Cold/Wind Chill, Haskell
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Haskell forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 33.178, -99.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold in Texas, April 12 to 13, 1997
An unusually strong arctic cold front moved into North Texas on the 11th, setting the stage for a night of strong radiational cooling as high pressure built into the southern plains behind the front. Clear skies combined with light winds and a dry atmosphere to produce temperatures in the mid 20s to lower 30 across much of the area on the morning of the 12th.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 22 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 22
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS FWD wrote it up.
An unusually strong arctic cold front moved into North Texas on the 11th, setting the stage for a night of strong radiational cooling as high pressure built into the southern plains behind the front. Clear skies combined with light winds and a dry atmosphere to produce temperatures in the mid 20s to lower 30 across much of the area on the morning of the 12th. Even colder readings were realized on the morning of the 13th. The last freeze of the season usually occurs in mid to late March in northern Texas and this month's freeze was one of the latest on record. Unfortunately, mild late winter and early spring weather resulted in an early start to the growing season. The extended period of below freezing temperatures and a heavy frost over the two day period took a tremendous toll on the area's agriculture. The fruit crop, including melon, peach, cantaloupe, plum, and apricot, as well as the vegetable crop, took a 75 to 90 percent loss in several counties in the northwestern portion of the area.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
22 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.
Cold/Wind Chill, Collin
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Collin forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 33.188, -96.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Comanche
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Comanche forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 31.948, -98.558 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Cooke
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Cooke forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 33.639, -97.213 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Dallas
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Dallas forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 32.767, -96.778 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Denton
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Denton forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 33.205, -97.117 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Eastland
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Eastland forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 32.327, -98.832 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Erath
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Erath forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 32.236, -98.218 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Fannin
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Fannin forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 33.594, -96.107 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Grayson
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Grayson forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 33.627, -96.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Hood
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Hood forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 32.430, -97.832 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Jack
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Jack forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 33.234, -98.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Johnson
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Johnson forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 32.379, -97.366 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Montague
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Montague forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 33.676, -97.725 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Palo Pinto
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Palo Pinto forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 32.753, -98.313 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Parker
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Parker forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 32.778, -97.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Somervell
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Somervell forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 32.222, -97.774 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Stephens
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Stephens forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 32.736, -98.836 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Tarrant
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Tarrant forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 32.772, -97.291 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Throckmorton
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Throckmorton forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 33.178, -99.212 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Wise
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Wise forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 33.216, -97.654 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Young
- When
- April 12, 4:00 AM CST to April 13, 9:00 AM CST
- Where
- Young forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 33.177, -98.688 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Cold/Wind Chill
- Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Frost and Freeze in Colorado, April 12, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Utah, April 12, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Utah, April 12, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, April 12, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Florida, April 12, 1997
- Waterspout in Florida, April 12, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Florida, April 12, 1997
- Hail in Michigan, April 12, 1997
- Waterspout in Florida, April 12, 1997
- Waterspout in Florida, April 12, 1997
- Hail in Tennessee, April 12, 1997
- Hail in Tennessee, April 12, 1997
More
Every storm in Texas in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 1997
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5600832, 5600833, 5600834, 5600835, 5600836, 5600837, 5600838, 5600839, 5600840, 5600841, 5600842, 5600843, 5600844, 5600845, 5600846, 5600847, 5600848, 5600849, 5600850, 5600851, 5600852, 5600853.