I’ll be honest, I’m not a winter guy. I wouldn’t say I hate the cold, but I strongly dislike it. There was a time when cold mornings meant camping trips and coffee over a fire. These days, I struggle just reaching into the freezer for ice for my tea. And with a serious cold snap heading into West Texas this weekend, I’m reminded why.
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Forecasts are calling for snow, ice, and temperatures dropping into the teens, with highs stuck in the 20s. For Abilene, San Angelo, Midland-Odessa, Lubbock, and El Paso, that kind of cold is enough to disrupt daily life and catch a lot of folks off guard.
Cold Weekend Ahead, But Texas Has Seen Worse
As the National Weather Service started talking about hard freezes, I wondered if we were anywhere near record territory. The answer is no, not even close.
Texas, especially West Texas, has endured cold so extreme that it’s hard to imagine. Compared to what’s coming this weekend, history reminds us that things can get much worse.
The Coldest Temperatures Ever Recorded in Texas
These are actual air temperatures recorded during historic cold events, not wind chills.
- Tulia (Swisher County): −23°F (1899) – Coldest official temperature ever recorded in Texas.
- Seminole (Gaines County): −23°F (1933) – Tied the all-time state record.
- Dalhart (Dallam County): −21°F (1959) – One of the coldest Panhandle readings ever.
- Muleshoe (Bailey County): −21°F (1933) – Frozen solid during the 1930s cold wave.
- Stratford (Sherman County): −20��F (1933) – Another Panhandle deep freeze.
- Booker (Lipscomb County): −19°F (1933) – Brutal cold near the Oklahoma border.
- Dumas (Moore County): −18°F (1959) – A reminder how cold North Texas can get.
- Amarillo: −16°F (1899) – Big city, big freeze.
- Abilene area: −9°F (1899) – Even the Big Country felt historic Arctic air.Source: RRC.gov
Wind Chill Made It Even More Dangerous
During these historic freezes, wind chills pushed conditions to −30°F to −40°F in parts of Texas, levels most Texans will never experience.
Fireplaces, Burn Bans, and Staying Safe
Fireplaces may offer comfort, but West Texans must stay cautious. With burn bans and extremely dry vegetation across the region, outdoor burning is dangerous.
Clear dry leaves and brush from around your home before using fireplaces or heaters. A little warmth isn’t worth starting a wildfire.
Why This Still Matters This Weekend
Even if this cold snap doesn’t threaten records, temperatures in the teens are serious for a region not used to prolonged freezes. Homes, vehicles, pets, livestock, and especially plumbing, can all be affected…