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Austin
| Highland Lakes
| Climate |
Area Towns |
Cultural Events
Austin, the capital of Texas, is located
on the Colorado River where the stream crosses the
Balcones Escarpment separating the Texas hill country
from the blackland prairies to the east. Elevations
within the city vary from 400 feet to 900 feet above sea
level.
The average annual temperature is 68
degrees. Winters are mild. The average daily maximum
temperature is 59 degrees in January, the coldest month.
Below freezing temperatures occur on an average of only
25 days each year. Cold spells are usually of short
duration, rarely lasting more than two days. Daytime
temperatures in the summer are hot, with the average
daily maximum reaching 95 degrees in August. Summer
nights are pleasant, with average daily minimum in the
low seventies.
Rainfall averages about 32 inches per
year, but Austin still enjoys an average of 300 days of
sunshine annually. Precipitation is fairly evenly
distributed throughout the year, with the heaviest
amounts occurring in late spring and again in September.
Heavy rains may fall in all months of the year, but more
of the winter precipitation occurs as light rain. Snow
is insignificant, and usually melts as rapidly as it
falls. The city may experience several winters in
succession with no measurable snowfall.
The average length of the warm season
(freeze-free period) is 271 days. Based on data from
1926-1991, the average date of the last occurrence of 32
degrees in spring is March 2; the average date of the
first fall occurrence of 32 degrees is November 28.
Previous records show that 32 degrees or below has
occurred as late as April 13 (1940), and as early as
October 28 (1924). |
