Weather at the National Western Stock Show

Every January since 1906 the National Western Stock Show comes to town. Several days before the stock show approaches questions are brought up by citizens and the media of the notion that it's always cold during the stock show. A look at stock show statistics from 1906-2003 reveals a different scenario. Lets take a look at the numbers.

The first four years the stock show was held (1906-1910) revealed that the average temperature during the event was 43.6 degrees, 12.9 degrees above normal for that time of year. In fact, 1909 was the warmest stock show on record with a departure from normal of 16.0 degrees.

Cold spells were few and far between. Extreme departures from normal only lasted a year or two at a time. From 1962-1963 the average temperature was 8.6 degrees, 20.4 degrees below normal. This was the coldest consecutive stretch on record.

To summarize, the mean temperature during the National Western Stock Show from 1906-2003 is 31.8 degrees. The normal during the same period is 29.1 degrees, giving a departure from normal of +2.6 degrees. This indicates that the mean temperature is warmer than normal during the National Western Stock Show, disproving the perception that it's always cold.

Below is a chart of yearly observed and climatological normal temperatures and there departure from normal during the National Western Stock Show since 1906.

Year

Average
 High Temp

Average
 Low Temp

Mean Temp

Normal
High Temp

Normal
Low Temp

Normal
Mean Temp

Departure
from Normal

2003

50.3

19.1

34.7

43.2

15.1

29.2

+ 5.5 degrees

2002

41.9

15.8

28.9

43.3

15.2

29.3

- 0.4 degrees

2001

42.8

16.5

29.7

43

14.9

29

+ 0.7 degrees

2000

52.9

23.4

38.2

43

15

29

+ 9.2 degrees

1999

51

22.9

37

43.1

15

29.1

+ 7.9 degrees

1998

42.8

19.8

31.3

43.1

15.1

29.1

+ 2.2 degrees

1997

35

11.6

23.3

43.2

15.1

29.2

- 5.9 degrees

1996

50.3

18.4

34.4

43

14.9

29

+ 5.4 degrees

1995

49.9

23.5

36.7

43

15

29

+ 7.7 degrees

1994

54.4

23.1

38.8

43.1

15

29.1

+ 9.7 degrees

1993

31.5

10

20.8

43

14.9

29

- 8.2 degrees

1992

39.5

12.3

25.9

43

14.9

29

- 3.1 degrees

1991

46.5

18.6

32.6

43

14.9

29

+ 3.6 degrees

1990

49.5

24.3

36.9

43

15

29

+ 7.9 degrees

1989

48.5

18.5

33.5

43

15

29

+ 4.5 degrees

1988

38.5

16

27.3

43.1

15

29.1

- 1.8 degrees

1987

35.5

10.9

23.2

43.2

15.1

29.2

- 6.0 degrees

1986

58.7

27.8

43.3

43

15

29

+ 14.3 degrees

1985

41.3

12.8

27.1

43

15

29

- 1.9 degrees

1984

25.3

3.5

14.4

43

15

29

- 14.6 degrees

1983

38.2

20.7

29.5

43

15

29

+ 0.5 degrees

1982

44.7

18.4

31.6

43.1

15

29.1

+ 2.5 degrees

1981

51.8

24.5

38.2

43.2

15.1

29.2

+ 9.0 degrees

1980

44.6

25.2

34.9

43

15

29

+ 5.9 degrees

1979

40.3

14.3

27.3

43

15

29

- 1.7 degrees

1978

35.1

12

23.6

43

15

29

- 5.4 degrees

1977

49.2

17.8

33.5

43

15

29

+ 4.5 degrees

1976

50.9

22.1

36.5

43.2

15.1

29.2

+ 7.3 degrees

1975

48.3

16.4

32.4

19

15

29

+ 3.4 degrees

1974

47.7

21

34.4

43

15

29

+ 5.4 degrees

1973

53.2

29.1

41.2

43

15

29

+ 12.2 degrees

1972

51

21.6

36.3

43

15

29

+ 7.3 degrees

1971

54.8

25.6

40.2

43.1

15

29.1

+ 11.1 degrees

1970

54.2

24.2

39.2

43.2

15.1

29.2

+ 10.0 degrees

1969

51.7

21

36.4

43

15

29

+ 7.4 degrees

1968

48.9

18.6

33.8

43

15

29

+ 4.8 degrees

1967

51.1

16.6

33.9

43

15

29

+ 4.9 degrees

1966

33.1

6.8

20

43

15

29

- 7.0 degrees

1965

52.2

24.8

38.5

43

15

29

+ 9.5 degrees

1964

39.2

8.7

24

43

15

29

- 5.0 degrees

1963

21.3

-5.3

8

43

15

29

- 21.0 degrees

1962

21.8

-3.4

9.2

43

15

29

- 19.8 degrees

1961

47.2

25.2

36.2

43

15

29

+ 7.2 degrees

1960

36.4

16.1

26.3

43

15

29

- 2.7 degrees

1959

43.3

16.6

30

43.1

15

29.1

+ 0.9 degrees

1958

48.4

21.4

34.9

43

15

29

+ 5.9 degrees

1957

44.9

14.7

29.8

43

15

29

+ 0.8 degrees

1956

40.8

19.3

30.1

43

15

29

+ 1.1 degrees

1955

33.3

12.4

22.9

43

15

29

- 6.1 degrees

1954

53.4

20

36.7

43

15

29

+ 7.7 degrees

1953

53.1

27.3

40.2

43.1

15

29.1

+ 11.1 degrees

1952

53.3

29.2

41.3

43

15

29

+ 12.3 degrees

1951

45.8

23.4

34.6

43

15

29

+ 5.6 degrees

1950

54.1

19

36.6

43

15

29

+ 7.6 degrees

1949

31.2

9.9

20.6

43

15

29

- 8.4 degrees

1948

36.3

16.3

26.3

43.1

15

29.1

- 2.8 degrees

1947

39.3

20.8

30.1

43

15

29

+ 1.1 degrees

1946

46.9

20.8

33.9

43

15

29

+ 4.9 degrees

1945

39.2

24.6

31.9

43

15

29

+ 2.9 degrees

1944

53.8

29.8

41.8

43

15

29

+ 12.8 degrees

1943

41.6

16.9

29.3

43

15

29

+ 0.3 degrees

1942

48.3

27.4

37.9

43

15

29

+ 8.9 degrees

1941

46.5

25.8

36.2

43

15

29

+ 7.2 degrees

1940

32.2

9.1

20.7

43

15

29

- 8.3 degrees

1939

39.3

17.5

28.4

43

15

29

- 0.6 degrees

1938

50.9

31.9

41.4

43

15

29

+ 12.4 degrees

1937

24

4.1

14.1

43

15

29

- 12.1 degrees

1936

42.4

20.6

31.5

43.3

15.1

29.2

+ 2.3 degrees

1935

43.3

21.1

32.2

43

15

29

+ 3.2 degrees

1934

52.3

29.9

41.1

43

15

29

+ 12.1 degrees

1933

45.6

23.8

34.7

43

15

29

+ 5.7 degrees

1932

36

18.4

27.2

43

15

29

- 1.8 degrees

1931

47.3

25.5

36.4

43.1

15

29.1

+ 7.3 degrees

1930

20.5

-2.6

9

43.3

15.1

29.2

- 20.2 degrees

1929

43.9

24

34

43

15

29

+ 5.0 degrees

1928

41.3

22.3

31.8

43

15

29

+ 2.8 degrees

1927

40.6

16.8

28.7

43

15

29

- 0.3 degrees

1926

33.1

14.1

23.6

43

15

29

- 5.4 degrees

1925

50.8

26.3

38.6

43.1

15

29.1

+ 9.5 degrees

1924

43.5

20.5

32

43.4

15.3

29.4

+ 2.6 degrees

1923

55.5

28.1

41.8

43

15

29

+ 12.8 degrees

1922

32.5

9.5

21

43

15

29

- 8.0 degrees

1921

50.9

28.5

39.7

43

15

29

+ 10.7 degrees

1920

48.9

29.4

39.2

43.1

15

29.1

+ 10.0 degrees

1919

49.6

28.5

39.1

43.3

15.1

29.2

+ 9.9 degrees

1918

39.6

15.3

27.5

43.4

15.3

29.4

- 1.9 degrees

1917

40.7

13.8

27.3

43.7

15.5

29.6

- 2.3 degrees

1916

30.9

8.5

19.7

43

15

29

- 9.3 degrees

1915

39.5

14

26.8

43

15

29

- 2.2 degrees

1914

47.7

27.7

37.7

43.2

15

29.1

+ 8.6 degrees

1913

47.3

23.8

35.6

43.3

15.2

29.3

+ 6.3 degrees

1912

47.7

23.2

35.5

43

15

29

+ 6.5 degrees

1911

53.7

26.7

40.2

43

15

29

+ 11.2 degrees

1910

50.8

26.8

38.8

43

15

29

- 9.8 degrees

1909

54.2

35.7

45

43

15

29

+ 16.0 degrees

1908

48.2

24.5

36.4

43.3

15.2

29.3

+ 14.0 degrees

1907

43.3

17.8

30.6

43.5

15.3

29.4

+ 14.1 degrees

1906

54.3

21.4

37.9

44.6