Posted in Texas Nature February 27, 2019 by

90 Years Ago, Texas Was Hit With The Worst Blizzard In History

We’ve had a pretty mild winter across much of Texas this time around, but an entirely different story unfolded exactly 90 years ago. Over two feet of snow covered nearly half the state in December of 1929, setting a record that has yet to be broken.

December of 1929 began no differently than we're accustomed to here in Texas: unseasonably warm, with temperatures pushing 70 degrees. That, however, was soon to change - and quite dramatically.
Flickr/agrilifetoday
A cold front arrived midway through the month, long overdue according to those eager to get into the holiday spirit. Excitement and cheer hung so heavily in the air that they were almost palpable, but nobody was prepared for the ensuing onslaught.
Over the course of a mere 24 hours, the mild weather took a 40 degree plunge. By December 18, it was almost below zero in the Panhandle.
Flickr/texaseagle
1-2 inches of snow fell overnight, blanketing North Texas in a world of white. It was finally starting to feel like Christmastime!
The storm slowly traveled in a southeasterly fashion, bringing along thunderstorms, frigid air, and, of course, more snow. Central Texas was buried underneath several inches by dawn of December 21, the official start of winter.
Flickr/southernview
Flurries started falling in East Texas next, where the blizzard focused the remainder of its attention. Snow just kept falling well into the evening hours, leaving citizens concerned about whether it would stop at all.
Quick as a flash, it was over. Less than 24 hours had elapsed since the storm began, but it felt like an eternity.
Flickr/wasifmalik
When the final snowfall totals were measured, everyone was in shock. The storm dumped between 12 and 26 inches across nearly half of our state, setting a record that still stands to this day.
One of the coldest temperatures ever recorded in Waco, a frigid two degrees, occurred during the storm. Many other cities were also in the single digits.
Flickr/pierceplace532
Unfortunately, the winter weather didn't stick around for Christmas Day. In Dallas/Fort Worth, it was 70 degrees on December 25!

Did you know about the 1929 snowstorm? What’s the worst winter weather Texas has seen during your lifetime? This blizzard just four years ago was definitely one for the books.

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