Describe Dallas Winters (Houston, Denton, Spring: spring break, live, store)

[Lakewooder]

Sometimes we will have a warm spell (like getting up to the 80s) in February and the leaves will bud out...then we have to watch out for a freeze which would kill the blooms. Daffodils are up about that time too...

The average last freeze date in Dallas is St. Patrick's Day - but I don't think it's been that cold in several years. I usually get hot after the gigantic Greenville Ave. St. Paddy's Parade. It could have something to do with the throng of people.

[BSL63087]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

I've been here a long, long time. It used to be a lot colder than it is now. We used to get 3 or 4 days of ice or snow every winter and now we either get none or maybe 1 or 2 days. I used to need a winter coat and now I can do without it because there are just really a handful of days that are down right COLD, like 20s.

It's weird though. Because in August with all the back to school shopping there are sweaters, coats, heavy materials and long sleeves for sale in the stores but you can't really wear that stuff until November.

But it can vary a bit. In the last 10 years there have been Halloweens where your kids have to wear coats over the costumes and Halloweens that you have to take your costume off because of heat stroke.

This past winter was not very cold at all.

Do you think global warming has something to do with that? I don't really know much on that subject so if I sound like I don't know what I'm talking about, I don't.

[BSL63087]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Sometimes we will have a warm spell (like getting up to the 80s) in February and the leaves will bud out...then we have to watch out for a freeze which would kill the blooms. Daffodils are up about that time too...

The average last freeze date in Dallas is St. Patrick's Day - but I don't think it's been that cold in several years. I usually get hot after the gigantic Greenville Ave. St. Paddy's Parade. It could have something to do with the throng of people.

That sounds pretty good. I can remember days in April where it would literally be in the 30's or low 40s with a brutal wind chill around here. Although that is pretty rare, it can be cold as late as April around here. I may look up and see when the average last freeze is around here. I'd guess late March or early April. Way too late for me. I want the winter to be short and sweet lol.

[BSL63087]

According to the numbers, the last freeze here in the Louisville area this year was April 10th. It was February 18th in the Dallas area. A couple of days early in March came very close. The first freeze in Louisville was November 2nd while it was November 30th in Dallas.

[texasgirl21]

Hahah the winters are hilarious. They work out great for the kids who don't like school and the adults who want days off. If we get any type of snow/ice it will usually be called a snow day. No one really drives on these days and the schools are closed. Maybe one day out of the whole winter it will actually snow. But then its maybe an inch, if that. The summer heat is the only problem but lately its been really nice...sometimes only getting up to the 80's during the day. Good luck!

[cdelena]

Although the average is moderate there are extremes (From the weather service):

January 1962

Severe cold wave January 9-12
At Fort Worth, storm struck suddenly with near blizzard conditions
Cars stranded on icy roads; schools and businesses forced to close
3 ½ days of below freezing temperatures caused pipes to burst
Freeze in lower Rio Grande Valley caused extensive damage to crops

December 1983

Series of cold waves December 18-30; a record 295 consecutive hours below freezing
Inconvenienced travel, strained power supplies
Many water pipes burst, damaging residences and causing icy roads
Damage $50-100 million statewide; $1.5 million in Tarrant county alone

December 1989

Sharp cold wave December 20-24 spread over all of Texas and southeast U.S.
Record demands for power; many pipes frozen; $25 million in damage at Dallas
Considerable damage to citrus in Florida and south Texas

I looked this up because I remember the damage I had in '83.

[940]

Originally Posted by BSL63087

According to the numbers, the last freeze here in the Louisville area this year was April 10th. It was February 18th in the Dallas area. A couple of days early in March came very close. The first freeze in Louisville was November 2nd while it was November 30th in Dallas.

February doesn't sound right..we always have freezes into March usually..and for some reason, I seem to remember a freeze or two in the first week of April this year...I know we had them in the northern suburbs (which are always colder anyway.) I'll have to check the National Weather Svc site but usually after March 15th, you're through with freezes, on average.

Trees are budding big time around mid March also...

[940]

Originally Posted by cdelena

December 1989

Sharp cold wave December 20-24 spread over all of Texas and southeast U.S.
Record demands for power; many pipes frozen; $25 million in damage at Dallas
Considerable damage to citrus in Florida and south Texas

I looked this up because I remember the damage I had in '83.

December 1989 was awful! I totally remember that winter..it was miserable cold all throughout the US. We had below zero temperatures at night at DFW Airport and one day I remember the high barely broke 10 degrees...just wicked cold. That's very unusual though and I don't believe it's been that cold since.

[BSL63087]

Originally Posted by texasgirl21

Hahah the winters are hilarious. They work out great for the kids who don't like school and the adults who want days off. If we get any type of snow/ice it will usually be called a snow day. No one really drives on these days and the schools are closed. Maybe one day out of the whole winter it will actually snow. But then its maybe an inch, if that. The summer heat is the only problem but lately its been really nice...sometimes only getting up to the 80's during the day. Good luck!

heheh, thanks. The heat doesn't bother me nearly as much as the cold. I don't really like it but seem to be able to tolorate it better than some people I guess, I'm not sure.

1 or 2 days a year with snow isn't bad at all. We have had blizzards of 15+ inches of snow so I will think one occasion of an inch is a joke. I don't mind if it gets cold for a bit but I mainly just don't want to be basically locked up in my house for 3 months straight because of the cold. It's really not even that big of a deal outside of just being a hassle (bundling up and scraping off your windshields gets old quick) if you are only outside for short periods of time but if you have to spend more than a few minutes it becomes miserable.

[BSL63087]

Originally Posted by 940

February doesn't sound right..we always have freezes into March usually..and for some reason, I seem to remember a freeze or two in the first week of April this year...I know we had them in the northern suburbs (which are always colder anyway.) I'll have to check the National Weather Svc site but usually after March 15th, you're through with freezes, on average.

Trees are budding big time around mid March also...

Your right. I looked it up and I missed one in March. March 5th was the last freeze (temperature of 32 or below) for 2007. This is according to the NWS page for D/FW.