The coldest Halloween in 26 years just occurred at DFW. It was 1993 when we had a cold blast of similar magnitude to the one that just happened. In fact, the cold blast of 1993 was actually a little colder and produced snow flurries on the 29th. On Halloween 1993, we reached a low of 29°F. This year we missed that record by one degree with the low on Halloween reaching 30°F. We tied the record low of 31°F set in 1906 for November 1st. 2019 was only one of five years where we had back-to-back consecutive freezes so early in the season. Other years with back-to-back freezes so early in the season include, 1913, 1925, 1957, 1993, and 2019. October 2019 ended up being 2 degrees below normal for the month. This joins the myriad of cooler than normal months of 2019, with September 2019 being the notable exception because it was the hottest September on record.

A record high temperature of 97°F was set at DFW Airport
yesterday, October 6th. This breaks the old record of 96°F set in 1956.

September 2019 is the hottest and driest on record for DFW as officially recorded at DFW Airport. Records date all the way back to September 1898 (121 years). The average temperature for September 2019 was 86°F. The normal average temperature for September should be around 78°F. We had the most 95°F and 90°F days than any September on record (23 and 29 days respectively). This is the only September where no low temperature below 70°F was recorded. To put that in perspective, 60% of Septembers should see at least one low temp below 60°F with about 25% seeing a low of 50°F or below. When the low temperature stays 60°F or above, that is a bit of a benchmark for a warm September.

Additionally, September 2019 is the only September on record not recording any measurable rainfall, making it the driest on record. What a difference a year makes! September 2018 was the wettest on record for DFW where 12.69 inches of rain fell.

Below are the top 5 hottest and coldest Septembers for DFW and their respective average temperatures.

HOTTEST:

1. 2019 – 86°F
2. 2005 – 84°F
3. 1939 – 84°F
4. 1998 – 84°F
5. 2015 – 83°F

COLDEST:

1. 1974 – 71°F
2. 1902 – 73°F
3. 1918 – 73°F
4. 1913 – 73°F
5. 1935 – 74°F

DFW Airport recorded 2.42 inches of rain on Sunday, June 16, 2019. This breaks the old record of rain for that date
of 1.32 inches which was previously set in 1968.

2018 closed out as officially being the second wettest year on record for Dallas/Fort Worth as recorded at DFW Airport. Out of 120 years of weather records, 2015 and 2018 are the wettest on record. In addition, 2018 produced three months that recorded all time rain records, February (11.31 inches), September (12.69 inches), and October (15.66 inches). A statistic like that will likely never occur again your lifetime. Below are the top five wettest years for DFW:

1. 2015 – 62.61 inches
2. 2018 – 55.97 inches
3. 1991 – 53.54 inches
4. 1932 – 51.03 inches
5. 1973 – 50.62 inches.

For reference, the average annual rainfall at DFW is 36.14 inches.

DFW Airport officially reached the freezing mark for the first time this season (11/10/2018 – 32°F). This is the earliest first freeze on record since November 5, 1992 (31°F), 26 years ago. The average first freeze for a given cold season is about November 22nd. On November 14, 2014 (31°F) was the last earliest first freeze of recent record.

Out of 120 years of weather records, it is official that with yesterday’s 2.21 inches of rain, October 2018 is the wettest October on record for DFW. Officially, we have received 14.51 inches of rain so far this month. This breaks the prior record of 14.18 inches set in 1981. This makes 3 months total in 2018 of breaking the all time monthly records for rainfall, February, September, and October. That is truly an exceptional statistic! In addition, 2018 is shaping up to be one of the wettest year’s on record. Through today October 25, 2018, we are ranking 7th wettest year on record with an accumulated total of 49.41 inches of rainfall. Below are the wettest Octobers and wettest years on record:

Wettest Octobers on Record

1. 2018 – 14.51 inches
2. 1981 – 14.18 inches
3. 2015 – 9.82 inches
4. 1919 – 9.44 inches
5. 1991 – 9.32 inches

Wettest Years on Record through October 25, 2018

1. 2015 – 62.61 inches
2. 1991 – 53.54 inches
3. 1932 – 51.03 inches
4. 1973 – 50.62 inches
5. 1957 – 50.49 inches

Monday, October 15, 2018:         Low: 41°F             High: 49°F            Rain: 2.93 in

DFW set a new record low temperature of 41°F. The previous record was 42°F set in 1922. This is the first record low at DFW since July 2014.

DFW also set a record low maximum temperature of 49°F. The previous record was 60°F set in 1923. This is the earliest ever recorded of a high temperature remaining below 50°F. The previous earliest record of temperatures this cold was October 22, 1936.

DFW also set a daily record rainfall of 2.93 inches. The previous record was 1.93 inches set in 2007.

From the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, Texas:

April 2018 was much cooler and much drier than normal at DFW. This was the 6th coolest and the 7th driest April on record. The monthly mean temperature was 61.6 degrees which was 3.9 degrees below normal. The mean high temperature for April was 74.4 degrees which tied for the 36th coolest and the mean low temperature was 48.9 degrees which was the coolest on record. DFW only received 0.77 inches of rain which was the 7th driest on record. Only 1987 (0.11″), 1920 (0.51″), 2005 (0.56″), 1937 (0.58″) and 1903 and 1983 (both 0.59″) were drier.