Panhandle, TX climate
Panhandle has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 14 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Panhandle feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Panhandle weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 51° | 24° | 0.6" | 2.2" | 2 | 31° – 44° |
| February | 54° | 27° | 0.5" | 2.1" | 3 | 32° – 48° |
| March | 64° | 35° | 1.3" | 1.4" | 4 | 43° – 56° |
| April | 71° | 42° | 1.6" | 0.1" | 4 | 49° – 62° |
| May | 80° | 52° | 2.6" | 0.1" | 6 | 61° – 74° |
| June | 89° | 62° | 3.1" | 0 | 6 | 70° – 82° |
| July | 92° | 66° | 2.5" | 0 | 6 | 76° – 86° |
| August | 91° | 65° | 3.1" | 0 | 7 | 73° – 85° |
| September | 83° | 57° | 1.9" | 0 | 5 | 65° – 76° |
| October | 72° | 45° | 1.9" | 0.4" | 4 | 52° – 65° |
| November | 60° | 33° | 0.8" | 2.0" | 3 | 40° – 53° |
| December | 51° | 25° | 0.8" | 5.3" | 3 | 32° – 42° |
| Year | 72° | 44° | 20.6" | 13.6" | 51 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Panhandle
Panhandle gets 21 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 51 days a year.
About 196 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 15 and the first one by October 29. That leaves about 196 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 70% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Panhandle
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Panhandle, 72% of that work is heating and 28% is cooling.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Panhandle compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Panhandle averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.1°). The shift is larger than in 68% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Panhandle’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 32° to 48°. July is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Panhandle’s climate
What is the coldest month in Panhandle?
January, with a typical high of 51° and a low of 24°.
What is the hottest month in Panhandle?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 66°. About 78 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Panhandle get?
About 14 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Panhandle?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 29, and the last spring frost by April 15.
What is the rainiest month in Panhandle?
June, with 3.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 21 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Panhandle itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Panhandle, TX (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.