichita Falls, received above average rainfall totals. Southeast Texas rainfall totals were varied. Houston and College Station received below average rainfall, while Galveston and Port Arthur received above average totals. Port Arthur recorded 5.56” of rainfall on the 12^th- - 13^th in association with Hurricane Humberto.

The main weather story of the month was the impact of Hurricane Humberto on the Upper Texas Coast. Humberto formed into a tropical depression on the morning of September 12^th and quickly gathered strength. The storm moved parallel along the Upper Coast Texas and quickly intensified into a tropical storm. Humberto made landfall as a category 1 hurricane near High Island, TX on the early morning hours of the 13^th. Maximum sustained winds at landfall were 85 mph. Port Arthur recorded maximum sustained winds of 56 mph and gusts of greater than 84 mph. Damage from the storm was confined to far eastern portions of Southeast Texas. Humberto was the first hurricane to make landfall along the Upper Texas Coast since Hurricane Rita in 2005.

SEPTEMBER 2007

* Complete temperature data were unavailable. Temperatures are rounded to the nearest whole degree.

*HDD - Heating degree-day: Refer to the Monthly Average chart for a definition T = Trace (<0.005")

*CDD - Cooling degree-day: Refer to the Monthly Average chart for a definition M: Information not available.

CLIMATIC AVERAGES FOR OCTOBER

Records are at the current site, other records may have occurred at previous sites.

*CDD - Cooling degree-day: The difference between the mean individual daily temperature and 65°F, with one

CDD resulting for each degree above the standard 65°F during one day.

*HDD - Heating degree-day: The difference between the mean individual daily temperature and 65°F, with one

HDD resulting for each degree below the standard 65°F during one day.

All times given for sunrise, sunset, and moon phase times are calculated for the intersection of

Meridian 99°10' W and parallel 31°23' N, which is the approximate geographic center of the state.

Agricultural Weather Highlights

http://agnews.tamu.edu/dailynews/stories/CROP/

Past Weather Events in October

October 3, 1867: Hurricane. This hurricane moved inland south of Galveston, but raked the entire Texas coast from the Rio Grande to the Sabine. Bagdad and Clarksville, towns at the mouth of the Rio Grande, were destroyed. Much of Galveston was flooded and property damage there was estimated at $1 million.

October 12-13, 1880: Hurricane. Brownsville. City nearly destroyed, many lives lost.

October 12, 1886: Hurricane. Sabine, Jefferson County. Hurricane passed over Sabine. The inundation extended 20 miles inland and nearly every house in the vicinity was moved from its foundation; 150 persons were drowned.

October 28, 1960: Rainstorm. Rains of 7-10 inches fell in South Central Texas; 11 died from drowning in flash floods. In Austin about 300 families were driven from their homes. Damage in Austin was estimated at $2.5 million.

October 11-14, 1981: Record rains in North Central Texas caused by the remains of Pacific Hurricane Norma. Over 20 inches fell in some locations.

October 15-19, 1994: Extreme amounts of rainfall, up to 28.90 inches over a 4-day period, fell throughout southeastern part of the state. Seventeen lives were lost, most of them victims of flash flooding. Many rivers reached record flood levels during this period. Houston was cut off from many other parts of the state, as numerous roads, including Interstate 10, were under water. Damage was estimated to be near $700 million; 26 counties were declared disaster areas.

October 17-19, 1998: A massive and devastating flood set all-time records for rainfall and river levels, resulted in the deaths of 25 people, injured more than 2,000 others, and caused more than $500 million damage from the Hill Country to the counties surrounding San Antonio to the south and east.

January-October, 2000: A severe drought plagued most of Texas. Some regions experienced little to no rain for several months during the summer. Abilene saw no rain for 72 consecutive days, while Dallas had no rain for 84 consecutive days during the summer. During July, aquifers were reaching all-time lows, and lake and streams fell to critical levels. Most regions had to cut back or stop agriculture due to lack of rain. The drought caused $515 million in agricultural loss according to USDA figures.

Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon (State Climatologist)

Adam Wiley (Undergraduate Assistant)