Winter is getting warmer, shorter in Texas

No, you’re not wrong. Winter is becoming warmer and shorter. h This year, all major cities across Texas – except Austin – recorded warmerthan-usual temperatures, according to an index from the Midwest Regional Climate Center. And all cities in the state are also seeing earlier spring weather. How warm did Austin get this winter?

Austin is the only city in Texas that reported an average winter. This is due in part to a few days of really cold weather in mid-January.

According to the National Weather Service office in Austin San Antonio, the state capital reached its lowest daily minimum temperatures on Jan. 15-16. The city also recorded the coldest maximum temperature of 26 degrees on Jan. 15.

Since mid-January, however, the city has recorded substantially warmer temperatures. In February, Austin recorded an average maximum temperature of 70.1 degrees, far above the normal value of 66.4 degrees. For the remaining few weeks of winter in March, the city recorded an average maximum temperature of 76.1 degrees, which departed from the normal value of 71.4 degrees.

So far this year, the city has reached a high of 91 degrees.

Warmest temperatures in Texas this winter

• Abilene: 94 degrees

• Amarillo: 83 degrees

• Austin: 91 degrees

• Dallas-Fort Worth: 94 degrees

• El Paso: 83 degrees

• Houston: 89 degrees

• Lubbock: 87 degrees

• Midland-Odessa: 86 degrees

• San Antonio: 91 degrees

• Wichita Falls: 86 degrees

How early does spring arrive?

The Washington Post revealed an analysis last week of spring’s earlier arrival. Some areas in the nation, including parts of California and Florida, are seeing spring arrival 28 days earlier than in the 1980s.

For the most part, leaves are sprouting in Texas a few days to a week earlier than normal. Here’s when spring, weatherwise, seems to be arriving in several Texas cities and how it compares with 1981:

• Abilene: Feb. 5, four days earlier

• Austin: Jan. 26, six days earlier

• Dallas-Fort Worth: Feb. 4, five days earlier

• El Paso: Feb. 3, four days earlier

• Houston: Jan. 21, six days earlier

• Lubbock: Feb. 16, three days earlier

• Midland-Odessa: Feb. 6, four days earlier

• San Antonio: Jan. 25, five days earlier

• Wichita Falls: Feb. 10, six days earlier

Coldest temperatures in Texas this winter

• Abilene: 8 degrees

• Amarillo: 0 degrees

• Austin: 11 degrees

• Dallas-Fort Worth: 11 degrees

• El Paso: 21 degrees

• Houston: 18 degrees

• Lubbock: 5 degrees

• Midland-Odessa: 9 degrees

• San Antonio: 18 degrees

• Wichita Falls: 5 degrees

AMERICAN-STATESMAN FILE Spring officially arrived in Austin with the vernal equinox on Tuesday night. But weatherwise, winter is growing shorter and warmer while spring seems to be arriving earlier.