Editing Austin, Texas (section)

===Climate===
{{climate chart
|Austin
|41.4|61.4|2.20
|44.8|65.1|2.02
|51.3|72.1|2.76
|58.6|79.7|2.09
|66.7|86.4|4.41
|72.3|92.0|4.33
|74.4|95.4|1.88
|74.6|96.9|2.35
|69.5|90.5|2.99
|60.7|81.7|3.88
|50.7|71.3|2.96
|42.4|62.4|2.40
|units = imperial
|float = right
|clear = both }}
Austin is located within the middle of a unique, narrow transitional zone between the dry deserts of the American Southwest and the lush, green, more humid regions of the American Southeast. Its climate, topography, and vegetation share characteristics of both. Officially, Austin has a [[humid subtropical climate]] (''Cfa'' under the [[Köppen climate classification]], ''Cfhl'' under the [[Trewartha climate classification]]). This climate is typified by long, very hot summers, short, mild winters, and warm to hot spring and fall seasons in-between. Austin averages {{convert|34.32|in|mm|0}} of annual rainfall distributed mostly evenly throughout the year, though spring and fall are the wettest seasons. Sunshine is common during all seasons, with 2,650 hours, or 60.3% of the possible total, of bright sunshine per year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Climate Data |url=http://www.usclimatedata.com/ |website=usclimatedata.com |access-date=June 16, 2015 |archive-date=April 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405163506/http://www.usclimatedata.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Summers in Austin are very hot, with average July and August highs frequently reaching the high-90s (34–36&nbsp;°C) or above. Highs reach {{convert|90|F|0}} on 123 days per year, of which 29 days reach {{convert|100|°F|0}}; all years in the 1991-2020 period recorded at least 1 day of the latter.<ref name="NWSC-NOAA" /> The average daytime high is {{convert|70|F|0}} or warmer between March 1 and November 21, rising to {{convert|80|F|0}} or warmer between April 14 and October 24, and reaching {{convert|90|F|0}} or warmer between May 30 and September 18.<ref name="NWSC-NOAA" /> The highest ever recorded temperature was {{convert|112|°F|0}} occurring on September 5, 2000, and August 28, 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Very hot early september 2000 weather |url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ewx/html/wxevent/2000_2001/sep2wx.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080103083353/http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ewx/html/wxevent/2000_2001/sep2wx.htm |archive-date=January 3, 2008 |access-date=March 19, 2007 |publisher=National Weather Service}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Austin's all-time high: 112 degrees |url=http://www.statesman.com/news/local/austin-ties-all-time-high-112-degrees-1802560.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111220022909/http://www.statesman.com/news/local/austin-ties-all-time-high-112-degrees-1802560.html |archive-date=December 20, 2011 |access-date=January 27, 2017 |website=Statesman.com}}</ref> An uncommon characteristic of Austin's climate is its highly variable humidity, which fluctuates frequently depending on the shifting patterns of air flow and wind direction. It is common for a lengthy series of warm, dry, low-humidity days to be occasionally interrupted by very warm and humid days, and vice versa. Humidity rises with winds from the east or southeast, when the air drifts inland from the [[Gulf of Mexico]], but decreases significantly with winds from the west or southwest, bringing air flowing from [[Chihuahuan Desert]] areas of [[West Texas]] or Northern Mexico.<ref name="NWSC-NOAA" />

Winters in Austin are mild, although occasional short-lived bursts of cold weather known as "[[Texas Norther|Blue Norther]]s" can occur. January is the coolest month with an average daytime high of {{convert|62.5|°F|0}}. The overnight low drops to or below freezing 12 times per year,<ref name="NWSC-NOAA" /> and sinks below {{convert|45|°F|0}} during 76 evenings per year, mostly between mid-December and mid-February. The average first and last dates for a freeze are December 1 and February 15, giving Austin an average growing season of 288 days, and the coldest temperature of the year is normally about {{convert|24.2|°F|0}} under the 1991-2020 climate normals, putting Austin in USDA zone 9a.<ref name="NWSC-NOAA" />

Conversely, winter months also produce warm days on a regular basis. On average, 10 days in January reach or exceed {{convert|70|F|0}} and 1 day reaches {{convert|80|F|0}}; during the 1991-2020 period, all Januarys had at least 1 day with a high of {{convert|70|F|0}} or more, and most (60%) had at least 1 day with a high of {{convert|80|F|0}} or more.<ref name="NWSC-NOAA" /> The lowest ever recorded temperature in the city was {{convert|-2|°F|0}} on January 31, 1949. Roughly every two years Austin experiences an [[ice storm]] that freezes roads over and cripples travel in the city for 24 to 48 hours.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Austin Weather & Climate |url=http://austin.about.com/od/weatherenvironment/a/weather.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070118231257/http://austin.about.com/od/weatherenvironment/a/weather.htm |archive-date=January 18, 2007 |access-date=March 19, 2007 |publisher=About.com}}</ref> When Austin received {{convert|0.04|in|mm|0}} of ice on January 24, 2014, there were 278 vehicular collisions.<ref>Price, Asher; Taboada, Melissa B.; Jankowski, Phillip. "[http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=14B9AD3B7160C710&p_docnum=28&p_queryname=9 Cold leads to crashes, closings, cancellations: Schools close, flights fall through as freezing rain, sleet coat area]." ''Austin American-Statesman''. January 25, 2014.</ref> Similarly, snowfall is rare in Austin.<ref>"[http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=1224505D93AFF678&p_docnum=90&p_queryname=11 It's not always sweltering in Central Texas. Honest]." ''Austin American-Statesman''. July 27, 2008.</ref> A snow event of {{convert|0.9|in|cm|0}} on February 4, 2011, caused more than 300 car crashes.<ref>Plohetski, Tony. "[http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=13538BABACFB9060&p_docnum=53&p_queryname=9 Wearing winter white]." ''Austin American-Statesman''. February 5, 2011.</ref> The most recent major snow event occurred February 14–15, 2021, when {{convert|6.4|in|cm|0}} of snow fell at Austin's [[Camp Mabry]], the largest two-day snowfall since records began being kept in 1948.<ref>"[https://www.weather.gov/media/ewx/wxevents/ewx-20210218.pdf February 2021 Historical Winter Storm Event South-Central Texas]". ''Austin/San Antonio Weather Forecast Office''. '[[National Weather Service]]. February 2021.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Amid the misery of Austin's winter storm, kid-like joy |url=https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/15/record-austin-snowfall-spells-joy-kids/6752325002/ |access-date=February 15, 2021 |publisher=[[Austin American-Statesman]]}}</ref>

Typical of [[Central Texas]], severe weather in Austin is a threat that can strike during any season. However, it is most common during the spring. According to most classifications, Austin lies within the extreme southern periphery of [[Tornado Alley]], although many sources place Austin outside of Tornado Alley altogether.<ref name="Data Foundry: Austin Risk Assessment" /> Consequently, tornadoes strike Austin less frequently than areas farther to the north.<ref name="Data Foundry: Austin Risk Assessment" /> However, severe weather and/or [[supercell|supercell thunderstorms]] can occur multiple times per year, bringing damaging winds, lightning, heavy rain, and occasional flash flooding to the city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Austin Flood Safety |url=http://www.austintexas.gov/department/flood-safety |access-date=April 15, 2017 |archive-date=May 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529220413/http://www.austintexas.gov/department/flood-safety |url-status=live }}</ref> The deadliest storm to ever strike city limits was the [[1922 Austin twin tornadoes|twin tornadoes storm]] of May 4, 1922, while the deadliest [[tornado outbreak]] to ever strike the metro area was the [[1997 Central Texas tornado outbreak|Central Texas tornado outbreak]] of May 27, 1997.

{{Austin weatherbox}}