Tag Archives: The Big Freeze

Today in Texas History – February 12

From the Annals of the Blue Norther – In 1899, the coldest temperature ever recorded in Texas occurred in Tulia – south of Amarillo.  The town recorded a record minus 23 degrees Fahrenheit. This was part of the “Big Freeze,” an infamous norther that killed 40,000 cattle across the state overnight. This temperature was matched in Seminole in 1933.  Many other Texas cities set all time records or came very close.

  • Amarillo: −16 °F (−26.7 °C) all-time record
  • Austin: −1 °F (−18.3 °C) second-lowest ever
  • Brenham: 0 °F (−17.8 °C) all-time record for February
  • Brownsville: 12 °F (−11.1 °C) all-time record
  • College Station: 1 °F (−17.2 °C) all-time record for February
  • Conroe: 6 °F (−14.4 °C) tied for all-time record for February
  • Corpus Christi: 11 °F (−11.7 °C) all-time record
  • Dallas & Fort Worth: −8 °F (−22.2 °C) all-time record
  • Danevang: 3 °F (−16.1 °C) all-time record
  • Galveston: 8 °F (−13.3 °C) all-time record
  • Houston: 6 °F (−14.4 °C) second-lowest ever
  • Marshall: −9 °F (−22.8 °C) all-time record
  • San Antonio: 4 °F (−15.6 °C) second-lowest ever