Volume 17 Number 7.1 July 16, 2004

Typical summer weather is back in Texas. During the first week of July, a series of frontal systems brought some rain to the Panhandle and extreme northern borders of the state. There were a few reports of hail including 3” in Cottle County on the 1^st and 2.75” in Wheeler County on the 4^th. Wichita Falls received 1.96” of precipitation on 6^th. The second week of July was much quieter, however, as a high pressure system settled over the state inhibiting precipitation. A few scattered showers arose on the 11^th and 12^th along the Gulf coast due to a shortwave off the coast of Brownsville, but rainfall totals were minimal.

For the month, only three stations – Corpus Christi, Victoria, and Wichita Falls – have received normal rainfall through the 15^th of July. All other first order stations are at least .50” below normal, and several are more than 1” below normal including: Amarillo (-1.32”), Dallas (-1.01”), Del Rio (-1.02”), Galveston (-1.49”), Houston (-1.62”), Port Arthur (-1.89”), and Waco (-1.16”).

Stations in the western portion of the state – including Lubbock (3° above normal), Midland (+2.3°), San Angelo (+1.6°), and El Paso (+1°) – are seeing warmer temperatures than normal, too. Lubbock already hit 102° twice this month, and Midland has seen 100° three times. In the central and eastern portions of the state, things are much cooler. College Station (1.7° below normal), Wichita Falls (-1.5°), San Antonio (-1.4°), and Austin (-1.1°) remain below their normal July averages.

Forecast for the Week

For the week of July 16: Summer weather will continue for most of the state through the beginning of next week. In the central and eastern portions of the state, there will be partly cloudy skies with a slight chance of showers on Saturday and Sunday. Things will clear up again at the beginning of next week with highs in the 90s and lows in the 70s. Further south, the chance of rain is smaller and the highs will be in the upper 90s and near 100. In the west, chances of rain are minimal with highs in the upper 90s and lows in the 70s.

(Forecast material obtained from the National Weather Service)

Monthly Outlook for August 2004

From the Climate Prediction Center: The entire state has equal chances of above normal, normal, or below normal precipitation for August. The area east of Corpus Christi up to Wichita Falls has a 33% chance of below normal temperatures for August, and most of the Upper Coast and East regions have a 40% chance of below normal temperatures. Out west, the counties that border New Mexico and most of the Trans Pecos region has a 33% chance for above normal temperatures during August.

Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon (State Climatologist)

Michael Hammer (Undergraduate Assistant)