2001 Amarillo, Texas (AMA)

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2001 AMARILLO, TEXAS (AMA)

The station is located 7 statute miles east northeast of the downtown post office in a region of rather flat topography. The Canadian River flows eastward 18 miles north of the station, with its bed about 800 feet below the plains. The Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River flows southeastward about 15 miles south of the station where it enters the Palo Duro Canyon, which is about 1,000 feet deep. There are numerous shallow Playa lakes, often dry, over the area, and the nearly treeless grasslands slope downward to the east. The terrain gradually rises to the west and northwest.

Three–fourths of the total annual precipitation falls from April through September, occurring from thunderstorm activity. Snow usually melts within a few days after it falls. Heavier snowfalls of 10 inches or more, usually with near blizzard conditions, average once every 5 years and last 2 to 3 days.

The Amarillo area is subject to rapid and large temperature changes, especially during the winter months when cold fronts from the northern Rocky Mountain and Plains states sweep across the area. Temperature drops of 50 to 60 degrees within a 12– hour period are not uncommon. Temperature drops of 40 degrees have occurred within a few minutes.

Humidity averages are low, occasionally dropping below 20 percent in the spring. Low humidity moderates the effect of high summer afternoon temperatures, permits evaporative cooling systems to be very effective, and provides many pleasant evenings and nights.

Severe local storms are infrequent, although a few thunderstorms with damaging hail, lightning, and wind in a very localized area occur most years, usually in spring and summer. These storms are often accompanied by very heavy rain, which produces local flooding, particularly of roads and streets. Tornadoes are rare.

Based on the 1951–1980 period, the average first occurrence of 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the fall is October 29 and the average last occurrence in the spring is April 14.

NORMALS, MEANS, AND EXTREMES

AMARILLO, TX (AMA)

LATITUDE:    LONGITUDE:    ELEVATION (FT):    TIME ZONE:    WBAN: 23047

35 13′ 10″ N  101 42′ 20″ W  GRND: 3586  BARO: 3589  CENTRAL (UTC + 6)

ELEMENTPORJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECYEAR
TEMPERATURE FNORMAL DAILY MAXIMUM3049.052.861.671.579.187.691.789.181.872.559.750.170.5
MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM6149.053.561.070.878.987.791.391.083.973.860.051.671.0
HIGHEST DAILY MAXIMUM6081889498103108105106102998781108
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE195019631971198919961998199419442000200019801955JUN 1998
MEAN OF EXTREME MAXS.5371.275.782.289.094.2100.099.998.594.789.378.672.087.1
NORMAL DAILY MINIMUM3021.225.532.742.151.660.765.563.856.444.532.323.743.3
MEAN DAILY MINIMUM6122.026.332.041.851.761.165.664.156.745.332.124.543.6
LOWEST DAILY MINIMUM60-11-14-3142841514930120-8-14
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198419511948194519541998199019561984199319761989FEB 1951
MEAN OF EXTREME MINS.533.78.714.927.137.750.158.156.542.430.115.97.729.4
NORMAL DRY BULB3035.139.247.156.865.474.178.676.569.158.546.036.956.9
MEAN DRY BULB6135.639.846.656.465.374.578.676.969.558.945.737.657.1
MEAN WET BULB5529.032.737.645.354.462.165.164.458.648.637.330.647.1
MEAN DEW POINT5519.523.026.233.845.755.258.558.451.939.828.621.838.5
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
MAXIMUM 90300.00.00.11.04.712.821.116.56.41.00.00.063.6
MAXIMUM 32304.52.80.9*0.00.00.00.00.0*0.83.612.6
MINIMUM 323027.521.814.73.50.10.00.00.00.21.814.526.7110.8
MINIMUM 0301.10.40.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0*0.72.2
H/CNORMAL HEATING DEG. DAYS3092772255526689600262265708714258
NORMAL COOLING DEG. DAYS300002010227942235714925001354
RHNORMAL (PERCENT)3058595248545653586156595956
HOUR 00 LST3064655856636561677064666664
HOUR 06 LST3070726868747774788073727073
HOUR 12 LST3049504238434542464943474945
HOUR 18 LST3046433531373938434542485041
SPERCENT POSSIBLE SUNSHINE5969697476727879777476726874
W/OMEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
HEAVY FOG(VISBY 1/4 MI)593.24.03.41.92.10.70.50.72.02.52.82.826.6
THUNDERSTORMS590.20.51.73.38.09.29.18.64.02.60.60.248.0
CLOUDINESSMEAN:
SUNRISE-SUNSET (OKTAS)13.24.44.03.74.02.02.02.94.03.63.22.43.3
MIDNIGHT-MIDNIGHT (OKTAS)13.24.44.03.64.01.62.03.21.63.22.82.43.0
MEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
CLEAR37.79.711.012.011.017.817.015.59.512.010.013.0146.2
PARTLY CLOUDY35.03.73.34.35.34.73.02.51.02.53.05.043.3
CLOUDY34.76.03.34.75.71.52.03.51.54.03.53.543.9
PRMEAN STATION PRESSURE(IN)2826.3526.3126.2326.2526.2526.3026.3726.3826.3726.3726.3326.3526.32
MEAN SEA-LEVEL PRES. (IN)5430.0730.0229.9129.8729.8529.8429.9129.9229.9529.9930.0330.0629.95
WINDSMEAN SPEED (MPH)3712.613.414.614.714.113.712.411.312.412.512.812.613.1
PREVAIL. DIR (TENS OF DEGS)2323362118181818181820223619
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE:
SPEED (MPH)945484753466048444041455160
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)25250325113530342417303235
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE200119931997200119991994199419961994200019941993JUN 1994
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND:
SPEED (MPH)954556074526858595261525774
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)26242324043309212623303124
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199619932000200120011994199920001994199619941993APR 2001
PRECIPITATIONNORMAL (IN)300.500.610.960.992.483.702.623.221.991.370.690.4319.56
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)602.672.084.146.459.8110.737.597.555.027.642.264.5210.73
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199919982000199719511965196019741950194119611959JUN 1965
MINIMUM MONTHLY (IN)600.00TTT0.040.010.040.280.030.000.00T0.00
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198619911950196419841953200119831977195219891976NOV 1989
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)601.741.282.272.656.756.154.744.263.423.451.533.116.75
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE196819711973199919511960198219451941194819801943MAY 1951
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
PRECIPITATION 0.01303.94.45.24.97.98.97.78.76.54.73.64.170.5
PRECIPITATION 1.0030*0.10.10.10.50.90.70.90.50.2*0.04.0
SNOWFALLNORMAL (IN)303.84.62.90.60.*0.00.00.00.*0.31.92.816.9
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)6014.517.314.76.50.5TTT0.33.913.621.221.2
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198319711961199719781992199419991984197619522000DEC 2000
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)6010.213.59.86.50.5TTT0.33.212.216.816.8
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199419711957199719781992199419991984197619522000DEC 2000
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH (IN)561014106TT00T191515
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE1987198319571973198819491984197019522000DEC 2000
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
SNOWFALL 1.0301.41.31.00.20.00.00.00.00.00.10.60.85.4
PRECIPITATION (inches) 2001 AMARILLO, TX (AMA)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19720.210.110.110.032.813.872.591.730.711.661.190.3215.34
19730.560.423.991.881.430.844.082.311.221.050.100.1718.05
19740.330.240.600.044.063.331.317.551.653.440.120.4223.09
19750.281.330.511.022.474.155.193.970.760.330.920.1521.08
1976T0.100.791.651.362.941.771.784.281.140.43T16.24
19770.640.530.242.744.012.063.144.940.030.260.320.2719.18
19780.630.800.210.555.766.501.821.612.420.970.470.2722.01
19790.920.281.461.293.943.192.035.080.521.280.400.0720.46
19800.850.551.380.822.881.300.651.801.550.420.840.3513.39
19810.110.231.870.902.111.042.735.223.471.791.500.0321.00
19820.150.390.520.431.964.756.230.551.370.710.750.7918.60
19831.781.190.980.832.851.760.740.280.373.230.330.6414.98
19840.560.370.981.180.046.760.832.280.953.191.091.0019.23
19850.990.771.492.790.863.082.071.674.963.070.390.2622.40
19860.001.020.600.303.283.703.527.041.451.941.820.6625.33
19871.260.840.920.574.283.290.833.283.401.170.431.7522.02
19880.330.041.192.226.023.683.303.593.150.710.290.1724.69
19890.160.550.520.752.516.072.743.221.800.740.000.4919.55
19901.221.612.561.100.900.143.282.792.720.460.500.2317.51
19910.86T0.410.043.082.472.201.282.040.640.662.2415.92
19920.500.301.111.603.107.572.362.270.160.310.800.5520.63
19930.760.361.290.351.922.763.364.641.000.530.510.9518.43
19941.010.071.221.151.411.265.012.862.020.460.580.3017.35
19950.32T0.800.834.942.712.852.182.620.450.060.5918.35
19960.070.260.24T1.672.924.956.431.860.841.300.0520.59
19970.640.470.016.452.162.935.511.401.350.741.172.1224.95
19980.682.082.460.970.530.121.090.761.236.480.340.4117.15
19992.67T1.356.304.293.612.872.042.540.380.000.5226.57
20000.240.044.140.431.145.540.160.290.033.950.961.4718.39
20011.670.933.960.493.051.990.041.393.030.051.860.2318.69
POR=62 YRS0.610.571.011.282.773.322.752.921.881.610.660.6820.06
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (F) 2001 AMARILLO, TX (AMA)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
197235.740.951.759.563.273.674.573.969.257.936.932.955.8
197333.439.547.150.362.975.178.178.868.762.050.838.657.1
197435.042.253.160.271.575.079.373.662.959.045.736.157.8
197537.135.345.054.964.573.375.576.765.861.145.840.456.3
197636.947.846.556.860.272.274.875.166.549.938.537.555.2
197730.143.848.757.867.378.180.777.574.360.747.439.958.9
197829.030.147.261.463.775.480.776.170.759.445.632.756.0
197924.940.046.654.562.270.977.173.669.860.140.538.854.9
198034.937.743.952.461.978.382.978.570.756.642.741.456.8
198137.942.248.863.165.678.581.374.469.056.649.140.158.9
198237.135.947.353.863.372.278.878.771.157.345.636.156.4
198333.436.245.350.960.370.480.081.073.660.547.924.755.4
198431.640.344.051.866.974.675.675.365.756.947.040.555.9
198531.537.249.560.068.175.180.179.668.956.943.534.057.0
198642.540.452.759.465.173.380.674.468.855.742.737.157.7
198734.042.044.654.864.572.177.275.367.657.945.434.655.8
198832.238.344.354.163.673.375.876.467.759.047.638.555.9
198940.732.351.259.967.369.476.276.066.360.447.931.456.6
199039.240.847.055.963.681.376.476.372.057.749.733.257.8
199132.645.949.758.268.574.776.576.267.158.541.239.057.3
199238.045.050.658.763.370.876.673.570.260.139.334.256.7
199333.136.046.154.464.574.079.174.967.954.640.938.755.4
199436.537.648.955.065.279.477.475.969.158.246.541.757.6
199539.243.947.453.961.670.877.278.267.958.248.238.457.1
199634.943.144.256.972.575.677.174.465.957.645.739.757.3
199735.338.850.348.963.271.677.975.071.958.242.833.555.6
199839.841.043.553.569.277.482.478.075.860.449.238.159.0
199940.147.346.354.862.371.877.578.066.258.152.337.657.7
200039.547.149.257.869.772.180.181.873.759.639.633.158.6
200134.841.245.061.065.276.583.978.770.460.250.740.459.0
POR=62 YRS35.740.046.756.565.474.578.677.069.558.945.737.757.2

REFERENCE NOTES:

PAGE 1:

THE TEMPERATURE GRAPH SHOWS NORMAL MAXIMUM AND NORMAL MINIMUM DAILY TEMPERATURES (SOLID CURVES) AND THE ACTUAL DAILY HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES (VERTICAL BARS).

PAGE 2 AND 3:

H/C INDICATES HEATING AND COOLING DEGREE DAYS.

RH INDICATES RELATIVE HUMIDITY

W/O INDICATES WEATHER AND OBSTRUCTIONS

S INDICATES SUNSHINE.

PR INDICATES PRESSURE.

CLOUDINESS ON PAGE 3 IS THE SUM OF THE CEILOMETER AND SATELLITE DATA NOT TO EXCEED EIGHT EIGHTHS (OKTAS).

GENERAL:

T INDICATES TRACE PRECIPITATION, AN AMOUNT GREATER THAN ZERO BUT LESS THAN THE LOWEST REPORTABLE VALUE.

+ INDICATES THE VALUE ALSO OCCURS ON EARLIER DATES.

BLANK ENTRIES DENOTE MISSING OR UNREPORTED DATA.

NORMALS ARE 30–YEAR AVERAGES (1961–1990).

ASOS INDICATES AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEM.

PM INDICATES THE LAST DAY OF THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

POR (PERIOD OF RECORD) BEGINS WITH THE JANUARY DATA MONTH AND IS THE NUMBER OF YEARS USED TO COMPUTE THE MEAN. INDIVIDUAL MONTHS WITHIN THE POR MAY BE MISSING.

WHEN THE POR FOR A NORMAL IS LESS THAN 30 YEARS, THE NORMAL IS PROVISIONAL AND IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF YEARS INDICATED.

0.* OR * INDICATES THE VALUE OR MEAN–DAYS–WITH IS BETWEEN 0.00 AND 0.05.

CLOUDINESS FOR ASOS STATIONS DIFFERS FROM THE NON–ASOS OBSERVATION TAKEN BY A HUMAN OBSERVER. ASOS STATION CLOUDINESS IS BASED ON TIME–AVERAGED CEILOMETER DATA FOR CLOUDS AT OR BELOW 12,000 FEET AND ON SATELLITE DATA FOR CLOUDS ABOVE 12,000 FEET.

THE NUMBER OF DAYS WITH CLEAR, PARTLY CLOUDY, AND CLOUDY CONDITIONS FOR ASOS STATIONS IS THE SUM OF THE CEILOMETER AND SATELLITE DATA FOR THE SUNRISE TO SUNSET PERIOD.

GENERAL CONTINUED:

CLEAR INDICATES 0–2 OKTAS, PARTLY CLOUDY INDICATES 3–6 OKTAS, AND CLOUDY INDICATES 7 OR 8 OKTAS. WHEN AT LEAST ONE OF THE ELEMENTS (CEILOMETER OR SATELLITE) IS MISSING, THE DAILY CLOUDINESS IS NOT COMPUTED.

WIND DIRECTION IS RECORDED IN TENS OF DEGREES (2 DIGITS) CLOCKWISE FROM TRUE NORTH. "00" INDICATES CALM. "36" INDICATES TRUE NORTH.

RESULTANT WIND IS THE VECTOR AVERAGE OF THE SPEED AND DIRECTION.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IS THE SUM OF THE MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURE DIVIDED BY 2.

SNOWFALL DATA COMPRISE ALL FORMS OF FROZEN PRECIPITATION, INCLUDING HAIL.

A HEATING (COOLING) DEGREE DAY IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AVERAGE DAILY TEMPERATURE AND 65 F.

DRY BULB IS THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AMBIENT AIR.

DEW POINT IS THE TEMPERATURE TO WHICH THE AIR MUST BE COOLED TO ACHIEVE 100 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY.

WET BULB IS THE TEMPERATURE THE AIR WOULD HAVE IF THE MOISTURE CONTENT WAS INCREASED TO 100 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY.

ON JULY 1, 1996, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BEGAN USING THE "METAR" OBSERVATION CODE THAT WAS ALREADY EMPLOYED BY MOST OTHER NATIONS OF THE WORLD. THE MOST NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN THIS ANNUAL PUBLICATION WILL BE THE CHANGE IN UNITS FROM TENTHS TO EIGHTS (OKTAS) FOR REPORTING THE AMOUNT OF SKY COVER.

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 AMARILLO, TX (AMA)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-731324827483398797270654843811304934
1973-7400561544208139226333681901703573
1974-750011919957189085382661232367164476
1975-760010415856975786149256725317103932
1976-77005946479084610755924992152204562
1977-78001150522768110797255113613964352
1978-7900331975749921236697561319144304783
1979-80022818672780692678864937314604631
1980-8100352806627238326304961116503834
1981-8200262714697658498035343409624155
1982-830023252575888972800603421171324737
1983-840040175506124110287096423905604787
1984-850012526253175210347694741693754158
1985-86001112496409576916813792037203983
1986-8702262906658589546346243157094447
1987-880818226584936101076563332310244609
1988-89073219751781574790942921959273958
1989-900091185507103779567255127614004254
1990-9100112344549819945294672085313932
1991-92007125870979883357643720398103993
1992-9300211717659499848085773178254679
1993-9402393327178108757604993097804421
1994-950031228553716792583547333146133942
1995-9601892174978139266346362502104084
1996-9730702515717759177284474769924339
1997-98043525966196777466766434339214434
1998-99001318046982876449057330513293763
1999-0000932263738447855104822206093602
2000-0100501957559819296606111397504395
2001-0012180418755
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 AMARILLO, TX (AMA)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
1972004445926531328518260001212
197300035331041443517367101456
1974006522283064492746120001396
1975000246127333036713446001235
197600013322233123181105001013
19770001010039949338928722001700
19780063310832449735120928001556
1979000126421838027617741001168
198000045840856242921126001698
1981001598741051229915416001538
198200095222543743221322001390
198300023120147350230641301559
1984000112129833132515117001244
1985002271433154734582356001659
1986003458725648929914410001333
1987000196422738633410511001146
198800036726334036612019001178
198900107513616435434713851001275
1990000910149435935822917101568
19910001216629836435814466001408
1992000195218836627118625001107
199300067728344331513415001273
1994006189143939234515924401478
199500974719438841918213001259
19960501426032538629710327001417
199700004920540732024755001283
1998001617739954740734243001922
199900055622139641013516001239
20000001421422547552932039001816
2001000278835359443318038001713
SNOWFALL (inches) 2001 AMARILLO, TX (AMA)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-730.00.00.00.49.92.87.04.20.55.70.00.030.5
1973-740.00.00.00.00.41.53.61.2T0.00.00.06.7
1974-750.00.00.00.0T1.53.811.71.2T0.00.018.2
1975-760.00.00.00.00.41.8TT4.20.00.00.06.4
1976-770.00.00.03.94.3T6.43.7TT0.00.018.3
1977-780.00.00.00.01.30.28.29.41.5T0.50.021.1
1978-790.00.00.00.02.03.35.91.9TT0.00.013.1
1979-800.00.00.01.62.20.31.45.21.0T0.00.011.7
1980-810.00.00.00.08.6T1.10.10.10.00.00.09.9
1981-820.00.00.00.0T0.31.14.71.7T0.00.07.8
1982-830.00.00.00.04.51.914.513.08.15.90.00.047.9
1983-840.00.00.00.0T5.27.03.52.50.00.00.018.2
1984-850.00.00.30.00.10.37.40.30.20.00.00.08.6
1985-860.00.0T0.0T2.80.010.91.00.00.00.014.7
1986-870.00.00.0T0.23.312.13.16.40.10.00.025.2
1987-880.00.00.00.00.715.34.30.58.54.20.00.033.5
1988-890.00.00.00.02.42.2T0.14.20.1TT9.0
1989-900.00.0T0.00.05.48.53.00.00.00.00.016.9
1990-910.00.00.00.02.23.85.0T1.00.0TT12.0
1991-920.00.0T3.2T2.01.00.2T0.3TT6.7
1992-930.00.00.0T9.010.02.52.22.1TT0.025.8
1993-940.00.00.0TT0.510.2T3.0T0.00.013.7
1994-95T0.00.00.0T0.03.7T2.30.00.00.06.0
1995-96T0.0T0.00.52.71.14.60.10.0T0.09.0
1996-97T0.00.01.58.01.110.82.00.06.50.0T29.9
1997-98T0.00.0T5.410.9T10.44.4T0.00.031.1
1998-990.00.00.00.00.01.013.1T1.3T0.0T15.4
1999-00TT0.0T0.08.62.8T0.50.5T0.012.4
2000-010.00.00.0T8.921.213.01.41.8TT0.046.3
2001-0.00.0T0.02.32.0
POR=62 YRS0.30.10.00.21.93.24.23.32.50.70.10.016.5

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