January 29-30 Heavy Rain Event
Totals were as high as 4-7″ from North Central into Northeast Texas. The 24-hour tally at Dallas Ft. Worth (DFW) Airport was among the highest on record for January.
January 2025 Deluge Sets Records:
DFW Airport tallied 4.13″ for the entire event, which spanned 31 hours
Dallas experienced a remarkably wet January, with some areas seeing record-breaking rainfall. DFW Airport, for example, set back-to-back daily rainfall records. On Wednesday, the airport recorded 2.8 inches, smashing the previous record of 0.9 inches set in 1999. Thursday followed suit with 1.36 inches, exceeding the 1986 record of 1.24 inches. These impressive numbers contributed to some of the highest rainfall totals in North Texas, with DFW reaching 4.16 inches, Mesquite topping the charts at 4.52 inches, and several other cities like Grand Prairie (4.13 inches), Love Field (4.05 inches), and Rockwall (3.91 inches) seeing significant precipitation.
This January’s downpour highlights the dramatic variability of North Texas weather. While this month was exceptionally wet, it’s not uncommon to experience extended periods of drought. The Dust Bowl era of the 1930s brought severe drought to the region, and even in recent years, North Texas has faced water shortages. This boom-or-bust cycle is something North Texans are accustomed to and underscores the importance of water conservation, even after periods of heavy rainfall. It’s interesting to consider that the average January rainfall for DFW is only about 2.18 inches. This means we’ve already seen significantly more rain than usual this month.
Of course, individual storms can have a huge impact. The Trinity River Flood of 1908 is a stark reminder of the potential for devastating rainfall in this area. While these January records are notable, North Texas weather is known for its extremes. Did you know that the wettest year on record for Dallas-Fort Worth was 1957, with a staggering 50.49 inches of rain? Conversely, the driest year was 1934, during the Dust Bowl era, when only 17.91 inches fell. This January’s rainfall serves as a reminder of the powerful swings in our regional climate.
- Compare to February Rainfall Records