Frost and Freeze in Texas, February 1 to 4, 2011

Across the northern third of Jim Hogg County, temperatures fell to 32 degrees just before midnight on February 2nd, and would not rise above 32 until 11 AM on the 4th - a total of 60 hours straight with temperatures below freezing! Readings remained around or just below 32 through the 2nd under a steely gray sky. Values would dip into the mid and upper 20s each morning (2nd and 3rd) but only rise to 31 degrees on the 3rd as a misty freezing rain spread westward across the area. Temperatures would fall back into the upper 20s during the evening of the 3rd, then drop quickly to the lower 20s as the precipitation quickly moved east and skies cleared early on the 4th. Ample sunshine on the 4th would finally push temperatures above 32 just before noon on the 4th.

Temperatures fell to 32 degrees shortly after 2 AM on February 2nd in Falfurrias, then continued falling to 30 degrees for several hours after sunrise before slowly rising back above freezing by early afternoon. Between 7 and 10 hours of freezing temperatures were reported/estimated in the county before readings rose a few degrees above freezing for the afternoon and evening.

Temperatures fell to 32 degrees shortly after 2 AM on February 2nd in Falfurrias (Brooks County), with similar conditions likely occurring due east across the King Ranch. Temperatures continue to drop, reaching the upper 20s to around 30 from north to south during the mid morning hours, before slowly rising back above freezing by early afternoon. Between 7 and 10 hours of freezing temperatures were estimated in the county before readings rose a few degrees above freezing for the afternoon and evening. Low temperature at the Lebh Shomeah retreat east of Sarita was 26 degrees, mid morning of the 2nd.

The Automated Weather Observing System at Zapata/Medina Airport dipped to 32 degrees a little after 3 AM on the 2nd, bottoming out at 30 degrees during the mid morning hours before rising above freezing for a few hours during the afternoon. Eight hours of freezing temperatures were recorded at the Falcon Lake Remote Automated Observing System near the Starr/Zapata line, with a low of 31 degrees there and at Falcon Dam, also near the Starr/Zapata line.

Eight hours of freezing temperatures were recorded at the Falcon Lake Remote Automated Observing System near the Starr/Zapata line, with a low of 31 degrees there and at Falcon Dam, also near the Starr/Zapata line.

The cooperative observer at Rio Grande City dropped to 32 degrees for an unknown period of time during the morning of the 2nd. Time duration of the freeze was interpolated between Zapata (west) and Jim Hogg (north) Counties, and the fact that Starr County has a lower population than Hidalgo County to the east.

Temperatures were estimated to have fallen to 32 degrees at around 4 AM on February 2nd in and near Port Mansfield, then continued falling to 30 degrees for several hours after sunrise before slowly rising back above freezing at noon or shortly thereafter.

Temperatures were estimated to have fallen to 32 degrees at around 4 AM on February 2nd in and near Raymondville, then continued falling to 30 degrees for several hours after sunrise before slowly rising back above freezing at noon or shortly thereafter.

Temperatures fell to 32 degrees at around 5 AM on February 2nd in Harlingen and Bayview, then continued falling to 30 or 31 degrees for several hours after sunrise before slowly rising back above freezing at around noon. Duration of freeze varied across the county; temperatures only touched 32 at the Brownsville/South Padre International Airport by mid morning, but remained at or below 32 at the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge for nearly 8 hours (530 AM until 130 PM), bottoming out at 30 degrees a little after 9 AM CST.

Temperatures fell to 32 degrees at around 5 AM on February 2nd in Harlingen and Bayview, then continued falling to 30 or 31 degrees for several hours after sunrise before slowly rising back above freezing at around noon. Duration of freeze varied across the county; temperatures only touched 32 at the Brownsville/South Padre International Airport by mid morning, but remained at or below 32 at the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge for nearly 8 hours (530 AM until 130 PM), bottoming out at 30 degrees a little after 9 AM CST.

Temperatures on South Padre Island flirted with 32 degrees thorugh much of the afternoon on the 2nd, but largely remained a hair above freezing.

Temperatures fell to 32 degrees between 5 and 7 AM on February 2nd across Hidalgo County, with readings hovering near the freezing point until mid morning to around noon in different locations in the county under a steely gray overcast. How long the freezing temperatures lasted varied from station to station. McAllen/Miller airport fell to 32 for less than an hour; Edinburg International Airport for one and one half hours. Meanwhile, the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) at San Manuel had 8 hours of freezing temperatures, and the NWR at Santa Ana along the Rio Grande had 5 hours of freezing. Lows ranged from 30 to 32 degrees countywide.