Texas Winter 2018-2019

[Yukon Cornelius]

Back to winter...so far this winter up this way really hasn’t been too bad. 2 snow events, one around an inch and one in the 2-3” range, a few different nights with flurries. Maybe I’m wrong but I feel like we’ve had more nights 32 or below or very close to than we’ve had above freezing. Winter started early this year which was really nice for a change. Although we did make it down to 17.1F, I was really hoping for another single digit low to make it three years in a row. Like others, I’m still holding out for one last hurrah and a few more weeks of cooler weather. When your day is spent 90% outside 100+ temps are miserable.

You also live in the falls (I believe) which is one of the colder places in Texas lol it’s easy to get cold and winter wx up there compared to most other places in the state.

Just to the NE of WF, closer to the River.

[weatherdude1108]

It's sad that wxman57 has turned the Texas Winter forum into folks talking about how hot it gets in the state...

I was thinking the same thing. What's wrong with this picture?

[hriverajr]

For those of you who want the warmth to come early.. Come down to Del Rio or Laredo in the Summer and see how much you like it. The longer it takes to get warmer the better as far as I am concerned.

I would love it. Back in September of 2000 Houston hit 109 degrees. As I walked out to my car after work around 4pm I thought "this is almost starting to feel warm enough". I've gone biking with the temperature over 100 degrees. Just need to drink more water.

Wait a minute. Wait just a doggone minute here. Now, I know there are newbies here that do not know the "Whole" story of the High Pressure Ridge of Death in 2011, but you said ( I am paraphrasing here) "Maybe the thermostat was a bit too high that year". In Houston, the average high was 101 degrees...in August....

Was that the year of the fires? I don't remember.

[hriverajr]

For those of you who want the warmth to come early.. Come down to Del Rio or Laredo in the Summer and see how much you like it. The longer it takes to get warmer the better as far as I am concerned.

I would love it. Back in September of 2000 Houston hit 109 degrees. As I walked out to my car after work around 4pm I thought "this is almost starting to feel warm enough". I've gone biking with the temperature over 100 degrees. Just need to drink more water.

I used to bike. A friend and I did a 60 mile bike ride in 107 degree weather. We thought we had plenty of water. I lost 10lbs on that ride...took the whole night to get rehydrated. Give me 70 and sunny for a bike ride.

[Haris]

I would love it. Back in September of 2000 Houston hit 109 degrees. As I walked out to my car after work around 4pm I thought "this is almost starting to feel warm enough". I've gone biking with the temperature over 100 degrees. Just need to drink more water.

Wait a minute. Wait just a doggone minute here. Now, I know there are newbies here that do not know the "Whole" story of the High Pressure Ridge of Death in 2011, but you said ( I am paraphrasing here) "Maybe the thermostat was a bit too high that year". In Houston, the average high was 101 degrees...in August....

Was that the year of the fires? I don't remember.

Yes

[Brent]

It's sad that wxman57 has turned the Texas Winter forum into folks talking about how hot it gets in the state...

really goes to show what a failure this winter has been

if it doesn't really snow here soon its a definite and giant F- from me nothing else can save it

[hriverajr]

Wait a minute. Wait just a doggone minute here. Now, I know there are newbies here that do not know the "Whole" story of the High Pressure Ridge of Death in 2011, but you said ( I am paraphrasing here) "Maybe the thermostat was a bit too high that year". In Houston, the average high was 101 degrees...in August....

Was that the year of the fires? I don't remember.

Yes

I remember one morning a bank of smoke clouds moved in from the north. It was nuts.

[Ntxw]

It's sad that wxman57 has turned the Texas Winter forum into folks talking about how hot it gets in the state...

We've had some discussions amongst ourselves of perhaps splitting threads, perhaps one as an analysis and one for general chatter. Good stuff can get lost in pages of rants so it may be something we consider moving forward in future winters/seasonal threads. So far the feedback is not to but we may revisit this idea.

[hriverajr]

It's sad that wxman57 has turned the Texas Winter forum into folks talking about how hot it gets in the state...

We've had some discussions amongst ourselves of perhaps splitting threads, perhaps one as an analysis and one for general chatter. Good stuff can get lost in pages of rants so it may be something we consider moving forward in future winters/seasonal threads. So far the feedback is not to but we may revisit this idea.

Just my opinion, but the general chatter keeps the topic interesting, keeps the forum going. Yes it may not be specific analysis. When things do get interesting then people become a bit more focused.

[orangeblood]

It's sad that wxman57 has turned the Texas Winter forum into folks talking about how hot it gets in the state...

We've had some discussions amongst ourselves of perhaps splitting threads, perhaps one as an analysis and one for general chatter. Good stuff can get lost in pages of rants so it may be something we consider moving forward in future winters/seasonal threads. So far the feedback is not to but we may revisit this idea.

YES, please!!

[hriverajr]

Slightly off topic of Texas weather....

" A winter storm over Hawaii brought snow to a state park in Maui for what could be the first time ever, officials said."

[wxman57]

Ok, I'll stop talking about warm weather and make a "cold" post. So far, Bush Airport (IAH) has reported FOUR freezes this winter, two in November and two in January. It got down to 30 degrees back in November! I did see a few snow pellets last month, too. Absolutely brutal winter!

[hriverajr]

Ok, I'll stop talking about warm weather and make a "cold" post. So far, Bush Airport (IAH) has reported FOUR freezes this winter, two in November and two in January. It got down to 30 degrees back in November! I did see a few snow pellets last month, too. Absolutely brutal winter!

by central American standards

[Ntxw]

It's sad that wxman57 has turned the Texas Winter forum into folks talking about how hot it gets in the state...

We've had some discussions amongst ourselves of perhaps splitting threads, perhaps one as an analysis and one for general chatter. Good stuff can get lost in pages of rants so it may be something we consider moving forward in future winters/seasonal threads. So far the feedback is not to but we may revisit this idea.

Just my opinion, but the general chatter keeps the topic interesting, keeps the forum going. Yes it may not be specific analysis. When things do get interesting then people become a bit more focused.

General thread will allow open discussions to continue, that won't change. A more analytical thread will give posters another avenue to insights and more informative view as an option. As I mentioned so far we've agreed not to but are definitely open to ideas.

[wxman57]

Concerning the tread splitting idea for general chatter vs. analytical posts, I think that if there is really anything winter weather-wise to analyze in this thread that the posts will change accordingly. I don't like the idea of having to monitor posts on an analytical thread for signs of "chatter" that needs to be moved to another thread.

[Ntxw]

Concerning the tread splitting idea for general chatter vs. analytical posts, I think that if there is really anything winter weather-wise to analyze in this thread that the posts will change accordingly. I don't like the idea of having to monitor posts on an analytical thread for signs of "chatter" that needs to be moved to another thread.

It has worked over the years between a model thread and discussion when there is a tropical threat. A lot to work out though it won't be easy.

[Portastorm]

From a straight climate perspective here in Austin, our temperatures in December and January averaged close to normal with above normal precipitation. But so far February is 3.7 degrees warmer than the average mean temp for the month which is a lot ... essentially February has been a blow torch month.

Yes, we had sleet and graupel mixed with rain on one day. No accumulations and no real impacts on roads or people. Another date we reportedly had sleet VERY briefly during the overnight hours in certain parts of Travis County ... but that's been it. So it's not like we've had this wonderful winter down here either. You'd have to go back four winters (2014-15) to find the last time we had any kind of winter weather event (it was freezing drizzle) which had a real impact on roads, people, etc. And like I said, it's been 15 years since we had more than 1" of snow.

If I put all of that together along with what I have seen with my own eyes the last few years in that trees and flowers now bloom earlier than ever ... I'm thinking this may be the new normal. I'll go one further ... I am speculating that the busted forecasts of so many national forecasters for this winter are a result of the changing climate messing with what used to be expected results from certain atmospheric indices (PNA, AO, NAO, etc.). #UneducatedOpinion

P.S. I have been in Del Rio and in Houston in the month of August. Del Rio was worse.

[gboudx]

Concerning the tread splitting idea for general chatter vs. analytical posts, I think that if there is really anything winter weather-wise to analyze in this thread that the posts will change accordingly. I don't like the idea of having to monitor posts on an analytical thread for signs of "chatter" that needs to be moved to another thread.

It has worked over the years between a model thread and discussion when there is a tropical threat. A lot to work out though it won't be easy.

Yeah, but you've got a whole lot more people posting on the tropics threads, and those go off the rails quickly. The only threads I've seen nearly maintain it's intent 100% of the time are the Recon threads.

[hriverajr]

From a straight climate perspective here in Austin, our temperatures in December and January averaged close to normal with above normal precipitation. But so far February is 3.7 degrees warmer than the average mean temp for the month which is a lot ... essentially February has been a blow torch month.

Yes, we had sleet and graupel mixed with rain on one day. No accumulations and no real impacts on roads or people. Another date we reportedly had sleet VERY briefly during the overnight hours in certain parts of Travis County ... but that's been it. So it's not like we've had this wonderful winter down here either. You'd have to go back four winters (2014-15) to find the last time we had any kind of winter weather event (it was freezing drizzle) which had a real impact on roads, people, etc. And like I said, it's been 15 years since we had more than 1" of snow.

If I put all of that together along with what I have seen with my own eyes the last few years in that trees and flowers now bloom earlier than ever ... I'm thinking this may be the new normal. I'll go one further ... I am speculating that the busted forecasts of so many national forecasters for this winter are a result of the changing climate messing with what used to be expected results from certain atmospheric indices (PNA, AO, NAO, etc.). #UneducatedOpinion

P.S. I have been in Del Rio and in Houston in the month of August. Del Rio was worse.

At least you get periodic storms in Houston to cool things off, and a seabreeze. Storms are not an everyday or even weekly occurrence in Del Rio, seabreeze rarely gets here unless it's convection reinforced. Yes upper 90's after dusk is no fun. Also dewpoints are higher than you might think. I lived in Houston. Incidentally Laredo is worse.

[bubba hotep]

Nothing really exciting in the 12z models but some minor steps away from the ledge. I still wouldn't rule out a '15 style going out with a bang.