Category Archives: Historical

9 CONFIRMED TORNADOES HIT THE METROPLEX LAST SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019

The National Weather Service office in Fort Worth has confirmed that 9 tornadoes hit the Metroplex last Sunday, October 20, 2019. The strongest and most devastating of which was the Dallas Tornado:

  • Rating: EF-3
  • Winds: 140 mph
  • Start Time: 8:58pm
  • End Time: 9:30pm
  • Track: 15.75 miles

Other tornadoes touched down in Rowlett, Midlothian, Ferris, 2 in Kaufman County, Garland, Rockwall, and Wills Point. The one that hit Dallas was among the strongest to ever hit the city of Dallas. Below are preliminary results and graphics from the National Weather Service.

SEPTEMBER 2019 THE HOTTEST AND DRIEST ON RECORD FOR DFW

September 2019 is the hottest and driest on record for DFW as officially recorded at DFW Airport. Records date all the way back to September 1898 (121 years). The average temperature for September 2019 was 86°F. The normal average temperature for September should be around 78°F. We had the most 95°F and 90°F days than any September on record (23 and 29 days respectively). This is the only September where no low temperature below 70°F was recorded. To put that in perspective, 60% of Septembers should see at least one low temp below 60°F with about 25% seeing a low of 50°F or below. When the low temperature stays 60°F or above, that is a bit of a benchmark for a warm September.

Additionally, September 2019 is the only September on record not recording any measurable rainfall, making it the driest on record. What a difference a year makes! September 2018 was the wettest on record for DFW where 12.69 inches of rain fell.

Below are the top 5 hottest and coldest Septembers for DFW and their respective average temperatures.

HOTTEST:

  1. 2019 – 86°F
  2. 2005 – 84°F
  3. 1939 – 84°F
  4. 1998 – 84°F
  5. 2015 – 83°F

COLDEST:

  1. 1974 – 71°F
  2. 1902 – 73°F
  3. 1918 – 73°F
  4. 1913 – 73°F
  5. 1935 – 74°F

2018 SECOND WETTEST YEAR ON RECORD FOR DFW

2018 closed out as officially being the second wettest year on record for Dallas/Fort Worth as recorded at DFW Airport. Out of 120 years of weather records, 2015 and 2018 are the wettest on record. In addition, 2018 produced three months that recorded all time rain records, February (11.31 inches), September (12.69 inches), and October (15.66 inches). A statistic like that will likely never occur again your lifetime. Below are the top five wettest years for DFW:

  1. 2015 – 62.61 inches
  2. 2018 – 55.97 inches
  3. 1991 – 53.54 inches
  4. 1932 – 51.03 inches
  5. 1973 – 50.62 inches.

For reference, the average annual rainfall at DFW is 36.14 inches.

DFW RECORDS ITS EARLIEST FIRST FREEZE SINCE 1992

DFW Airport officially reached the freezing mark for the first time this season (11/10/2018 – 32°F). This is the earliest first freeze on record since November 5, 1992 (31°F), 26 years ago. The average first freeze for a given cold season is about November 22nd. On November 14, 2014 (31°F) was the last earliest first freeze of recent record.

OCTOBER 2018 THE WETTEST OCTOBER ON RECORD FOR DFW

Out of 120 years of weather records, it is official that with yesterday’s 2.21 inches of rain, October 2018 is the wettest October on record for DFW. Officially, we have received 14.51 inches of rain so far this month. This breaks the prior record of 14.18 inches set in 1981. This makes 3 months total in 2018 of breaking the all time monthly records for rainfall, February, September, and October. That is truly an exceptional statistic! In addition, 2018 is shaping up to be one of the wettest year’s on record. Through today October 25, 2018, we are ranking 7th wettest year on record with an accumulated total of 49.41 inches of rainfall. Below are the wettest Octobers and wettest years on record:

Wettest Octobers on Record

  1. 2018 – 14.51 inches
  2. 1981 – 14.18 inches
  3. 2015 – 9.82 inches
  4. 1919 – 9.44 inches
  5. 1991 – 9.32 inches

Wettest Years on Record through October 25, 2018

  1. 2015 – 62.61 inches
  2. 1991 – 53.54 inches
  3. 1932 – 51.03 inches
  4. 1973 – 50.62 inches
  5. 1957 – 50.49 inches

MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2018: RECORD COLD TEMPERATURES AND RECORD RAINFALL AT DFW

Monday, October 15, 2018:         Low: 41°F             High: 49°F            Rain: 2.93 in

DFW set a new record low temperature of 41°F. The previous record was 42°F set in 1922. This is the first record low at DFW since July 2014.

DFW also set a record low maximum temperature of 49°F. The previous record was 60°F set in 1923. This is the earliest ever recorded of a high temperature remaining below 50°F. The previous earliest record of temperatures this cold was October 22, 1936.

DFW also set a daily record rainfall of 2.93 inches. The previous record was 1.93 inches set in 2007.

APRIL 2018 THE 6TH COLDEST AND 7TH DRIEST ON RECORD

From the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, Texas:

April 2018 was much cooler and much drier than normal at DFW. This was the 6th coolest and the 7th driest April on record. The monthly mean temperature was 61.6 degrees which was 3.9 degrees below normal. The mean high temperature for April was 74.4 degrees which tied for the 36th coolest and the mean low temperature was 48.9 degrees which was the coolest on record. DFW only received 0.77 inches of rain which was the 7th driest on record. Only 1987 (0.11″), 1920 (0.51″), 2005 (0.56″), 1937 (0.58″) and 1903 and 1983 (both 0.59″) were drier.