Volume 17 Number 3                                                                                                                                        MAY 2004

 

          The month of May was warm and dry for the northern half of the state, while the southern portion was rather wet and had below normal temperatures.  The first week of May was very warm and dry with average temperatures across the state reaching 5-10 degrees above normal due to a series of high pressure systems that moved across the state.  Beginning on the 8th, scattered showers brought some relief to stations in the Southern, Upper Coast, and East regions.

Tornadoes were reported in Jackson, Montgomery, and Hartley Counties on the 11th, as  a few days of severe weather began due to a slow-moving cold front.  On the 13th, heavy rains fell and flooding occurred in many parts of the state.  The city of Hearne in Robertson County saw 17.5 inches of rain fall in a 9-hour period, and two dams within the county broke.  Other stations that received heavy rain were:  Port Arthur – 2.37”, Victoria – 2.46”, Lufkin – 3.01”, and College Station – 5.04”.  Tornadoes were reported in Jones, Jasper, Throckmorton, and Mason Counties on the 13th, and nearly 3-inch hail fell in Mason and Gillespie Counties.

The state remained warm and fairly dry for the second half of the month.  Seven of the first order stations hit 100° for the first time in 2004.  On the 25th–27th, a low pressure system brought rain and severe weather to portions of the state.  There were tornadoes reported in Nolan, Taylor, Val Verde, Kinney, and Fisher Counties, and significant hail fell in Fisher (2”) and Val Verde (3” and 4.25”) Counties.  A weak cold front passed over the state at the end of the month, but temperatures remained in the 90s for most of the state as June began.

 

Michael Hammer (Undergraduate Assistant)

 

 

 

MAY 2004

 


 

* 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 JUNE

 


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.

 

 

 

Climate-related Agricultural Information

 

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

 

 

Past Weather Events in June

 

June 27-July 1, 1899:  Rainstorm.  A storm, centered over the Brazos River Watershed, precipitated an average of 17 inches over an area of 7,000 square miles.  At Hearne the gage overflowed at 24 inches, and there was an estimated total rainfall of 30 inches.  At Turnersville, Coryell County, 33 inches were recorded in three days.  This rain caused the worst Brazos River flood on record.  Between 30 and 35 lives were lost.  Property damage was estimated at $9 million.

 

June 10, 1938:  Tornado.  Clyde, Callahan County; 14 killed, 9 injured; damage $85,000.

 

June 27, 1957:  Hurricane Audrey.  Center crossed the Gulf coast near the Texas-Louisiana line.  Orange was in the western portion of the eye between 9 and 10 a.m.  In Texas, nine lives were lost, 450 persons injured; property damage was $8 million.  Damage was extensive in Jefferson and Orange counties, with less in Chambers and Galveston counties.  Maximum wind reported in Texas, 85 m.p.h. at Sabine Pass, with gusts to 100 m.p.h.

 

June 2, 1965:  Tornado.  Hale Center, Hale County.  Four killed, 76 injured; damage $8 million.

 

June 12-13, 1973:  Rainstorm.  Southeastern Texas.  Ten drowned.  Over $50 million in property and crop damage.  From 10-15 inches of rain recorded.

 

June 26, 1986:  Hurricane Bonnie made landfall between High Island and Sabine Pass around 3:45 a.m.  The highest wind measured in the area was a gust to 97 m.p.h. at Sea Rim State Park.  As much as 13 inches of rain fell in Ace in southern Polk County.

 

June 20-22, 1993:  Tropical Storm Arlene made landfall 5 miles south of Corpus Christi; all of eastern Texas was inundated by the remains.  Henderson (Rusk Co.) received 14.83 inches of rain, and widespread areas reported greater than 7 inches.  One person was killed; damage, mostly as a result of tidal flooding, was estimated at $22 million.

 

June 5-9, 2001:  Tropical Storm Allison made landfall in northern Galveston, and southeast Harris counties.  The Port of Houston reported a 5-day total of nearly 37 inches, and many surrounding areas received in excess of 10 inches.  Twenty-two deaths were reported; damage, as a result of the extreme flooding was estimated at almost $5 billion.  (courtesy of NWS Houston/Galveston)

 

 

Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon (State Climatologist)

Michael Hammer (Undergraduate Assistant)