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 LocationAbsolute 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.

NorthersNorthers• 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.

StormsStorms• 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 LocationRelative 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.

ElevationElevation• 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 ProductionEnergy 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 ProductionEnergy 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 GrowthEconomic 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-MEXTEX-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 EthnicityTexas Growth by Ethnicity

Texas Population 1800-1850Texas Population 1800-1850

Texas Population 1850-2040Texas Population 1850-2040

TX Population 1800-2000TX Population 1800-2000

Texas Metropolitan GrowthTexas Metropolitan Growth

TX Population By AgeTX Population By Age