Volume 17 Number 8.2
August 20, 2004
The second and third weeks of
August saw quite a break from the normally hot temperatures of Texas summer. Beginning on the 11th, a frontal system made its
way across the state dropping temperatures as it passed. Scattered showers popped up along the frontal
boundary, and more severe storms began to appear on the 12th in the Panhandle.
There were 9 reports of hail at least 1.00 in diameter with the largest
being 2.75 in Randall County. Two tornadoes also touched down in Castro County. After the frontal system passed, temperatures
still remained well below their August normals.
Most of the state saw cool and dry weather over the second weekend in
August. Some scattered storms dropped
large amounts of rain on El Paso (1.95 on the 14th) and Wichita Falls (2.78 on the 15th). On the 18th and 19th, a shortwave trough
triggered heavy storms across central Texas. Dallas (1.84), Abilene (1.16), and Austin (0.99) received the
heaviest rains. For the month to date,
all first-order stations are at least 1° below normal with Abilene (-4.8°), Amarillo (-3.7°), Dallas/Fort Worth
(-3.6°), Midland (-3.7°), Waco (-4.5°), and Wichita Falls (-5.5°) all being far below
their typical August average temperature.
Wichita Falls, Waco, Midland, Dallas, and College Station are all on pace to set one
of their top ten coldest Augusts.
Forecast for the Week
For the week of August 20: As another frontal system passes over the
state, the beginning of the weekend will be wet for many in the state of Texas. Showers and thunderstorms are in the forecast
through Friday night for most regions.
After the system passes on Saturday, skies will be partly cloudy except
for the extreme southern parts of the state which will be mostly clear. Temperatures will reach up into the upper 80s
and low 90s for North Central, South Central, Upper Coast, and East Texas while lows will begin to
return to August normals in the 70s. Further
south, skies will be clear with highs in the upper 90s to near 100 and lows in
the upper 70s. Out west, temperatures
will warm as the precipitation probabilities drop through the beginning of next
week.
(Forecast
material obtained from the National Weather Service)
Monthly
Outlook for September:
From the Climate Prediction Center: The month of
September looks to be cooler and wetter than normal for large parts of the
state. The High Plains, Low Rolling
Plains, North Central, East, Edwards Plateau, and South Central regions have a 33% chance of below
normal temperatures during September. The
Trans Pecos, Southern, Lower Valley, and Upper Coast regions have equal chances of above or below normal
temperatures. The northern Panhandle, North
Central region, and East region also have a 33% chance for above normal
precipitation while the rest of the state has equal chances of above or below
normal precipitation.
Dr.
John Nielsen-Gammon (State Climatologist)
Michael
Hammer (Undergraduate Assistant)