What areas in Texas are the coldest regions?

[doctorjef]

Originally Posted by Justinet

I am looking for cold places in Texas with forest, mountains and lakes.

Any suggestions?

Thank you all.

Is this a joke? Are you outa your freaking mind? The Trans-Pecos region has mountains: no forests or lakes there, however, because it's way arid!
The Piney Woods of East Texas might be considered a forested area, but no mountains; some lakes, though. The Panhandle gets proper cold in the winter, but no mountains and not really all that many - man-made - lakes.

Do you live on Mars?

[WacosSon]

Originally Posted by doctorjef

Is this a joke? Are you outa your freaking mind? The Trans-Pecos region has mountains: no forests or lakes there, however, because it's way arid!
The Piney Woods of East Texas might be considered a forested area, but no mountains; some lakes, though. The Panhandle gets proper cold in the winter, but no mountains and not really all that many - man-made - lakes.

Do you live on Mars?

How encouraging. Such an example of that Texas hospitality. How about "you probably won't find that here, but here's some places to try..."

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by doctorjef

Is this a joke? Are you outa your freaking mind? The Trans-Pecos region has mountains: no forests or lakes there, however, because it's way arid!
The Piney Woods of East Texas might be considered a forested area, but no mountains; some lakes, though. The Panhandle gets proper cold in the winter, but no mountains and not really all that many - man-made - lakes.

Do you live on Mars?

Have you ever been to the Davis Mountains or Guadalupe Mountains? East Texas is not the only area of the state with forests.

[LibertysFate]

Can't think of a place that has both and I've been living in Texas all of my life, lived in various parts except west Texas.

Central Texas has hills (if that counts) and lakes but "winter" doesn't really get that cold. The gulf coast, central and the Houston area doesn't really get that cold, at least not often anyway IMO. Of course like someone else mentioned, it depends on what your idea of cold is. The last few years I don't recall having to pull out my sweaters until around Jan. and the heavy coat around Feb. but that didn't last very long.
When I was younger and still living on the gulf coast I did remember how miserable I was during winter even with a heavy coat over a thick sweater, hat and mits. But I didn't think the last five years were that cold.

[orbius]

Marfa, Alpine up in the higher elevations is one of the most temperate regions of the state. 80s in the day with 50's at night in the summer. Mean temperature in the 40's for the winter.

[StuckInTexas]

The Marfa/Alpine/Ft. Davis area is temperate because it lacks the extreme variations in seasons of the other areas of Texas, and it lacks the extreme cold that the panhandle has. Marfa is not nearly as cold as the Panhandle, but it does often produce the state's daily low temperature certain times of year, simply because it is one of the colder places in Fall and Spring (desert valleys near mountians are often colder in this type of weather). However, the record lows are only around -5 to -10 in that area, compared to -20 in the Panhandle areas (official is -23 southwest of Lubbock (Seminole), but I don't believe this is really the coldest spot, because the official record location is too far south to be believable). I believe the actual coldest place in Texas - based on location, elevation, and averages is Texline and on the extreme Northwestern border of where Texas hits New Mexico). There are no people out there and it's so desolate there aren't enough weather stations, so pretty sure if there were we'd see a record of around -25 to -30 somewhere in there.

There are only 2 places in Texas I know of with mountains and a lake (Sort of), but the mountains are in the background, and neither lake is right in the mountains. There are not many trees if any.

The first is Lake Balmorhea, and the Davis mountains can be seen in the background overlooking the lake (although these are not the highest part of the davis mtns).
Balmorhea Lake on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

The second would he Red Bluff Reservoir, which is about 50 miles east of the highest point in Texas. However, the mountains are pretty far in the background, but can be seen from the right spot. This reservoir is in the middle of nowhere.

There are (2) more places I know of with signifiant water, but neither are lakes, just large ponds. There is a waterfall and a few large ponds in the Big Bend area, but neither are open to the public. The other place is a private small lake high up in the northern part of the Davis mtns, but this is also not open to the public. I don't remember the name, but it is completely private.

The worst weather is by far the panhandle as far as cold goes, because of the extreme winds. Amarillo and Dalhart are extremely windy, some of the highest average wind in the US by pure average windspeed. The windchills in the Panhandle often make the temperatures feel as bad or worse than Colorado Springs or Denver... Although the panhandle is ok in the summer at night, it can get very hot in the day (although dry - 105+ depending where you are).

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by Justinet

I am looking for cold places in Texas with forest, mountains and lakes.

Any suggestions?

Thank you all.

None of the above.

Sorry

[marmac]

Originally Posted by GoingHome2TX

Nothing is hotter than a dry heat to me, and that is why I live down here again. I've seen 110F in South Texas, and I've seen it in Montana. Here I sweat. Up there I got dehydrated before I knew it.

As far as 40F and 75+% humidity vs. 0F and 25% or lower humidity, with both having a similar wind, the 0F feels much warmer to me. I've worn t-shirts in 10F low-humidity weather before. I would never consider the practice down here with 40F weather.

As mentioned earlier, down here, we do not have sustained, lingering temps. Usually by mid day they are up to at least 50, if not higher. That adds to the fact that it feels colder here. If yall drop down to 20F one morning after a day of 40F, your bodies aren't being subjected to such a shock as going from 60s to low 30s. We don't have the cold duration to get acclimated to the chill.

Overall, it should be obvious which area of the state has the coldest average. But when it gets cold, the one that you don't expect to be cold is probably the most chilling. It is like boxing, the punch that hurt the most was the one that wasn't expected.

--"I've worn t-shirts in 10 F---

I don't think the purpose of this thread is to grossly exagerate.

If you did that in Minnesota ( t-shirt in 10F ) a cop would haul you to either the drunk tank or to a mental hospital.

Please try to post things that are at least close to being believable.