Volume 16 Number 12                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               DECEMBER 2003 

 

2003 concluded with average daily temperatures above normal for most of the primary stations across the state but considerably less than normal rainfall.  The extreme eastern portions of Texas, the upper coast, and the western Trans Pecos had average daily temperatures below normal, and this was primarily due to the cooler than normal minimum daily temperatures.  The greatest above normal mean temperatures occurred in the northern portions of the state, with Amarillo and Wichita Falls at +4.0°F and +4.6°F respectively.  Almost the entire state experienced below normal rainfall for December, excluding Galveston with 162% of their normal, with 4.72” falling on the 12th and 13th.  Lubbock, Midland, and San Angelo reported no measurable precipitation for December, further exacerbating the already very dry conditions in that area. 

 

The beginning of 2003 started off dry for many locations in the state, but as the year progressed, rainfall occurred throughout much of the state expect the western portions of the Trans Pecos region and the Panhandle, including Lubbock and Amarillo.  June was the only month in which these communities received above normal rainfall.  The preliminary numbers for Lubbock this year shows the total rainfall to be 8.83”, which is the second driest on record, and the first year below 10.00” since 1934. 

 

From the Climate Prediction Center, the January outlook indicates a 33% greater than normal probability of below normal temperatures for the eastern third of the state to include Victoria, Austin, Waco, Dallas and Texarkana.  There is a 33% greater than normal probability of above normal temperatures for El Paso.  There exists equal chances of normal, above or below normal precipitation for the month.  The outlook through March does indicate a greater than normal probability of above normal precipitation for much of the state to include the Lubbock area, but does not include the eastern sections, western Trans Pecos, and the very northern portions of the Panhandle, where equal chances of normal, above or below normal rainfall is indicated. 

 

Andrew Odins (Graduate Assistant)

 

 

 

DECEMBER 2003

 


 

 

* 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.

                                                        (departures are based on 1971-2000 normals)                                                                                                                   ##### indicates 0 %

 

 


 

 

 

 

CLIMATIC AVERAGES FOR JANUARY

 


 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agricultural Weather Highlights

 

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

 

 

 

Past Weather Events in January

 

January 10-12, 1918:  Blizzard.  This was the most severe since February, 1899; it was accompanied by zero degree temperature in North Texas and temperatures from 7 to 12 degrees below freezing along the lower coast.

 

January 4, 1929:  Tornado.  Near Bay City, Matagorda County.  Five killed, 14 injured.

 

January 4, 1946:  Tornado.  Near Lufkin, Angelina County and Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County; 13 killed, 250 injured; damage $2,050,000.

                             Tornado.  Near Palestine, Anderson County; 15 killed, 60 injured; damage $500,000.

 

January 25, 1965:  Dust Storm.  West Texas.  The worst dust storm since February 1956 developed on the southern High Plains.  Winds, gusting up to 75 mph at Lubbock, sent dust billowing up to 31,000 feet in the area from the Texas-New Mexico border eastward to a line from Tulia to Abilene.  Visibility was reduced to 100 yards in some sections.  Worst hit were Muleshoe, Seminole, Plains, and Morton on the South Plains.  The rain gauge at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock contained 3 inches of fine sand.

 

January 31-February 1, 1975:  Flooding.  Nacogdoches County.  Widespread heavy rain caused flash flooding here, resulting in three deaths; damage over $5.5 million.

 

January 12-13, 1985:  A record-breaking snowstorm struck West and South Central Texas with up to 15 inches of snow that fell at many locations between San Antonio and the Rio Grande.  San Antonio recorded 13.2 inches of snow for January 12 (the greatest in a day) and 13.5 inches for the two-day total.  Eagle Pass recorded 14.5 inches of snow.

 

January 22, 1999:  Golf ball- and softball-sized hail fell in the Bryan/College Station area resulting in $10 million in damage to cars, homes and offices.

 

January 1-31, 2001: United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency received a Presidential Disaster Declaration in December 2000. This declaration was issued for the persistent drought conditions in Deep Southern Texas. $125 million in damage was reported in the region. 

 

 

Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon (State Climatologist)

Andrew Odins (Graduate Assistant)

Kelsey Curtiss (Undergraduate Assistant)

Michael Hammer (Undergraduate Assistant)