National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Dangerous Heat in the Southwest; Severe Thunderstorms from the Central Plains into the Ohio Valley

Dangerous heat will build across the Southwest U.S. through the end of the week with daytime highs of 110-115°F. Isolated to widely scattered severe storms are expected across parts of the central and southern High Plains, Great Lakes into the Ohio Valley, and parts of the Ozarks to Lower Mississippi Valley today. Read More >

 

Independence Day Climatology for
Amarillo and the Panhandles
Average High: 90° F Average Low: 65° F Average Precip: 0.09"

 

           

Independence Day is celebrated on July 4th, commemorating the approval of the Declaration of Independence.  The Second Continental Congress officially declared independence from Great Britain on July 2, 1776 and made the announcement public two days later after the Declaration of Independence was drafted and signed.  The only two signers who became U.S Presidents (John Adams and Thomas Jefferson) both died on the exact same date - July 4, 1826.  That date, coincidentally, was the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration.

This page collects some facts about the weather on this holiday from past years for Amarillo and the Panhandles.  Since 1892 the Amarillo average high temperature on this day has been 90° F, and the low temperature has averaged 65° F.  However, temperatures have been as hot as 102° F and as cool as 52° F.  Being in the middle of the summer rainy months, the day averages measurable rainfall in 23% of years on record.  Most of the day's precipitation has come from thunderstorms, and for the days when it has occurred average out to 0.34".  The rainiest July 4th for the city was in 1914, when 1.71" of rain fell.

Click here for Amarillo records from 1892-2012.

 

Independence Day Quick Facts for Amarillo

Warmest high temperature:  102° F in 1980, 1973, 1953
Coolest high temperature:  62° F in 1972 & 1924
Coldest low temperature:  52° F in 1903
Warmest low temperature:  75° F in 1994
Wettest:  1.71" in 1914
Number of times with precipitation30 times out of 129 years (23%)

(Last updated 08/2025)

 

The Last Time It Happened On Independence Day

High Temperature of 100° F or higher:  101° F in 1985
Low Temperature of 60° F or lower:  57° F in 2018
Rainfall:  0.04" 2017
Rainfall of 0.10" or higher:  0.27" in 2007