Recent from talks
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Climate of Dallas
View on Wikipedia
| This article is part of a series on the | ||||||||||||||||||
| City of Dallas | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Dallas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate chart (explanation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dallas is located in North Texas, built along the Trinity River. It has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfa) that is characteristic of the southern plains of the United States. Dallas experiences mild winters and hot summers.
Seasonal climate
[edit]Summer
[edit]Summers are very hot and rather humid.Heat waves can be severe and prolonged, usually coinciding with severe drought.The city's all-time recorded high temperature is 113 °F (45 °C) during the Heat Wave of 1980. In July and August, the average high temperature is near 96 °F (36 °C), while the average nighttime low temperature is around 77 °F (25 °C). Days with temperatures exceeding 100 °F (38 °C) happen at least several times during the summer every year. Especially hot and dry summers occurred in 1980, 2011, 2022 and 2023.
Transitional months
[edit]Spring and autumn bring warm weather to the area. Vibrant wildflowers (such as the bluebonnet, Indian paintbrush and other flora) bloom in spring and are planted around the highways throughout Texas.[2] Springtime weather can be quite volatile, but temperatures themselves are warm on average. The weather in Dallas is also generally pleasant between late October and early December, and unlike springtime, major storms rarely form in the area.

In the spring, cool fronts moving south from Canada collide with warm, humid air streaming in from the Gulf Coast. When these fronts meet over north central Texas, severe thunderstorms are generated with spectacular lightning shows, torrents of rain, hail, and occasionally, tornadoes (Dallas is located at the lower end of the Tornado Alley).
Winter
[edit]During the winter months of December to March, daytime highs as high as 76.7–85.9 °F (24.8–29.9 °C) are not unusual during warm spells. On the other hand, a Blue Norther can occur, bringing sudden and possibly-large temperature drops. During cold spells, high temperatures can lower to the 30s F., with low temperatures in the 10-20 F. range, rarely lower than that, for several days. A couple of times each year, warm and humid air from the south overrides cold, dry air, leading to freezing rain, which often causes major disruptions in the city if the roads and highways become slick. On average, even the coldest month of January is generally mild, with an average high of 57.7 °F (14.3 °C) and low of 37.9 °F (3.3 °C). Based on 1991-2020 climate data, the average coldest temperature for an entire year is about 19.1 °F (−7.2 °C), placing Dallas in USDA zone 8b. The all-time recorded low is −3 °F (−19 °C) on January 18, 1930.
Data
[edit]| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record high °F (°C) | 88 (31) |
95 (35) |
97 (36) |
100 (38) |
103 (39) |
112 (44) |
112 (44) |
111 (44) |
110 (43) |
100 (38) |
92 (33) |
89 (32) |
112 (44) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 76.7 (24.8) |
80.5 (26.9) |
85.9 (29.9) |
89.0 (31.7) |
95.0 (35.0) |
98.9 (37.2) |
103.6 (39.8) |
104.1 (40.1) |
99.1 (37.3) |
92.5 (33.6) |
82.9 (28.3) |
77.9 (25.5) |
105.5 (40.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 57.7 (14.3) |
62.0 (16.7) |
69.9 (21.1) |
77.4 (25.2) |
84.9 (29.4) |
92.7 (33.7) |
96.9 (36.1) |
97.1 (36.2) |
90.0 (32.2) |
79.5 (26.4) |
67.8 (19.9) |
59.2 (15.1) |
77.9 (25.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 47.8 (8.8) |
52.0 (11.1) |
59.6 (15.3) |
67.1 (19.5) |
75.4 (24.1) |
83.3 (28.5) |
87.3 (30.7) |
87.3 (30.7) |
80.1 (26.7) |
69.1 (20.6) |
57.8 (14.3) |
49.5 (9.7) |
68.0 (20.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 37.9 (3.3) |
41.9 (5.5) |
49.4 (9.7) |
56.8 (13.8) |
66.0 (18.9) |
73.8 (23.2) |
77.7 (25.4) |
77.4 (25.2) |
70.1 (21.2) |
58.7 (14.8) |
47.8 (8.8) |
39.8 (4.3) |
58.1 (14.5) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 22.5 (−5.3) |
26.5 (−3.1) |
31.1 (−0.5) |
41.3 (5.2) |
52.0 (11.1) |
64.2 (17.9) |
70.8 (21.6) |
69.4 (20.8) |
56.8 (13.8) |
42.0 (5.6) |
31.2 (−0.4) |
25.1 (−3.8) |
19.1 (−7.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −3 (−19) |
2 (−17) |
11 (−12) |
30 (−1) |
39 (4) |
53 (12) |
56 (13) |
57 (14) |
36 (2) |
26 (−3) |
17 (−8) |
1 (−17) |
−3 (−19) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.59 (66) |
2.78 (71) |
3.45 (88) |
3.15 (80) |
4.57 (116) |
3.83 (97) |
2.54 (65) |
2.31 (59) |
3.10 (79) |
4.79 (122) |
2.93 (74) |
3.23 (82) |
39.33 (999) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.1 (0.25) |
0.9 (2.3) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.3 (0.76) |
1.7 (4.3) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 7.0 | 6.9 | 8.1 | 7.3 | 9.4 | 7.3 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 5.6 | 7.2 | 6.5 | 6.9 | 82.2 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.5 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 67.5 | 66.4 | 63.7 | 65.3 | 69.7 | 65.8 | 60.0 | 60.5 | 66.5 | 65.7 | 67.4 | 67.5 | 65.4 |
| Average dew point °F (°C) | 31.3 (−0.4) |
35.2 (1.8) |
42.6 (5.9) |
52.0 (11.1) |
61.0 (16.1) |
66.6 (19.2) |
67.6 (19.8) |
66.7 (19.3) |
63.3 (17.4) |
53.2 (11.8) |
43.7 (6.5) |
34.7 (1.5) |
51.5 (10.8) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 183.5 | 178.3 | 227.7 | 236.0 | 258.4 | 297.8 | 332.4 | 304.5 | 246.2 | 228.1 | 183.8 | 173.0 | 2,849.7 |
| Percentage possible sunshine | 58 | 58 | 61 | 61 | 60 | 69 | 76 | 74 | 66 | 65 | 59 | 56 | 64 |
| Average ultraviolet index | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Source 1: NOAA (sun, relative humidity, and dew point 1961–1990 at DFW Airport)[c][4][5][1][6] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather Atlas (Average UV index)[7] | |||||||||||||
This graph was using the legacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to the new Chart extension. |
See or edit raw graph data.
| Climate data for Redbird Airport, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1998–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 84 (29) |
90 (32) |
92 (33) |
98 (37) |
101 (38) |
107 (42) |
111 (44) |
111 (44) |
109 (43) |
97 (36) |
92 (33) |
88 (31) |
111 (44) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 77.7 (25.4) |
81.5 (27.5) |
85.5 (29.7) |
88.6 (31.4) |
92.9 (33.8) |
99.3 (37.4) |
103.3 (39.6) |
104.7 (40.4) |
99.1 (37.3) |
92.3 (33.5) |
84.1 (28.9) |
78.9 (26.1) |
105.7 (40.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 57.4 (14.1) |
61.5 (16.4) |
69.0 (20.6) |
76.2 (24.6) |
83.6 (28.7) |
91.4 (33.0) |
95.9 (35.5) |
96.4 (35.8) |
89.3 (31.8) |
78.8 (26.0) |
67.3 (19.6) |
58.8 (14.9) |
77.1 (25.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 47.6 (8.7) |
51.3 (10.7) |
58.7 (14.8) |
65.7 (18.7) |
73.9 (23.3) |
81.7 (27.6) |
85.6 (29.8) |
85.7 (29.8) |
78.7 (25.9) |
68.1 (20.1) |
57.2 (14.0) |
49.1 (9.5) |
66.9 (19.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 37.8 (3.2) |
41.1 (5.1) |
48.3 (9.1) |
55.2 (12.9) |
64.2 (17.9) |
72.0 (22.2) |
75.4 (24.1) |
75.0 (23.9) |
68.2 (20.1) |
57.5 (14.2) |
47.1 (8.4) |
39.3 (4.1) |
56.8 (13.8) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 21.3 (−5.9) |
25.1 (−3.8) |
29.9 (−1.2) |
39.8 (4.3) |
49.9 (9.9) |
63.4 (17.4) |
69.1 (20.6) |
68.0 (20.0) |
56.5 (13.6) |
40.5 (4.7) |
30.6 (−0.8) |
24.3 (−4.3) |
17.4 (−8.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 11 (−12) |
−1 (−18) |
16 (−9) |
32 (0) |
39 (4) |
56 (13) |
63 (17) |
60 (16) |
44 (7) |
29 (−2) |
22 (−6) |
10 (−12) |
−1 (−18) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.55 (65) |
2.57 (65) |
3.57 (91) |
3.70 (94) |
4.34 (110) |
3.87 (98) |
1.91 (49) |
1.80 (46) |
2.95 (75) |
4.54 (115) |
2.78 (71) |
3.08 (78) |
37.66 (957) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 6.0 | 7.1 | 9.2 | 7.9 | 10.0 | 7.5 | 4.7 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 6.8 | 84.5 |
| Source 1: NOAA[8] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service (mean maxima/minima 2006–2020)[9] | |||||||||||||
Snow
[edit]There are two to three days with hail per year, but snowfall is rare.[10] Based on records from 1898 to 2019, the average snowfall is 2.6 inches per year.[11] It has snowed twice during Thanksgiving day NFL football games at Texas Stadium, in 1993 and 2007, which is comparatively early.[12] The month with the highest snowfall is typically February, with an average of 0.6 inches falling. While the month with the highest number of days with snow falling is typically January, with an average of 0.5 days of snow.[13] The record snowfall was recorded in February 2010, when 12.5 inches of snow fell over two days at the Dallas-Fort Worth International airport.[14]
Volatile weather
[edit]Tornadoes
[edit]Since Dallas lies at the lower end of the "Tornado Alley", tornadoes have on occasion been a threat to the city. Most tornadoes hit the city during the months of April and May.[15] Dallas was hit by a powerful tornado on April 2, 1957; the tornado was later rated F3.[16] On March 28, 2000, the “Fort Worth Tornado” impacted Dallas's neighbor Fort Worth's downtown, and a tornado in Arlington, Texas also occurred that day damaging some homes. Four people died in Fort Worth as a result of the tornado.[17] That day was the Metroplex's most damaging tornado outbreak since the 1957 event. Another widespread tornado outbreak struck the area in the Dallas tornado outbreak of April 3, 2012, slightly damaging Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and damaging some planes and grounding the others at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field, heavily damaging an elementary school, and destroying semis in a facility. On December 26, 2015, a rare winter tornado outbreak led to the spawning of several tornadoes, including an EF4 tornado near the city of Garland and Rowlett that caused 10 deaths. On October 21, 2019, 10 tornadoes touched down in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, including an EF3 tornado that devastated areas from North Dallas to Richardson.[18]
Floods
[edit]Major flooding occurred on the Trinity River in the years 1844, 1866, 1871, and 1890, but a major event in the spring of 1908 set in motion the harnessing of the river. On 26 May 1908, the Trinity River reached a depth of 52.6 feet (16.03 m) and a width of 1.5 miles (2.4 km).[19] Five people died, 4,000 were left homeless, and property damages were estimated at $2.5 million.
Now the wreckage of a shed or outhouse would move by, followed by a drowned swine or other livestock. The construction forces of the Texas & Pacific worked feverishly to safeguard the long trestle carrying their tracks across the stream. Suddenly this whole structure turned on its side down-stream, broke loose from the rest of the track at one end and swung out into the middle of the current and began breaking up, first into large sections and then into smaller pieces, rushing madly along to some uncertain destination. [Approximately half a dozen of the workmen fell into the torrent at this point; exaggerated reports of their drowning swept the city.]
— C.L. Moss, [19]
Dallas was without power for three days, all telephone and telegraph service was down, and rail service was canceled. The only way to reach Oak Cliff was by boat.[20] West Dallas was hit harder than any other part of the city—the Dallas Times Herald said "indescribable suffering" plagued the area. Much to the horror of residents, thousands of livestock drowned in the flood and some became lodged in the tops of trees—the stench of their decay hung over the city as the water subsided.[19]

After the disastrous flood, the city wanted to find a way to control the reckless Trinity and to build a bridge linking Oak Cliff and Dallas. The immediate reaction was citizens and the city clamoring to build an indestructible, all-weather crossing over the Trinity. This had already been tried following the 1890 flood—the result was the "Long Wooden Bridge" that connected Jefferson Boulevard in Oak Cliff and Cadiz in Dallas, but the resulting unstable bridge was easily washed away by the 1908 flood. George B. Dealey, publisher of the Dallas Morning News, proposed a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) concrete bridge based on a bridge crossing the Missouri River in Kansas City. Ultimately a US$650,000 bond election was approved and in 1912, the Oak Cliff viaduct (now the Houston Street Viaduct) was opened among festivities drawing 58,000 spectators. The bridge, at the time, was the longest concrete structure in the world.[19]
In May 2015, the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport received a record-shattering 16.96 inches of rainfall, in a month that obliterated heavy-rainfall records virtually throughout the Southern Plains (Texas and Oklahoma, especially).[21] Strangely enough, a very hot, dry summer followed, resulting in some parts of Texas returning to abnormally dry conditions as early as July 2015, soon after the record May rains erased years-long drought conditions over the area.
El Niño–Southern Oscillation
[edit]The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) determines for the most part what the winter and spring months are like in Dallas. During the warm phase (El Niño), winter and spring are colder and receive more snow than usual. Under the cold phase (La Niña), winter and spring are warmer and receive less snow.
Notes
[edit]- ^ Mean monthly maxima and minima calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
- ^ Official records for Dallas were kept at the Weather Bureau Office in downtown from 15 October 1913 to August 1940, and at Love Field since September 1940.[3]
- ^ Sunshine normals are based on only 24 years of data.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ TXDOT - Wildflower and Fall Foliage Archived April 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 17 April 2007.
- ^ ThreadEx
- ^ "Station Name: TX DALLAS LOVE FLD". National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ "WMO Climate Normals for FORT WORTH/GREATER SW INT'L A, TX 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ "Dallas, Texas, USA - Monthly weather forecast and Climate data". Weather Atlas. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Dallas Redbird AP, TX". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Dallas". National Weather Service. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ National Weather Service. https://www.weather.gov/fwd/dnarrative
- ^ National Weather Service. DFW - Monthly and Seasonal Snowfall https://www.weather.gov/fwd/dmosnow
- ^ Jesus Jimenez. “Snow at a Cowboys Thanksgiving game? It’s happened before,” The Dallas Morning News. Nov 22, 2018. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/weather/2018/11/22/snow-at-a-cowboys-thanksgiving-game-its-happened-before/ Retrieved on 17 April 2020.
- ^ Weather Atlas. https://www.weather-us.com/en/texas-usa/dallas-climate#snowfall
- ^ "Dallas area forecasters tell how they miscalled the Snowstorm of the Century". The Dallas Morning News. Feb 13, 2010. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ "Dallas County Tornado Climatology Page". National Weather Service. March 23, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ Stormtrack.org - APRIL 2, 1957: DALLAS'S DATE WITH DISASTER Archived December 30, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on April 17, 2006.
- ^ Malone, Dan (March 29, 2000). "4 die as tornado hits FW - Downtown closed this morning; Arlington also hit". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ Branham, Dana (October 22, 2019). "Weather service confirms 10 total tornadoes hit Dallas-Fort Worth; power restored to thousands". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Payne, Darwin (1982). "Chapter V: A New Century, A New Dallas". Dallas, an illustrated history. Woodland Hills, California: Windsor Publications. pp. 119–155. ISBN 0-89781-034-1.
- ^ Dallas Historical Society - Dallas History Archived 2006-04-22 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 20 April 2006.
- ^ Jimenez, Jesus (December 26, 2019). "These are 8 of the most memorable Dallas-Fort Worth weather events of the 2010s". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
Climate of Dallas
View on GrokipediaOverview
Classification
Dallas possesses a humid subtropical climate according to the Köppen-Geiger classification, denoted as Cfa, which features hot and humid summers alongside mild winters and the absence of a pronounced dry season. This categorization reflects the region's temperate thermal regime with sufficient year-round moisture to support lush vegetation, distinguishing it from more arid zones.[2] The defining criteria for a Cfa climate include an average temperature exceeding 0°C (32°F) in the coldest month, at least one month with an average above 22°C (72°F), and precipitation distributed relatively evenly across all seasons without any month falling below one-tenth of the annual total. These thresholds ensure that Dallas experiences no prolonged dry periods, with moisture primarily sourced from Gulf of Mexico influences that moderate temperatures and enhance humidity.[2] In contrast to neighboring areas, Dallas's Cfa classification sets it apart from the semi-arid steppe climates (BSk) prevalent further west, where declining Gulf moisture results in lower annual precipitation and greater aridity. This climatic boundary underscores the transitional nature of North Texas, with Dallas benefiting from easterly humid airflows.[5] Historically, Dallas has maintained this Cfa designation consistently since systematic weather records commenced in the late 19th century, based on long-term data from 1898 onward.[2]General Characteristics
Dallas experiences a humid subtropical climate characterized by hot, humid summers and mild winters, with significant continental influences due to its inland position. Located in North Central Texas along the Trinity River and approximately 300 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico, the city receives moisture from Gulf air masses that moderates temperatures but also contributes to high humidity levels throughout the year. This positioning on the southern Great Plains results in a wide annual temperature range, with average daily highs of 76.7°F (24.8°C) and lows of 56.5°F (13.6°C), yielding a mean annual temperature of 66.6°F (19.2°C).[3][2] Annual precipitation totals average around 37 inches (940 mm), distributed bimodally with peaks in spring and fall, while summers tend to be drier except for sporadic thunderstorms. The climate's variability is heightened by frequent frontal systems driven by the jet stream, leading to an average of about 47 thunderstorm days per year, which often produce heavy rain, hail, or severe winds. Average relative humidity remains moderate at 60-70% year-round, with morning values higher around 82% and afternoon levels dropping to about 49%, influenced by evaporative cooling and Gulf moisture advection.[3][2][6] Longer daylight hours in summer, averaging over 14 hours in June, exacerbate heat buildup by allowing prolonged solar exposure, which combines with humidity to create muggy conditions despite the city's inland location. Urban development has further amplified warming trends through the urban heat island effect, though the core continental patterns persist.[2]Seasonal Climate
Summer
Summer in Dallas, spanning June through August, features persistently high temperatures influenced by the region's humid subtropical climate. Average high temperatures reach 95–97°F (35–36°C) in July and August, with nighttime lows around 75–77°F (24–25°C), creating warm nights that offer little relief from the daytime heat.[3][7] Humidity often elevates the heat index above 105°F (41°C) on many days, intensifying the perceived warmth and contributing to discomfort during outdoor activities. The season's weather patterns are dominated by the Bermuda High, a subtropical high-pressure system that promotes subsidence and mostly clear skies, with minimal wind speeds averaging under 10 mph. This setup results in predominantly sunny conditions, interrupted by brief afternoon or evening thunderstorms occurring on about 20–30% of days, which provide sporadic rainfall but rarely alleviate the overall heat.[2] These storms typically form from daytime heating and Gulf moisture, dissipating quickly under the high-pressure influence.[8] In August 2025, a peak gust of 89 mph was recorded, highlighting potential for gusty winds during dry spells.[3] Summer onset begins around mid-May, when the first days exceeding 90°F (32°C) become common, building to a peak in July with an average of 7–10 days above 100°F (38°C), though the full season often sees 20–25 such triple-digit days across the metro area. The all-time record high temperature for Dallas is 113°F (45°C), set on June 26 and 27, 1980, during an extreme heat event.[9][10] In 2025, the seasonal peak reached 104°F (40°C) on July 31, marking another notably hot close to the month.[11]Fall
Fall in Dallas marks a transition from the intense summer heat to cooler conditions, with average high temperatures decreasing from 88.6°F (31.4°C) in September to 66.6°F (19.2°C) in November, while lows drop from 68.5°F (20.3°C) to 46.2°F (7.9°C).[3] This cooling trend is driven by the arrival of periodic cold fronts from the north, which introduce drier air and reduce the high humidity levels typical of summer, often resulting in clearer skies and more comfortable daytime conditions.[2] September remains warm, with nearly all days featuring highs exceeding 80°F (27°C), but by late October, milder and more stable weather predominates.[12] Precipitation during fall averages 3 to 4 inches per month, with October typically the wettest at 4.37 inches, often influenced by remnants of tropical systems from the Gulf of Mexico.[3] These events bring light to moderate rain, but the risk of thunderstorms remains low compared to the volatile spring season, as the atmosphere stabilizes with decreasing moisture.[2] Cold fronts occasionally trigger scattered showers, contributing to the overall monthly totals without significant storm activity. The season's progression is highlighted by vegetative changes, with peak foliage coloration occurring from late October to mid-November, triggered by the onset of light frosts that enhance autumn hues in trees like oaks and maples.[13] The first measurable frost typically arrives around November 22 on average, signaling the shift toward winter, though occasional warmer days can delay this marker slightly.[14] This period offers pleasant outdoor conditions, with reduced humidity fostering crisp air and sunny days that define Dallas's fall character.[15]Winter
Winter in Dallas, spanning December through February, is characterized by mild conditions with average high temperatures ranging from 56.5°F to 60.9°F (13.5°C to 16.1°C) and low temperatures from 36.1°F to 40.1°F (2.3°C to 4.5°C), making January the coolest month with a mean of 46.3°F (7.9°C).[3] Sub-freezing high temperatures (below 32°F or 0°C) are rare, occurring on average about once per winter season.[16] The season features a mix of sunny days and periods of cloudy, overcast weather influenced by southern low-pressure systems and periodic cold fronts from the north, resulting in an average of 45-50 overcast days across the three months.[7] Freezing conditions at night are common, with approximately 20-25 nights per season where temperatures drop to 32°F (0°C) or below.[3] Northerly outbreaks of cold air can intensify the chill, with wind chills occasionally falling to around 20°F (-6.7°C) despite air temperatures remaining above freezing.[2] Precipitation during winter averages 2.5 to 2.8 inches (64 to 70 mm) per month, primarily as rain, though occasional sleet occurs with cold fronts.[3] Snowfall is infrequent, with average seasonal accumulation detailed in the precipitation records.[3] The all-time record low temperature is -8°F (-22.2°C), recorded on February 12, 1899, during a historic Arctic outbreak.[3]Spring
Spring in Dallas marks a transitional period of warming temperatures and increasing atmospheric instability, as the region shifts from winter's cooler conditions to summer's heat. Average high temperatures rise steadily from 69°F (21°C) in March to 84°F (29°C) in May, while lows increase from 48°F (9°C) to 65°F (18°C). This gradual warming is accompanied by high weather volatility, driven by the clash between warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and cooler fronts advancing from the north. As a result, the frequency of thunderstorms and associated severe weather peaks during this season, with April and May often experiencing multiple events per week.[3][2] Precipitation reaches its seasonal peak in spring, totaling approximately 11 inches across March, April, and May, primarily from intense squall lines and thunderstorms. These storms contribute to the highest severe weather risk in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, where large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rain are common. The dynamic weather patterns underscore Dallas's position in a region prone to such instability, with monthly rainfall averages of 3.3 inches in March, 3.2 inches in April, and 4.8 inches in May.[3][2] Key transition markers define the onset of spring, including the average last freeze date of March 12, after which frost becomes rare. Additionally, pollen levels surge in April due to blooming trees like oak and cedar, leading to peak allergy seasons for many residents. These storms occasionally produce tornadoes, particularly in May when risks are elevated.[14][17][2]Climate Data
Temperature
The climate of Dallas features a humid subtropical regime with significant temperature variability across seasons, characterized by mild winters and hot summers. According to the 1991–2020 normals from the National Weather Service's Dallas Love Field station, monthly average high temperatures range from 57.7°F in January to 97.1°F in August, while low temperatures vary from 37.9°F in January to 77.7°F in July.[18] The annual mean temperature is 68.0°F, with an average high of 77.9°F and an average low of 58.1°F, reflecting the city's position in the southern Great Plains where continental air masses influence daily fluctuations.[18]| Month | Average High (°F) | Average Low (°F) | Average Mean (°F) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 57.7 | 37.9 | 47.8 |
| February | 62.0 | 41.9 | 52.0 |
| March | 69.9 | 49.4 | 59.7 |
| April | 77.4 | 56.8 | 67.1 |
| May | 84.9 | 66.0 | 75.5 |
| June | 92.7 | 73.8 | 83.3 |
| July | 96.9 | 77.7 | 87.3 |
| August | 97.1 | 77.4 | 87.3 |
| September | 90.0 | 70.1 | 80.1 |
| October | 79.5 | 58.7 | 69.1 |
| November | 67.8 | 47.8 | 57.8 |
| December | 59.2 | 39.8 | 49.5 |
| Annual | 77.9 | 58.1 | 68.0 |
