Weather Whys; Texas Weather

This is Weatherwise. Meteorologically speaking, the state of Texas has just about every kind of weather you might want or might hope never to see. Hurricanes can threaten the coast anywhere from the Beaumont Port Arthur region down to Brownsville. Severe thunderstorms occur all over the state, and history records that tornadoes have brought havoc in the cities of Wichita Falls, Dallas, Lubbock, and Waco, just to name a few. In winter, Houston is relatively temperate, with average high temperatures in the upper 60s and low temperatures in the 40s. On the other hand, panhandle communities like Amarillo have average winter low temperatures well into the 20s, and once or twice a year the panhandle might experience winter's fury as a fierce ice storm or even a blizzard. But while snow is comparatively rare in Houston, it isn't completely unknown. In February of 1895, 20 inches of snow piled up on Sam Houston's namesake city. Dallas has a widely varied climate.

Summer heat can produce several consecutive days when the high temperature tops 100 degrees Fahrenheit. And to make matters worse, that heat is often accompanied by significant humidity. At heat and humidity can produce a dangerously high heat index. At those times, residents are advised to curtail outdoor activities and drink plenty of fluids. But during the winter, cold fronts sweep out of the north, bringing high winds and even temperatures down into the single digits. And that combination makes for wind chill factors that can freeze exposed skin quickly. But Texans are a hearty bunch and they're proud of their state of weather extremes. Otherwise is made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Our writer is Christine Harbour, our editor is Brian Walkie, and our executive producer is Karen Hope. For weather wise, I'm Drew Barlow.