WEATHER & CLIMATE

Location

Amarillo is in the center of the Texas Panhandle, a 26-county area that is bordered by New Mexico and Oklahoma. Here, the southern plains meet the desert. Founded in 1887 at the intersection of two railroads, today the city is the intersection of Interstates 40 and 27. The city received its name, which means yellow in Spanish, from the yellow sub-soil and the yellow flowers blooming here.

Population

The population of the Amarillo metro area (includes all of Potter and Randall Counties) is 241,802, based on Census 2010. The population within the Amarillo city limits is 190,695, according to Census 2010. Finally, the population of Potter County is 121,077 and Randall County is 120,725, again based on Census 2010. The city covers 88.4 square miles in Potter and Randall counties. Amarillo was recently voted as one of the top cities in the country to start a business and raise a family.

Climate

Amarillo is at an altitude 3,671 ft. and receives about 19.5 inches of precipitation annually. The altitude and constant breeze are responsible for the clean air and low humidity. There are four distinct seasons in the city, yet the temperatures remain comfortable for most of the year. Each year there are over 270 sunny days.

Temperature

Month Average Daily Minimum Temp. Average Daily Maximum Temp.  Sunny Days Average Monthly Precipitation
January 23°F/-5°C

49°F/9°C

19

0.6 in./1.6 cm.

April

42°F/5°C

71°F/21°C

20

1.3 in./3.4 cm.

July

65°F/19°C

91°F/33°C

26

2.7 in./6.8 cm.

October

45°F/7°C

72°F/22°C

23

1.5 in./3.8 cm.

Annual

44°F/6°C

270

270

19.7 in./50.1 cm.

 

Stories

Distinctly Amarillo