July 2004 ended up cooler than normal. For the third year in a row, July was cooler than normal at San Antonio, Del Rio, and Austin Bergstrom International Airport. At Austin Camp Mabry, July 2002 and July 2004 have been cooler than normal. July 2003 ended up slightly above normal at Austin Camp Mabry, as July 2003 showers were more numerous at other locations across South Central Texas. The moderated July temperatures in 2002 were helped by wetter than usual summer rainfall patterns, and a flood event. In July 2003 the heavier rainfall patterns affected central and southern parts of the area, especially when the remnants of Hurricane Claudette moved across South Central Texas July 15 and 16, 2003. Some parts of Central Texas received heavy rains in July 2003, where Austin Bergstrom International Airport had 2.98 inches of rain, compared with Austin Camp Mabry with 1.42 inches. July 2004 temperatures were moderated by wetter than usual soil moisture, in wake of the June 2004 rains, and widely scattered summer showers that affected South Central Texas this year.

July 2004 monthly rainfall varied from below normal in some areas to above normal in other areas, where isolated heavy rains evolved. Above normal rainfall was observed in East and Southeast Travis County; Southern Burnet County; parts of Blanco County; northern Guadalupe County; eastern Comal County; South and East Bandera County; Northwest Medina County, and Northeast Uvalde County. At Austin Bergstrom International Airport 3.20 inches of rain fell, 1.17 inches above normal and the 10th wettest July of Record. At the New Braunfels Municipal Airport 5.17 inches of rain fell in July of 2004, 5.14 inches of which came during the evening of July 25.

After the wet June, July began with dry conditions for the first several days of the month. By the 7th to the 10th, isolated showers and thunderstorms came to the northern part of the hill country to parts of Central Texas. Showers and thunderstorms became a little more widespread by the 11th, and lingered over the west part of the area on the 12th. Rain returned the weekend of the 17th over the extreme north part of the area. In the early morning hours of the 18th, scattered showers moved across the area from the north, then dissipated after sunrise. The 19th to the 21st was mostly dry. On the 19th and 20th, patchy smoke showed up aloft making for colorful sunrises and sunsets. The smoke originated from wildfires in Alaska, and was carried by winds aloft to parts of Central and South Central Texas. Afternoon and early evening showers came the 22nd and the 23rd. On the 23rd, strong wind gusts near 30 to near 48 mph accompanied the thunderstorms in the afternoon and early evening, along with brief heavy rains.

In the afternoon of the 25th, scattered showers and thunderstorms over Southeast Texas developed west to the east parts of South Central Texas in the mid afternoon. A cool front coming from the north interacted with this boundary of storms coming from the east. This caused an increase in shower and thunderstorm activity in the late afternoon and evening hours. Very heavy rains with thunderstorms formed from New Braunfels and northern Guadalupe County north to the eastern and northern hill country and to Austin and Georgetown. 5.14 inches of rain fell at New Braunfels Municipal Airport in the evening, as several mesoscale boundaries intersected. Climatologically, such events in the past have produced 3 to 5 inch rains on summer afternoons and evenings and in some cases wind gusts between 50 and 75 mph were observed.

The cold front that came across the area from afternoon to evening of the 25th was stronger than usual for late July. Early morning lows on the 26th over the hill country were in the the low to mid 60s. Daytime highs moderated on Monday the 26th, in wake of the cool front. Warmer days followed the 27th and 28th. Widely scattered showers and thunderstorms returned the afternoon of the 29th and 30th. On the afternoon to early evening of Thursday the 29th, scattered showers and thunderstorms brought brief heavy rains from the eastern hill country to parts of Central Texas. Georgetown picked up 2.01 inches of rain on July 29th. On the night of the 30th and early morning of the 31st, locally heavy rains developed over parts of the hill country. After sunrise on the 31st, partly cloudy skies and hot afternoon conditions prevailed. By mid to late afternoon scattered showers and thunderstorms formed over the southeast, north, and west part of the area. This activity diminished after sunset.

July 2004 ended up cooler than normal. For the third year in a row, July was cooler than normal at San Antonio, Del Rio, and Austin Bergstrom International Airport. At Austin Camp Mabry, July 2002 and July 2004 have been cooler than normal. July 2003 ended up slightly above normal at Austin Camp Mabry, as July 2003 showers were more numerous at other locations across South Central Texas. July 2004 tied with July of 2002 for the 3rd coolest July of record at Austin Bergstrom. In July 100 degree high temperatures were not observed at Austin Mabry, Austin Bergstrom and San Antonio. Afternoon highs reached 100 at Del Rio on the 17th. Del Rio has highs of 102 the 18th and 101 the 20th.

The average July temperature was 82.9 degrees, 1.4 degrees below normal. The average high was 92.2, and the average low was 73.6. Heating degree days 0 and cooling degree days 563. The highest temperature reached 96 on the 19th, The lowest was 67 on the 15th. Highest wind gust was 48 mph from the south, with thunderstorms on the 23rd. Rainfall was 0.61 inches, 1.42 inches below normal. Rainfall from January 1st to July 31st, 2004... 23.30 inches or 4.35 inches above normal.