Is Texas really hot state?
Texas is America's fourth-hottest state, with an average annual temperature of 65.8°F (18.8°C). Texas's climate is divided. The state's east side experiences sub-tropical conditions, including high precipitation and humidity.
The winters are fairly mild. However, due to the size of our state, the temperature variance from the northernmost and southernmost points in Texas is an average of 20 degrees, with the southern tip (known as the Rio Grande Valley) usually in the 60's and 70's in the winter.
Winter in Texas
That being said, January is the coldest month of the year, with average low temperatures plummeting well below freezing in some places. February starts to see milder temperatures—the average high in the state is around 60 degrees.
The Coldest Night in Texas History
Some of the coldest weather to ever hit Texas occurred on February 12th of that year. The lowest temperature ever recorded in the state occurred at Tulia in Swisher County in the extreme southern Texas Panhandle. The thermometer dropped to 23 degrees below zero.
But Texas summers are a lot hotter than they are in Northern California, with its milder climate, diverse geography, and plentiful biking opportunities and outdoor activities, which Backus misses.
Hottest States in America
During every season, Florida, Louisiana and Texas are consistently among the top four of the nation's hottest states, based on state-wide average temperatures. Florida ranks overall as the warmest state year round. The other state in the top four is Hawaii.
(Aside from the humidity, Texas is also known for its high temperatures and occasional droughts.) Though Texas is not always humid, certain regions as its coastal and eastern parts experience higher levels than the other state regions.
I live in Texas. We do have 4 seasons, it's just that some of them can be quite short, depending on the year. For example, fall. Some years, it's 80 degrees on Halloween.
Annual snowfall averages
While snow might be hard to find in December, that doesn't mean it doesn't snow in the other two winter months. The Texas Panhandle averages between 7 and 18 inches of snow! Most cities experience much less than that in a season.
First Street's model is based on current temperature readings. Its predictions factor in several data points including proximity to water, elevations, grassland and global greenhouse gas emissions. Part of what will make Texas so hot is the lack of elevation.
What is the hottest month in Texas?
The warmest month of the year is typically August, with a mean temperature of 83.8 degrees. The peak of the summer? July 31 to Aug. 13, based on the average daily high temperature of 94.
Texas is a popular destination for working families and retirees for a variety of reasons. Some common motivations include the warm climate, no income tax and plenty of employment opportunities. If you're wondering where the best places to live in Texas are, our guide should make it easier to find your ideal community.

The panhandle region, farthest from the Gulf of Mexico, experiences colder winters than the other regions of Texas, where occasional wintertime Arctic blasts can cause temperatures to plunge to well below freezing and bring snowy conditions.
Since 1996, Texas has averaged 136 tornadoes each year, according to data from the NOAA. [4] "Storm Events Database." Accessed May 20, 2022.
Amarillo. Nine hours outside of Houston (or a two hour flight) is where you'll find snowy views and spectacular landscapes in Amarillo. Located in the center of the Texas panhandle, Amarillo receives a whopping 18 inches of snow annually, with January being its peak snowy month.
People are moving to Texas primarily for economic reasons. They want good job opportunities and to be able to afford the type of lifestyle they want to live. When you look at the West Coast compared to Texas, there's a gigantic difference in housing prices. And that is by far the biggest driver.
# | State | Highest Temperature Ever Recorded |
---|---|---|
1 | Florida | 109 °F |
2 | Louisiana | 114 °F |
3 | Texas | 120 °F |
4 | Georgia | 112 °F |
Dallas, TX is one of the best cities for families in Texas and is our #1 best place to live in the state of 2022. Indeed, Dallas is North Texas's economic and cultural hub. Despite being a major city, it has lower crime rates than the national average of other large cities.
What state has the best weather? Many cities in southern and central California like San Diego and Santa Barbara have year-round temperatures typically between 60 and 85 degrees and see little rainfall, making California the state with the best weather!
You might be surprised to see that our most northern state tops this list, but there's a reason that Alaska has the highest Relative Humidity (RH). Alaska has an average RH of 77%. The next highest state, Florida, comes in around 74% average RH.
Which state is coldest in USA?
Based on the minimum recorded temperature by state, Alaska is the coldest state in the country, with an average temperature of 30.7°F. The second coldest state is North Dakota, with an average temperature of 42.4°F. Minnesota is the third-coldest state, with an average temperature of 42.5°F.
Specifically, there is a 10.5% higher violent crime rate in Texas vs Florida per 1,000 people. And 11.2% higher property crime rate. So, the statistics make this category straightforward. The edge goes to Florida as the safer state to live in.
The Bad. Humidity (combined with Houston's heat) can also lead to enlarged pores, which makes it easier for dirt, debris, allergens, and more to clog your skin. This can lead to acne & uneven skin textures. Humidity can also increase sweat production leading to clogged pores, heat rash, and a greasy shine.
Some of the most significant advantages of moving to Texas include highly affordable cost of living, tax free income, delicious and vast cuisine, diverse cities, rich history, and varied career opportunities. It also boasts some of the biggest oil reserves, the NASA space center, and other world-famous attractions.
However, it can be spotted once a year in certain regions of the state. Areas in the Panhandle and West Texas seem to see more snow compared to the rest of the state. However, snow flurries and ice rarely but do occur in central Texas and even south Texas.
These months include December, January, and February. In other words, I wouldn't recommend visiting Texas in November if you're hoping to see snow. The great news is that since December is one of the months in which Texas is likely to experience snow, you may just be able to have a white Christmas with your family.
While you can expect annual snowfall in northern Texas, the state averages less than 2 inches yearly. Central and southern Texas are known for mild winters with high temperatures in the mid-60s. The winter storm of February 2021 was a rare occurrence for the Lone Star State.
On Christmas Day, 6 inches of snow fell across Dallas and Collin County. The official climate site at Fort Worth recorded 2 inches of snow, but the Weather Bureau office in Dallas measured 6.4 inches December 24-25, 6.3 inches of which fell on Christmas Day. Much of the snow was gone by the afternoon of Christmas Day.
As far as rainfall is concerned, the western part of Texas (see Amarillo, Lubbock, El Paso) is arid, while the eastern part (see Houston, Beaumont), where rainfall exceeds 1,200 mm (47 in) per year, is rainy.
Snow falls in 49 of the 50 states in most winters; Florida being the lone exception. Northern portions of Florida, especially in the panhandle, experience some flurries during most, but not all winters.
Why is Texas so hot 2022?
Summer 2022 outlook
The Texas drought is the main culprit of the spring heat wave, according to the National Weather Service. More than half the state is under extreme drought conditions, with nearly one-fourth of Texas in exceptional drought as of last week.
Hotter-feeling days expected to increase in Central Texas
A map showing the increase in the annual number of days above 100°F between 2023 and 2053. Much of the country will see increases up to 41 additional days a year. Florida and the Gulf Coast will see the largest increases.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the hottest maximum temperature ever recorded in Texas occurred on June 28, 1994 in Monahans, which is a city in Ward County located near Odessa.
“We definitely get extreme weather occasionally in Texas,” said state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon. “Some of the most extreme weather in the U.S. happens here, particularly at the wet end.” Nielsen-Gammon is also a professor at Texas A&M University.
The warmest month of the year is typically August, with a mean temperature of 83.8 degrees. The peak of the summer? July 31 to Aug. 13, based on the average daily high temperature of 94.
The cool season lasts for 3.0 months, from November 25 to February 24, with an average daily high temperature below 64°F.
The hot season lasts for 3.7 months, from May 26 to September 15, with an average daily high temperature above 88°F. The hottest month of the year in Winters is July, with an average high of 95°F and low of 73°F.
The latest map shows no changes from the previous week. Texas began 2022 with 67 percent of the state in drought, which expanded to 97 percent in late July—its maximum extent during the year. Drought reached its smallest extent for the year in late December and ended the year impacting less than half the state.
The answer is in the Panhandle, particularly around and north of Amarillo. Amarillo has an average summer temperature of 76.5 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Average lows from June to August in Amarillo range from 61 to 65.2 degrees, and average summer highs range from 87.7 to 91.4 degrees.
In Texas, that means average temperatures could increase by up to four degrees Farenheit by 2040. The heat will be felt most in the summer. “Every couple of degrees of warming basically doubles the number of 100-degree days we experience,” he said.