What Were the Coldest Days Ever in Texas?

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Coldest days in Texas history

The first thing that comes to mind when Texas comes up in conversation is probably not cold weather. As a whole, the Lone Star State has a reputation for balmy winters and extremely hot summers, not snowy weather and frigid cold. But that doesn’t mean the state doesn’t occasionally experience the occasional winter dip.

Few have forgotten the icy temperatures and prolonged power outages across Texas stemming from 2021 Winter Storm Uri. During this infamous winter storm, temperatures in many areas across Texas neared zero degrees Fahrenheit. Then, in January 2024, Texas was hit with an arctic blast that once again sent the thermostat mercury plunging.

But even these more recent winter events pale in comparison to the record low temperatures Texas has experienced in years past. Using data from the National Weather Service and other reputable news sources, SaveOnEnergy’s experts have compiled a roundup of the coldest days in Texas throughout history.

5. -8 degrees Fahrenheit

In a three-way-tie for fifth place are Dallas–Fort Worth, El Paso, and Dalhart, where the temperature reached a brisk -8 degrees in 1899, 1962, and 1981, respectively. Dalhart also holds the title of “coldest city in Texas,” averaging a low temperature of 16.8 in December.

4. -9 degrees Fahrenheit

Central Texas takes fourth place, with a temperature of -9 degrees in 1947, 1983, and again in 2010. If the trend continues, Abilene, Killeen, Temple, and other surrounding areas have about 20 years left before the next negative temperature reading.

3. -11 degrees Fahrenheit

In 1985, Midland and Odessa temperatures fell to -11 degrees. With extremely low temperatures, these cities experienced the third-coldest day in Texas history.

2. -17 degrees Fahrenheit

Coming in with the second-coldest day in Texas history is the -17-degree reading in 1933 in Lubbock. While this extremely low temperature is certainly one for the history books, it still doesn’t touch the number one coldest day recorded in Texas.

1. -23 degrees Fahrenheit

In first place, leaps and bounds colder than the other frigid temperatures on this list, is February 12, 1899, when a massive winter storm sent temperatures in Tulia down to -23 degrees. Shockingly, this record low temperature was matched again in 1933 in Seminole. That’s right, Texas is so over the top even its weather felt compelled to hit residents with this frostbite-inducing temperature twice.

So, it turns out the Lone Star State might not actually be the hot weather paradise we always imagine it to be — but it’s by no means the arctic either. The coldest Texas winter on record was the aforementioned 1898-1899 season, with an average low of 42.5 degrees. Despite the occasional ice age, that’s a number we can live with.

If you’re searching for ways to save energy this winter, SaveOnEnergy offers a variety of resources and guides to help you lower your usage and find reliable energy plans. Texas has a deregulated energy market in most of its cities, so residents can use the free SaveOnEnergy marketplace to compare electricity rates across the state and sign up for the plan that fits their needs. Enroll in a fixed-rate plan with an affordable rate before colder temperatures cause electricity prices to skyrocket this winter.