Weather in Dallas (Plano, Allen, Spring: new construction, earthquakes, living in)

[NorthDallasDan]

Ever wonder why weather is such a big topic on a Dallas forum. It sucks most of the time. There is lots to talk about so naturally the subject keeps popping up.

Summers are drab, very hot, humid and way too dry most of the time. It's been near 100 every day this week in the area. The humidity is not any worse than Florida, but just enough to make it uncomfortable. Some places are lucky enough to get one of those brief isolated showers. They can temporarily cool things down for a little while, but it's never enough. Summers blow in Dallas, at least weather-wise.

Fall is usually the best time of year. That first cool down (usually in late Sept or early OCT is like a piece of heaven. The air is commonly dry and crisp.

Winters are a mixed bag. Sometimes when it's mild DFW can be the envy of the northern states. But you better be prepared to deal with the occasional ice storm or snow. Last winter was exceptionally dry. But we had plenty of that spikey icy north Texas wind that feels like it can cut you in half when it hits your face.

Springs can be violent and scary. Hail is common. Tornados warnings and watches are also common in the spring. I don't think we got all the rain that we needed last spring, but these storms can pop up out of nowhere, dump a lot of isolated rain, hail, tornados or whatever and fizzle out before you even know what hit you. It's a little scary, but exhilarating at the same time.

Yes, everybody pays attention to the weather in DFW. It won't be ignored.

[rosscountry]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Ice storms are really only once or twice per year - or not at all. Everything usually melts the next day.

Dallas has had only one major tornado in 150 years - it was in 1957.

FWIW I find the Florida humidity and heat much worse than what we have here.

A major tornado is a catastrophic event probably more so than 10 hurricanes that people can prepare for in Florida. Even though an actual huge tornado hasn't hit for a while you will still have make sure your Tornado kit is ready at your house/apt for a emergency weather drill almost every two weeks. I have never seen so many tornado warnings.
(I have lived in Iowa and have never had to run for cover so many times in a month)

We still have severe storms that produces 80 mph wind gust. In Florida terms thats a tropical storm. these wind gusts have taken out a fair share of northern dallas surburb neighborhoods this year.

I have been fortunate but I have few friends who's have had multiple power outages this year due to the DFW weather. I am used to having power outages but not this frequently.

Thousands still without power across Dallas-Ft. Worth; more wet weather on the way | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Latest News

look at earlier posts
http://www.city-data.com/forum/dalla...-storms-3.html

Lightning storms in Dallas are more frightening and frequent than what I was used to when living in Florida.

Hail damage is a given every year. so make sure you have a good place to park your car.

When it does storm it tends to pass by in a shorter amount of time than the hour long rain showers in Florida.
Storms crash through Dallas-Fort Worth - UPI.com

[jeffari-al-texani]

Originally Posted by jeffari-al-texani

nope...haven't seen them since 1981...

you should be safe...

who the heck took my picture of the old Dallas Tornado logo out of here???



It's a frigging conspiracy, I tell ya!!!

[TriumphOfTheSprint]

Originally Posted by jeffari-al-texani

who the heck took my picture of the old Dallas Tornado logo out of here???



It's a frigging conspiracy, I tell ya!!!

Here, use my favorite:

[portorro]

I moved from Miami a year ago and these are some observations:
-Dallas has a brutal summer 100+ for a month.
-Humidity is much lower than Miami.
-Miami (South Beach) has a more refreshing weather. However, head 10 minutes west towards the everglades and the weather is pretty similar to Dallas. 100F+ in the summer and even frost in the winter. So unless you lived by the beach...you wont notice too much difference.
-Winter is a bit crisper here. Lots of days in the 50s but that is cool.
-In Miami it rained everday at 3PM. Dallas has rain mostly in the spring and fall.
-I love the fact that we have a lot of sunshine days in the metroplex. Miami was overcast most of the summer.
-In Miami there are refreshing tropical showers, in Dallas the thunderstorms pack a punch (rain, winds, tornadoes, hail, thunders, lighting). They sound like WW3.
-On the other hand, I lived thru Wilma and Katrina, and the first hurracaine left Miami devastated for weeks. It was horrible to be without electricity for almost a month.

If I were to choose a weather, I'd go for Miami tho. I dont like snow.

[Lakewooder]

Emergency weather drill every two weeks? You MUST be kidding!

[MurphyPl1]

I'm wondering where's he's living that they are having that bad of weather. Even the worst hit parts of FW don't have it that bad.

OMG! It just hit me, do you think it's possible he's hearing the bi-weekly signal test and actually doing a drill everytime they test???

[PlanoGirl]

Originally Posted by rosscountry

A major tornado is a catastrophic event probably more so than 10 hurricanes that people can prepare for in Florida. Even though an actual huge tornado hasn't hit for a while you will still have make sure your Tornado kit is ready at your house/apt for a emergency weather drill almost every two weeks. I have never seen so many tornado warnings.
(I have lived in Iowa and have never had to run for cover so many times in a month)

I have lived in Texas (Dallas area) for 30 years...and have only had to "take shelter" (ie...get in the bathtub with mattress, etc) from a tornado 3 times...average that out, that's once every ten years...Yes, there are more tornados then that in Texas...but unlikely that they will all be over your exact location.

[Macbeth2003]

Originally Posted by PlanoGirl

I have lived in Texas (Dallas area) for 30 years...and have only had to "take shelter" (ie...get in the bathtub with mattress, etc) from a tornado 3 times...average that out, that's once every ten years...Yes, there are more tornados then that in Texas...but unlikely that they will all be over your exact location.

Exactly

When I lived In Bartlesville, Ok parents didn't even make their kids stop playing outside till the sirens went. Tornado Warnings didn't even get your attention they were so common. I've never had to take cover in Dallas.

[rosscountry]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Emergency weather drill every two weeks? You MUST be kidding!

for someone who isn't used to living in tornado warning ville I guess I tend to be overly cautious. We have a weather radio ready to go, pillows, flashlights etc as soon as the weather man says the magic words "watch or warning"

ah it just hit me. You live in lakewood. closer in to Dallas hasn't seen near the storms the northern burbs have been through this year. You missed the tiles blown off roofs in plano, allen and mckinney, you missed the home development brick walls completely levelled on stacy road, you missed peoples grills that were picked up and thrown into the neighboors pool. I forgot and started thinking in a vacuum and assumed you were aware of the severe weather we have had this year in the north.

For some reason downtown seems to miss some of the really nasty stuff. I remember it being the same way in Chicago. Downtown(where I lived) never got the bad snows the far away burbs did.

Any sorry again lakewooder if you felt I was exaggerating. I wasn't specifically speaking from the view point of one that lives in the near in downtown dallas area. I was giving my real life perspective of Mckinney, Allen, Frisco, Plano area.

Any way I am getting used to it and my nerves are settling

by the way I was just sharing my perspective to the orignal posters interest in the weather in Dallas. I grew up in Florida and am a transplant to this region in general. So I guess I am giving "1" ex -floridians perspective on the differences.