WFO San Angelo Climatology

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...CORRECTED FOR 2002 EL NINO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
920 PM CST WED JAN 1 2003

...WEST CENTRAL TEXAS WEATHER SUMMARY HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2002...

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR WEST CENTRAL TEXAS FOR
THE YEAR 2002 INCLUDE A VERY ACTIVE SPRING SEVERE WEATHER SEASON
AND TWO MAJOR FLASH FLOOD EVENTS. THE FLASH FLOOD AND MOST NOTABLE
SEVERE WEATHER EPISODES CAUSED SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY DAMAGE.

TOTAL RAINFALL FOR THE YEAR WAS ABOVE NORMAL FOR ABILENE BUT 
BELOW NORMAL FOR SAN ANGELO. THE EASTERN BIG COUNTRY AND HEARTLAND
RECEIVED THE HIGHEST RAINFALL TOTALS FOR THE YEAR...WHILE THE 
WESTERN CONCHO VALLEY AND WESTERN PART OF THE NORTHERN EDWARDS
PLATEAU RECEIVED THE LOWEST AMOUNTS.  

AT ABILENE REGIONAL AIRPORT...THE ANNUAL AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR 2002
WAS 63.7 DEGREES. THIS WAS 0.7 DEGREES BELOW THE NORMAL ANNUAL 
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 64.4 DEGREES. TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR
WAS 27.94 INCHES. THIS WAS 4.16 INCHES ABOVE THE NORMAL ANNUAL 
PRECIPITATION OF 23.78 INCHES. TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE YEAR AT ABILENE
WAS 0.3 INCHES. THIS WAS 4.6 INCHES BELOW THE NORMAL 
YEARLY SNOWFALL OF 4.9 INCHES.

AT SAN ANGELO REGIONAL AIRPORT...THE ANNUAL AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR 
2002 WAS 65.3 DEGREES. THIS WAS 0.8 DEGREES ABOVE THE NORMAL ANNUAL 
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 64.5 DEGREES. TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR
WAS 14.41 INCHES. THIS WAS 6.50 INCHES BELOW THE NORMAL ANNUAL 
PRECIPITATION OF 20.91 INCHES. TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE YEAR AT SAN 
ANGELO WAS 2.0 INCHES. THIS WAS 0.9 INCHES BELOW THE 
NORMAL YEARLY SNOWFALL OF 2.9 INCHES. 


THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER EVENT FOR THE YEAR OCCURRED
ON NEW YEARS DAY...WHEN AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE BROUGHT SNOW
AND SNOWSHOWERS TO MUCH OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. THE HEAVIEST 
BAND OF SNOW (3 TO 4.5 INCHES) FELL IN A NARROW EAST-WEST BAND
WHICH EXTENDED FROM NORTHERN IRION COUNTY ACROSS SAN ANGELO...
ACROSS THE FAR NORTHERN CONCHO VALLEY AND FAR SOUTHERN COLEMAN
COUNTY. THE AMOUNTS WERE GENERALLY 1 TO 2 INCHES ACROSS THE 
CONCHO VALLEY AND SOUTHERN BIG COUNTRY. SAN ANGELO RECORDED 2
INCHES OF SNOW.

THE FIRST WIDESPREAD RAIN EVENT OF THE YEAR DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL 
EARLY FEBRUARY...WHEN A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE BROUGHT
0.75 INCHES TO 1.50 INCHES OF RAIN TO THE REGION. 

THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES FOR THE YEAR OCCURRED LATE IN THE 
WINTER SEASON (LATE FEBRUARY AND EARLY MARCH). A COUPLE OF 
ARCTIC COLD FRONTS BROUGHT DRAMATIC TEMPERATURE DROPS ALONG
WITH GUSTY WINDS AND VERY COLD WIND CHILLS. THE COLDEST 
TEMPERATURE FOR THE YEAR AT ABILENE WAS 15 DEGREES...AND 
OCCURRED ON MARCH 3RD. FOR SAN ANGELO...THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE 
WAS 15 DEGREES ON FEBRUARY 27TH. JUNCTION RECORDED ITS COLDEST 
TEMPERATURE OF 9 DEGREES ON FEBRUARY 27TH. 

*** SEVERE WEATHER ***

WEST CENTRAL TEXAS EXPERIENCED A VERY ACTIVE SEVERE WEATHER 
SEASON DURING THE SPRING MONTHS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF JUNE...
WITH NUMEROUS SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EPISODES. 

ON MARCH 19...THE CONCHO VALLEY EXPERIENCED SEVERE STORMS WITH 
TORNADOES...HAIL TO GOLFBALL SIZE...AND FLASH FLOODING. THE
CITY OF SAN ANGELO WAS PARTICULARLY HARD HIT FROM THESE 
STORMS. SEVERAL TORNADO TOUCHDOWNS WERE REPORTED OVER THE 
NORTHERN CONCHL VALLEY AND SOUTHERN BIG COUNTRY DURING A 
SEVERE WEATHER EPISODE ON MARCH 29TH AND 30TH. 

A SIGNIFICANT AND WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER EPISODE OCCURRED 
ACROSS WEST CENTRAL TEXAS ON APRIL 7TH. WITH THIS EVENT...A 
LARGE TORNADO OCCURRED IN THROCKMORTON COUNTY. IN ADDITION...
A SUPERCELL STORM WHICH TRACKED EASTWARD ACROSS SOUTHERN 
SECTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS PRODUCED A TORNADO AND HAIL 
TO BASEBALL SIZE...ALONG WITH WIND DAMAGE. 

ON MAY 4TH...A VERY LARGE SUPERCELL STORM PRODUCED 
TORNADOES...VERY LARGE HAIL (TENNIS BALL TO SOFTBALL SIZE)...
DAMAGING WINDS AND FLASH FLOODING AS IT TRACKED EASTWARD FROM
SAN ANGELO INTO THE HEARTLAND COUNTIES. OTHER SEVERE STORMS ON 
THAT DATE TRACKED EASTWARD ACROSS THE SOUTHERN BIG COUNTRY. 
THESE STORMS PRODUCED A TORNADO AND VERY LARGE HAIL TO
BASEBALL SIZE. THE TOWN OF ROSCOE WAS PARTICULARLY HARD HIT 
FROM THESE STORMS. 

NUMEROUS SEVERE STORMS OCCURRED OVER MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
(MAY 24TH THROUGH 27TH)...WITH THE GREATEST CONCENTRATION OVER 
THE NORTHERN CONCHO VALLEY AND HEARTLAND. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF 
REPORTS FROM THIS EVENT INCLUDED 5 TORNADO TOUCHDOWNS...51 
LARGE HAIL (LARGEST WAS BASEBALL SIZE)...7 SEVERE WIND GUSTS
(58 MPH OR GREATER)...AND 9 WIND DAMAGE.

*** FLASH FLOODS ***

TWO MAJOR FLASH FLOODS OCCURRED DURING THE YEAR. ON APRIL 
25TH...MAJOR FLASH FLOODING OCCURRED IN SHACKELFORD COUNTY
INCLUDING THE ALBANY AREA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 5 TO 7 INCHES
OCCURRED IN ALBANY...WHILE 9 TO 12 INCHES FELL WEST AND 
SOUTHWEST OF ALBANY. THE FLASH FLOODING UNFORTUNATELY CAUSED 
A FATALITY IN THE ALBANY VICINITY. 

THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOOD OCCURRED ON JULY 6TH AND 7TH 
OVER PARTS OF THE BIG COUNTRY AND HEARTLAND...ESPECIALLY IN 
THE ABILENE AND BROWNWOOD AREAS. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 6 
INCHES OCCURRED IN ABILENE...WITH AMOUNTS OVER 10 INCHES IN 
TAYLOR COUNTY SOUTH OF ABILENE. THIS RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT 
FLASH FLOODING OF STREETS AND CREEKS IN THE ABILENE AREA...
AND THE FLOODING NECESSITATED EVACUATIONS IN PARTS OF THE 
CITY. FLOODWATERS ENTERED AT LEAST 623 HOMES AND 51 BUSINESSES 
IN ABILENE. THE EXCESSIVE RAINFALL SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST OF 
ABILENE ALSO LED TO FLASH FLOODING OF JIM NED CREEK AND PECAN 
BAYOU. THESE FLOODWATERS EMPTIED INTO LAKE BROWNWOOD AND CAUSED 
IT TO CREST AT A LEVEL WHICH WAS 7.63 FEET OVER ITS SPILLWAY. 
THIS EXCESS WATER FLOWED OVER THE SPILLWAY...DOWN PECAN 
BAYOU...AND INTO THE CITY OF BROWNWOOD. THIS RESULTED IN 
CONSIDERABLE FLOODING IN THE BROWNWOOD AREA...ESPECIALLY IN THE 
BUSINESS DISTRICT. THE FLOODING PROMPTED SOME EVACUATIONS IN 
BROWNWOOD AND BANGS IN BROWN COUNTY. 
 
IN ADDITION TO CAUSING THE FLASH FLOODING...THE CONCENTRATED HIGH 
RAINFALL ALSO HELPED TO SIGNIFICANTLY REPLENISH THE WATER LEVELS IN 
LAKE ABILENE...FORT PHANTOM HILL RESERVOIR...AND LAKE COLEMAN. 
SMALLER 
RISES OCCURRED IN LAKE STAMFORD...HUBBARD CREEK RESERVOIR...AND O.H. 
IVIE RESERVOIR.

THE UNUSUALLY WET WEATHER PATTERN IN EARLY JULY HELPED TO REDUCE 
THE DURATION OF THE HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS WHICH USUALLY DOMINATE 
THE SUMMER WEATHER IN WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. THE MAIN PERIOD OF HOT
AND DRY CONDITIONS WAS FROM LATE JULY INTO THE BEGINNING OF 
SEPTEMBER. THE YEARLY TOTAL NUMBER OF DAYS WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES 
OF 100 DEGREES OR MORE INCLUDE 3 IN ABILENE...13 IN SAN ANGELO...
AND 6 IN JUNCTION. 

THE EL NINO PHENOMENON BECAME ESTABLISHED IN THE EQUATORIAL PACIFIC
DURING 2002...AND ITS EFFECTS WERE FELT DURING THE LAST FEW MONTHS 
OF THE YEAR. DURING MUCH OF OCTOBER...NUMEROUS STORM SYSTEMS MOVED 
FROM THE SOUTHWESTERN STATES INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND TEXAS...
AND INTERACTED WITH A PERSISTENTLY MOIST AIRMASS OVER THE REGION. 
THIS BROUGHT NUMEROUS ROUNDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH 
HEAVY RAINFALL. THE RAINFALL COVERAGE WAS GENERALLY WIDESPREAD. 
ABILENE...SAN ANGELO AND JUNCTION ALL RECORDED OVER 4 INCHES OF 
RAIN FOR OCTOBER.

ALTHOUGH DRY WEATHER PREVAILED ACROSS WEST CENTRAL DURING 
NOVEMBER...A WETTER PATTERN RE-EMERGED IN DECEMBER. ALTHOUGH NOT
AS SIGNIFICANT AS OCTOBER...SEVERAL STORM SYSTEMS BROUGHT SHOWERS 
AND THUNDERSTORMS TO WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. MONTHLY RAINFALL TOTALS
WERE ABOVE NORMAL AT ABILENE AND SAN ANGELO.