Climate Summary for July 2015

Figure 1 shows the geographic regions across West Central Texas, which are referenced in this event summary.

Figure 1:  Geographic Regions of West-Central Texas.

Precipitation for July varied from much above to much below normal across west-central Texas (Figure 2).  

Figure 2: Percent of Normal Precipitation for July, 2015.

The monthly precipitation was much above normal across much of the Big Country and Heartland areas, and across parts of the northern and eastern Concho Valley.  The monthly rainfall (not shown) was more than 5 inches across areas in Figure 2 where percent of normal precipitation was greater than 300 percent (purple color areas).  Precipitation was well-below normal for July across parts of the southern half of west-central Texas.  For areas in Figure 2 where percent of normal precipitation was less than 25 percent (red color areas), the monthly rainfall (not shown) was less than one-half inch.

Temperatures averaged above normal for the month. Table 1 (below) summarizes July 2015 temperature, precipitation, and departure from normal for Abilene and San Angelo. 

Table 1: July Climate Data for Abilene and San Angelo.

This was the wettest July on record at Abilene, where the monthly rainfall was 8.30 inches. 

The first several days of the month were dry, with near normal temperatures.

Significant wet weather and flash flooding occurred on July 7-8, when a disturbance aloft and a weak cold front interacted with an unusually moist airmass.

Total rainfall for this event is captured in a rainfall graphic which was posted on our office Facebook page. This rainfall caused flash flooding in in the Abilene, San Angelo, Ballinger and Brownwood areas.  A total of 16 reports were received for this flash flooding event, including one fatality.

Water runoff led to minor flooding on parts of the Colorado River (Brown and San Saba Counties), and the Pecan Bayou at Brownwood.  Some rise on area reservoir levels also occurred, as a result of this event.

* For Abilene, the rainfall of 8.26 inches on July 7 was not only a daily record amount for that date, but also the highest of any day on record.  In addition, this rainfall set a new record for the month of July.  This marks the only occasion in Abilene where record monthly rainfall was set in a single day.  Records for Abilene date back to 1886.     

Hot and dry conditions prevailed during the middle and late parts of the month, with an upper level high pressure system over Texas.  Temperatures reached the 100-degree mark for highs on some of the days.  A few showers and thunderstorms occurred during the afternoon and early evening hours, across the southern half of the area on the 26th, and across the Big Country on the 29th and 30th.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms occurred across parts of the Big Country and the southern half of west-central Texas, on the afternoon and evening hours of the 31st.  Rainfall was locally heavy across the eastern half of Mason County.  Rainfall amounts of 2-3 inches occurred near Loyal Valley.