Texas Weather & Climate (TX Aquatic Science)

Weather in Texas

Texas HS Aquatic Science

Jarrell Tornado
Jarrell, TX
1997

Discuss weather patterns in Texas and focus on the variety of weather across our state

​Today, we will:

• the condition of the atmosphere at any point in time, such as if it is hot or cold, raining or dry, windy or calm, clear or cloudy.

• Has a direct increase (or decrease) on the amount of available water

• Seasonal patters are responsible for moving water around the world and to and from the atmosphere

Weather (defined):

• Climate is the average weather conditions over time

• Can be affected by amount of rainfall, effect of temperature on evaporation, and the amount of water used by plants during the growing season

• How has the climate this year affected us as of recent?

​

What is Climate?

• Our weather is affected by the air drawn in from the Pacific Ocean as well as the humid, tropical air coming in from the Gulf of Mexico

• Our climate varies drastically from one end of the state to the other

• The western end can be the driest and our southeastern parts can be the wettest

What affects our weather?

Open Ended

In your own words, describe our recent weather patterns:

Texas Precipitation Map

Open Ended

Why do you think the west and east are so different in precipitation amounts?

Can occur anywhere in TX but mostly in northern parts during Jan-Feb. Caused by frigid Arctic fronts & low pressure areas from the west bringing moisture

Ice/Snow

Common all across our state beginning in May-September (hottest months/longest days). Can be extended by high pressure areas

Droughts/Heat

Lightning, hail, tornadoes. Can happen anywhere in our state but mostly north of I-10 corridor or accompany hurricanes

Severe Thunderstorms

Mostly occur during "season" of June 1-Nov 1 and can range from good tropical moisture to flooding and destruction

Hurricanes

Match

Match the following

High heat & drought

Severe Thunderstorms

Hurricane

Ice/Snow

Flooding

• High heat & drought

• Severe Thunderstorms

• Hurricane

• Ice/Snow

• Flooding

• Water plays a big role in temperature

• Humidity is water in the atmosphere

• Humidity buffers large changes in daily temperature

• Measured in percent

​

Water & Temperature

Occurs when the area of warmer waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean expands, causing warmer, wetter, and more severe weather conditions for Texas

El Nino

Occurs when the area of warmer waters shrinks in the Pacific Ocean, causing cooler, drier conditions for Texas

La Nina

Open Ended

Which weather pattern, El Nino or La Nina, do you think we are currently experiencing?

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA)

• A US Agency that monitors weather patterns, climate, and forms predictions for weather forecasts

• Also involved in preservation and management of fisheries, coastal restoration, and marine commerce
  

National Hurricane Center (NHC)

• A division of the NOAA/National Weather Service responsible for monitoring and tracking tropical weather systems

Notable Texas Storms...

Category 4 that destroyed Galveston in 1900. Between 6,000-12,000 people lost their lives

Galveston 1900

Category 4 that made landfall near Galveston on September 11, 1961. 43 fatalities across the state.

​​Hurricane Carla

Category 3 that made landfall on Aug 18, 1983, causing $2.6B in damage, 13 fatalities

Hurricane Alicia

Landfall in Rockport as a Cat 4 on Aug 26, 2017. $125B in damage, 50+ inches of rain, 107 fatalities

Hurricane Harvey

​HURRICANES

May 11, 1953. Deadliest in TX history. Massive F5 that killed 114 and injured 597.

Waco Tornado

​April 10, 1979. Although recorded as an F4, this town decimated the town of Wichita Falls. This tornado was 1.5 miles wide in places.

Wichita Falls Tornado

May 27, 1997. Our last confirmed F5 in Texas. Ripped through the town of Jarrell and across I-35. Killed 27 people and hundreds of cattle. 40 homes were completely removed from their foundations.

Jarrell Tornado

​TORNADOES

Other TX Records...

• Temperature

  Hottest temperature ever recorded was 120°F in Seymour and Monahans on Aug 12, 1936 & June 28, 1994. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -23°F in Tulia and Seminole on Feb 12, 1899 and Feb 8, 1933. 

• Snowfall

  Vega received 33 inches of snow on February 7, 1956, and Hillsboro received 26 inches of snow on December 20-21, 1929. 

• Rainfall

  Alvin received 43 inches of rain in 24 hours on July 25-26, 1979. Clarksville received 109.38 inches of rain in 1874, the greatest annual rainfall in Texas history. Presidio received 1.64 inches of rain in 1956, the least annual rainfall in Texas history. 

Open Ended

Describe something that you learned today in this lesson: