The Weather at the Observatory

DRESS WARMLY!!! Temperatures vary quite a bit at our elevation (6,300-6,800 feet above sea level) and are usually much cooler than other areas of Texas. For summer make sure you bring a light jacket and long pants. For Fall, Winter, and early Spring programs, layer your attire and bring a warm coat, thermals, gloves, and something to keep your head warm.

Some useful weather links to help plan your visit to the Observatory are the National Weather Service forecast for the Observatory, The Weather Underground forecast, the National Center for Atmospheric Research satellite view (choose "ABQ" on the map for our area), AccuWeather Astronomy Forecast, and Intellicast radar (enter "Fort Davis, TX" for our area).

Monthly climate data, 1935-2012, are listed below. Please note that low and high temperatures (Fahrenheit) are averages; therefore, the low temperature on a particular night can be much lower (20's or teens in winter for example):

Month	Avg High	Record High	Avg Low	Record Low	Avg Rain (in)	Avg Snow (in)
Jan	54	80	32	-10	0.68	1.9
Feb	57	79	34	-6	0.49	0.8
Mar	64	88	38	4	0.4	0.2
Apr	71	94	45	11	0.5	0.1
May	79	96	52	26	1.63	0
Jun	85	104	58	36	2.49	0
Jul	83	100	59	40	3.82	0
Aug	81	104	58	40	3.69	0
Sep	77	96	54	29	2.95	0
Oct	71	94	48	13	1.61	0.1
Nov	61	82	39	8	0.61	0.4
Dec	54	80	34	-2	0.6	1.2

Source: Western Regional Climate Center

Below, you'll find the current weather conditions as measured at an altitude of ~ 6250 feet at the Frank Bash Visitors Center at the McDonald Observatory:

A view of the valley outside of Fort Davis from the top of Mount Locke on December 24th, 2011. Note that, while the valley floor was free of snow, Mt. Locke was mostly frozen over. Temperatures at the Observatory are frequently 10 or more degrees (F) lower than the surrounding areas. (Frank Cianciolo / McDonald Observatory)