Dallas, a city in the Southern region of Texas, is known to be one of the warmest in the country. The city is known for its numerous monuments and landmarks, including the J.F Kennedy Memorial Plaza, The Sixth Floor Museum, Dallas World Aquarium, Reunion Tower and AT&T stadium.
So, does it Snow in Texas?
Yes, but it is very rare. Based on records put together between 1898 and 2019, the average snowfall in Dallas is 2.6 inches a year.
Climate In Dallas
Dallas is a region located in the Northern part of Texas, and it was built along the Trinity River. The climate can best be described as a humid subtropical climate influenced by the country’s southern plains. Dallas also experiences the mild winters and very hot summers. Since Dallas is one of the warmest cities in the country, that is why many people are moving down there.
1. Summer Season Climate in Dallas, TX
Like any other city in the country, Dallas experiences the summer, winter, autumn, and spring seasons. The summer season can be scorching, and humidity temperatures reach those similar to the desert and semi-desert regions with similar altitudes.
Heatwaves in Dallas can be severe sometimes, and during this period, Dallas receives dry and warm winds from the North and Western regions of the country. The region also receives hot and humid air from the Gulf of Mexico.
Dallas city’s record high temperature was 113F degrees during the heat waves of 1980. At the same time, the all-time low temperature of -8C degree was recorded in 1899. Dallas’s average daily low temperature is around 57.1F degrees, while the daily average high is 76.7F degrees. The city receives roughly an average of 37.1 inches of rain yearly.
2. The Traditional Months of Autumn and Spring
The Spring and Autumn seasons in Dallas are regarded as the transitional seasons, bringing pleasant weather to the region. These are the seasons when the wildflowers blossom, and these include the Indian paintbrush and Bluebonnet.
You can find the blooming plants in Dallas on the highways in the city. Springtime in Dallas may also become volatile, with some mild temperatures. The pleasant transitional weather in Dallas happens between September and early December. There are also a few storms happening around this city during these transitional months.
In the Springs, the cool fronts will move down south from Canada and Northern parts of America; these fronts collide with the warm and humid air streaming from the Gulf coast. These fronts will meet over the North-central part of Texas, and this may generate severe thunderstorms. You will see significant lightning storms accompanied by rains, hail, and occasional tornadoes.
Dallas is located in the lower end of the Tornado Alley, and the US Department of Agriculture has placed this city in the Plant Hardiness zone. This is why you will see many tough plants growing in scattered places in the region.
3. The Winter Season in Dallas
During the Winter season in Dallas, temperatures may reach an all-time high of 18C degrees, but on the other hand, there may be some freezing rain. Freezing rains occur in Dallas when the hot and humid air from the South overrides the cold and dry air from the North. Freezing rains often disrupt motoring in many parts of the city, especially when the roads become slick. With the city located inland from the Gulf Coast, you should expect some wild temperature ranges and variations from month to month.
Dallas also witnesses its snowy days. There are often two to three days of hail in a year, while snowfall can be very rare. It has snowed twice in recent times, especially at the NFL games on Thanksgiving Day at the Texas stadium between 1993 and 2007. February is often the month with the most snowfall in Dallas, with an average of 0.6-inch snow recorded.
January is the month with the highest number of days with snow falling, with an average of 0.5 days of snow. The highest record snowfall was recorded in February 2010 when some 12.5 inches of snow fell in just a little over two days at the Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport.
The Volatile Weather Conditions In Dallas, TX
The following are records of volatile weathers in Dallas city, Texas;
1. Tornadoes
Dallas is located at the lower end of the Tornado-Alley; tornadoes have thus become occasional threats to the city. Most active tornadoes hit Dallas in April and May. On April 2, 1957, the city was hit by one of the most disastrous tornadoes in its history, and it was rated an “F3”. On March 28, 2000, the city suffered the Fort Worth tornado that caused most destructions in the Fort Worth downtown area, damaging several homes and causing the death of some four people.
On April 3, 2012, a series of tornadoes hit some parts of Dallas, destroying the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, causing serious damages to some airplanes and grounding others. On December 26, 2015, a rare winter tornado that developed into several spawning tornadoes hit the Garland and Rowlette region of the city, causing the death of some ten persons.
On October 21, 2019, ten tornadoes hit the Dallas Fort-Worth Metroplex, and those include the deadly EF-3 tornado that caused several destructions from North Dallas to Richardson.
2. The Floods
Flooding has been a major environmental problem caused by adverse weather conditions in Dallas. One of the most devastating recent floods in Dallas. Today it is believed that roughly 250,000 homes in the city are at flood risk.
Major flooding was recorded in 1844, 1866, 1871, 1890, and recently in 2019-2020. One of the most devastating floods in the city was recorded in 908, and that was the major event that forced the regional government to harness the Trinity River. On May 26, 1908, the Trinity River reached a record height of 52.6 feet and w width of 1.5 miles. Around that period, some five people were reported dead, with more than 4000 others rendered homeless as a result of the uncontrollable flooding. The damage to properties after this period was put at about $2.5 million.
Many flood occasions in Dallas often result in power outages for days. In the 1908 flood, for instance, the entire city was without power for three days with the telephone and telegraph services completely out. Communication and survival became a hassle for many who had to resort to primitive ways for a solution.
Many rail services are also canceled during heavy floods. In 1908, for instance, the only way people could get to places like Oak Cliff was by boat. The Western part of Dallas was often the worst hit in the city. According to the Dallas Times Herald, the sufferings of the people in the Western part of the city were indescribable. The 1908 flood caused the drowning of thousands of livestock, and many people had to take refuge on top of the trees. The stench of animal decay could be felt all around the city as the floodwaters began to subside.
After the disastrous flood of 1908, the city’s government decided to control the reckless flooding caused by the poor connection between Oak Cliff and Dallas. The people agreed that an indestructible bridge must be constructed over the trinity river linking Oak Cliff with Dallas. Though, it was initially conceived and tried after the 1890 flood. A 1.5-mile concrete bridge was suggested, and that was compared to the bridge crossing the Missouri River in Kansas City.
In 1912, a $650,000 bond was agreed upon, and the Oakcliff viaduct was completed shortly after the project was awarded. The Viaduct was opened to the excitement of all residents, and some 58000 people were present during the ceremonial opening. At this time, this bridge was the longest concrete structure in the world.
In May 2015, The Dallas Fort-Worth airport got a surprising 16.96 inches of rainfall in a month, and that wiped out all previous records during the year. Most of the southern plains of the city were flooded during this period. Strangely, hot, dry summer followed the rainy season, forcing several parts of Texas to return to an abnormally dry period in July the same year. Some saw the record rains in the month of May as a blessing because it removed the long period of drought in the region.
Dallas is also a city located in the El Nino belt. That could also explain why Winter and Springs are in the city when more snow is recorded in the region. The El Nino, which is the warm phase, often bring some heatwave into the city and cause the springs and winter to be warmer than many other parts of the country. The hottest periods in Dallas may be very uncomfortable for most residents who resort to cooling devices to beat the heat.
In the transitional months, Dallas may experience occasional four seasons in a day. This can cause confusion to many who are only prepared for the most dominant season of the period. It can be sunny early in the morning and then rains in the afternoon before it gets cold late in the night.
