February is climatologically a month with the most extremes in temperature for South Central Texas. In early February of 1973, unseasonably warm weather with afternoon highs in the 70s, was followed by much colder conditions February 8th and 9th of 1973, with a winter precipitation event. In February of 1981, afternoon highs rose the 70s on the 10th, then plunged to the teens and 20s the following morning on the 11th in wake of a strong Arctic Cold front. In 1996 February began with a winter precipitation event; followed by a few days around the 20th, 21st and 22nd with highs in the 90s, reaching near 100 on February 21, 1996 at some places. This was followed by much colder conditions on February 29, 1996. For the 2nd year in a row, February has brought winter precipitation to parts of Central and South Central Texas. Last year February brought 2 winter precipitation events, on February 7th and 8th, and again on the 24th and 25th. This year in 2004, February brought yet another winter precipitation event on the 13th and during the predawn hours of the 14th.

Wetter and cloudier than normal weather that showed up in January continued through the Mid Part of February 2004. Early to Mid February of 2004 has been cooler than normal. Although February 2004 began as a mild cloudy day on the 1st, cooler conditions came to the area from the 2nd to the 3rd. This was the beginning of cooler days to come. Although it tried to warm up a day on the 5th, after the first rain event the 4th, another cold front came by the night of the 5th and morning of the 6th to keep cooler weather over the area. The sun stayed out 1 day on the 7th, followed by a string of cloudy and cold days the 8th through the 13th. No sooner did the clouds come back on Sunday the 8th, the rain quickly followed setting up soggy, rainy days on the 9th, 10th, and 11th.

One surge of cold air after another, slowly caused temperatures to fall from February 9th to the 13th. A brief interval of sun Thursday afternoon of the 12th, was followed by more clouds and another surge of cold air the night of the 12th and morning of the 13th. Light rain the morning of the 13th turned to freezing rain and sleet over parts of the Texas hill country and extending east to parts of Central Texas. Afternoon highs Friday, February 13th were in the 30s, with 40s near the Rio Grande. This was 20 to 30 degrees below normal for mid February. As a low pressure system aloft approached the area from the west, a wintry mix of precipitation came the night of the 13th and predawn hours of the 14th. Initially light rain and drizzle was followed by freezing drizzle, sleet and snow. A wave of cold, convective precipitation came over South Central Texas after 10 pm, bringing with it a mix of winter precipitation and also isolated thunder. Strong instability ahead of the upper level low and energy from the jet stream, helped to form the line of cold, convective precipitation. During mild periods in the winter, these conditions in the past have produced severe weather events. In the Feburary 13 to 14, 2004 weather event, a winter precipitation event evolved. The isolated thunder that accompanied the frozen precipitation this year, also occurred with winter precipitation in late Febraury of 2003. Another cold, convective rain event that affected the area came on the night of November 28 and early morning hours of November 29, 2001. Snowfall amounts from the February 13 to 14, 2004 winter weather event varied from a trace to 1 to 3 inches, mainly near and north of Interstate 10. A trace of snow was observed at Del Rio. Drier and more stable conditions came to the area from just before to near sunrise on the 14th, bringing mostly sunny to partly cloudy weather in the daylight hours on Saturday the 14th. After an early morning freeze on the 15th, a sunny to partly cloudy day followed on Sunday, Febraury 15th.

The following is a preliminary list of snowfall amounts as reported by the afternoon of Monday, February 16th.

VAL VERDE COUNTY...TRACE
REAL COUNTY........TRACE
KERR COUNTY........0.5 INCHES TO NEAR 1 INCH
  INGRAM....0.5 INCHES
BANDERA COUNTY.....1 INCH OF SNOW AND SLEET
MEDINA COUNTY......TRACE OF SNOW AND SLEET
BEXAR COUNTY.......TRACE SOUTH TO 0.5 INCHES TO 1 INCH NORTH
  SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...0.7 INCHES
KENDALL COUNTY.....TRACE TO 1 INCH
  6 MILES NORTH OF BOERNE....0.5 INCHES
  COMFORT................. ..0.25 INCHES
GILLESPIE COUNTY...TRACE TO 0.5 INCHES
  FREDERICKSBURG...0.5 INCHES
LLANO COUNTY.......1 TO 2 INCHES
BURNET COUNTY......1 TO 1.50 INCHES.
  INKS DAM...1 INCH OF SNOW
BLANCO COUNTY......1 INCH
COMAL COUNTY.......0.5 INCHES TO 1.50 INCHES
  NEW BRAUNFELS...0.5 INCHES TO 1.50 INCHES
  SPRING BRANCH...1.50 INCHES
HAYS COUNTY........1 INCH
GUADALUPE COUNTY...0.5 INCHES
WILSON COUNTY......TRACE OF SLEET
BASTROP COUNTY.....TRACE
CALDWELL COUNTY....TRACE TO ONE INCH
TRAVIS COUNTY......1 TO 2 INCHES
  AUSTIN MABRY...1.6 INCHES
  AUSTIN BERGSTROM...0.7 INCHES
  AUSTIN GREAT HILLS...1.8 INCHES
LEE COUNTY.........TRACE TO 1 INCH
  6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF COUPLAND 1 INCH
WILLIAMSON COUNTY..1 TO 3 INCHES
  ROUND ROCK......2 INCHES
  GEORGETOWN......2 INCHES
  NEAR GRANGER....2 TO 3 INCHES

The following pictures were taken on Saturday morning, February 14th. The snow quickly melted by late morning to early afternoon.

The following NEXRAD Composite Reflectivity Images were from the early morning hours of Feburary 14, 2004.

Composite Reflectivity at 1206 AM CST February 14, 2004

Composite Reflectivity at 300 AM CST February 14, 2004