Texas has the most varied climate of any other state in the United States. It even varies greatly from one area of the state to the next.

Absolute Location Texas lies in what are called the middle latitudes, the region about midway between the equator and the north pole. Because of this absolute location of Texas being not very far north of the equator, it has mild winters, and because it is not very far south of the north pole is has mild summers.

Northers Sudden, icy blasts of cold air, called northers, extend south from Canada and sweep across the plains of Texas. Despite its overall warmth, Texas is subject to periods of cold weather.

Storms Violent storms form when cool air from the north collides with moist warm air from the Gulf of Mexico. Because Texas is on the Gulf, destructive storms such as hurricanes sometimes sweep across the state.

Relative Location Because Texas is on the gulf coast, breezes from the Gulf of Mexico cool Texas in the summer and warm it in the winter. Moisture from the Gulf gives Texas a lot of its rainfall. However, some parts of Texas are so far from The Gulf it has little effect on climate there. In the hot, dry areas, water is a precious, natural resource.

Elevation Elevation also affects the Texas climate. The temperature cools by 3 degrees every 1000-foot rise in elevation. The temperature rises as elevation decreases

Texas has various economic industries such as petroleum (oil), agriculture, ranching, and tourism. Texas has also used its natural resources to produce alternative forms of energy.

Energy Production Petroleum and natural gas are the most important mineral resources –The oil boom of the early 1900s contributed to Houston’s expansion and growth. –Many Texas oil refineries around the greater Houston area produce gasoline from petroleum. –Offshore drilling jobs in the Gulf of Mexico— high risk, high reward!

Energy Production Texans have adapted and modified the environment by: –building dams on rivers to harness power for electricity. –irrigating the farms in the Great Plains region to yield sufficient crops such as cotton, wheat, rice, corn, etc.

Economic Growth Agribusiness (combines farming and ranching) has contributed to the economic rise of Fort Worth as a major city. San Antonio’s tourism industry has boomed thanks to the state’s most popular and visited historic landmark – The Alamo! El Paso has sustained economic prosperity through maquiladoras.

Texas has a rich, cultural history with a European influence headlined by Spanish and Mexican heritage.

TEX-MEX Much of the Texas culture has been influenced by Spanish/Mexican heritage such as food, architecture, and language (vocabulary). “Tex-Mex” is a blend of Texas and Mexican culture widely accepted.

Texas Growth by Ethnicity

Texas Population

Texas Population

TX Population

Texas Metropolitan Growth

TX Population By Age