100 YEARS OF WINTER EXTREMES

February 12, 1999 marks the 100th anniversary of a record February low for San Antonio of 4 degrees set February 12, 1899, during the February of 1899 arctic outbreak. It was also a record February low for Austin of -1 on February 12, 1899. During this historic cold spell, extremely cold temperatures affected the entire state of Texas. On February 13, 1899 the whole part of Galveston Bay, except the main channel, was covered by thin ice. Lows in other locations around Texas on Feb. 12, 1899 include: Tulia -23; Amarillo -16; Brownsville 16; Dallas-Ft. Worth -8; Waco -5; Laredo 5; Galveston 8; and Corpus Christi 11. In the February of 1899 arctic outbreak, the coldest low in Brownsville was 12 on Feb. 13, 1899, still an all time record low for Brownsville. The low of -23 at Tulia, in the southern part of the Texas panhandle, Feb. 12, 1899 was a record low for the state of Texas, then was tied when Seminole observed -23 on Feb. 8, 1933. Unofficial reports of -30 came from Wolf Creek and also southeast of Perryton, both in the northern part of the Texas panhandle.

The list below highlights some of the stronger arctic outbreaks since 1900, and gives the lowest temperature observed in Austin, Del Rio, and San Antonio. Data for Del Rio is not available for February of 1900 and February of 1905; therefore, it is listed as not available. Temperature data for Del Rio is available from Dec. of 1905 to present.

     Some of the Stronger Arctic Outbreaks since 1900

 Month and Year           Location      Lowest Temperature
                                  
Mid February of 1900      Austin        14 on Feb. 18, 1900
                          Del Rio       Not available
                          San Antonio   19 on Feb. 18, 1900

Mid February of 1905      Austin        10 on Feb. 13, 1905
                          Del Rio       Not available
                          San Antonio   13 on Feb. 13, 1905

Mid to Late January 1930  Austin         4 on Jan. 18, 1930
                          Del Rio       13 on Jan. 23, 1930
                          San Antonio   11 on Jan. 18, 1930

   Notes: Low of 13 in Del Rio Jan. 23, 1930 was a record
          January Low of Record.


Late January 1949         Austin        -2 on Jan. 31, 1949
                          Del Rio       17 on Jan. 31, 1949
                          San Antonio    0 on Jan. 31, 1949

   Notes: Low of -2 in Austin and 0 in San Antonio Jan. 31, 1949
          was an All Time Low of Record.  

Early February 1951       Austin         7 on Feb.  2, 1951
                          Del Rio       11 on Feb.  2, 1951
                          San Antonio    6 on Feb.  2, 1951

   Notes: Low of 7 in Austin...11 in Del Rio Feb. 2, 1951
          was a record February Low of Record.  Low of 6
          in San Antonio was the 2nd coldest February day
          of record for San Antonio.  

Early to Mid January 1962 Austin        13 on Jan. 10, 1962
                          Del Rio       13 on Jan. 12, 1962
                          San Antonio   10 on Jan. 12, 1962

Mid to Late December 1983 Austin        10 on Dec. 25, 1983
                          Del Rio       13 on Dec. 25, 1983
                          San Antonio    9 on Dec. 30, 1983

Mid to Late December 1989 Austin         4 on Dec. 23, 1989
                          Del Rio       10 on Dec. 23, 1989
                          San Antonio    6 on Dec. 23, 1989

   Notes: Low of 10 in Del Rio Dec. 23, 1989 was an
          All Time Low of Record.  Low of 4 in Austin and
          6 in San Antonio Dec. 23, 1989 was a record December
          Low of Record.

On the other side of the extremes, the list below highlights some of the warmest times from December to Early and Mid March that affected Austin, Del Rio and San Antonio. This list is mentioned here to illustrate the extremes that can occur over South Central Texas in the winter, from cold, winterlike conditions to spring/summerlike weather.

Some of the Warmest WINTER Events, December to Mid March, since 1900

 Month and Year           Location      Highest Temperature
                                  
Mid March 1908            Austin        84 on Mar. 16, 1908
                          Del Rio      100 on Mar. 16, 1908
                          San Antonio   93 on Mar. 16, 1908

   Notes: Earliest 100 degree temperature for Del Rio.

Late January of 1911      Austin        84 on Jan. 30, 1911
                          Del Rio       92 on Jan. 31, 1911
                          San Antonio   87 on Jan. 30, 1911

   Notes: High of 92 in Del Rio Jan. 31, 1911 was a record
          high for January.  

Late December of 1955     Austin        90 on Dec. 25, 1955
                          Del Rio       89 on Dec. 24, 1955
                          San Antonio   90 on Dec. 25, 1955

   Notes: High of 90 in Austin and San Antonio Dec. 25, 1955
          was a record high for December.  Del Rio high for
          Dec. 25, 1955 was 87.  Record Del Rio high for
          December was 90 on Dec. 4, 1977.

Late January of 1971      Austin        90 on Jan. 30, 1971
                          Del Rio       89 on Jan. 30, 1971
                          San Antonio   89 on Jan. 30, 1971

   Notes: High of 90 in Austin and 89 in San Antonio on
          Jan. 30, 1971 was a record high for January.

Mid to Late February 1986 Austin        97 on Feb. 20, 1986
                          Del Rio   97 Feb. 18 and 20, 1986
                          San Antonio   97 on Feb. 20, 1986

Early March 1991          Austin        96 on Mar. 6, 1991
                          Del Rio       99 on Mar. 6, 1991
                          San Antonio  100 on Mar. 6, 1991

Mid to Late February 1996 Austin        99 on Feb. 21, 1996
                          Del Rio       99 on Feb. 21, 1996
                          San Antonio  100 on Feb. 21, 1996

   Notes: High of 99 in Austin...99 in Del Rio and 100 in
          San Antonio Feb. 21, 1996 was a record high for
          February.  Earliest 100 degree temperature for
          San Antonio Feb. 21, 1996.  Earliest 100 degree
          temperature for Austin was 100 on May 4, 1984.