El Paso, Texas

El Paso is the county seat of El Paso County in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 563,662. El Paso — second only to San Diego, California, in size among all U.S. cities on the U.S.-Mexico border — lies opposite Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. The two cities form a bi-national metropolitan area of approximately two million people, divided by the Rio Grande (Río Bravo del Norte).

Geography and climate

El Paso is located at {{coor dms|31|47|25|N|106|25|24|W|}} (31.790208, -106.423242){{GR|1}}. The city is at 3750 feet (1140 m) above sea level. The mountain peaks in El Paso reach 7200 feet (2200 m) above sea level. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 648.9 km² (250.5 mi²).

Related Topics:
United States Census Bureau - Km² - Mi²

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The Franklin Mountains extend into El Paso from the north and nearly divide the city into two sections. The Rio Grande Rift lies beneath the Pass, through which the Rio Grande flows, as evidenced by an extinct volcano, Mt. Cristo Rey just to the west of the city, on the New Mexico side of the Rio Grande. Other volcanic features include Kilbourne hole and Hunt's hole, which are Maar volcanic craters 30 miles (50 km) west of the Franklin Mountains. El Paso is surrounded by the Chihuahuan Desert, the easternmost section of the Basin and Range Region. Temperatures average from a high of 56 °F (13 °C) and a low of 29 °F (−2 °C) in January to a high of 96 °F (35.5 °C ) and low of 68 °F (20 °C) in August. The city's record high is 114 °F (45.5 °C), and its record low is −8 °F (−22 °C). Rainfall averages 8.74 inches (222 mm) per annum. The sun shines 302 days per year in El Paso, 83 percent of daylight hours, according to the El Paso Weather Bureau. However, El Paso gets the summer monsoonal moisture. Winds turn to a more south to southeast direction, importing moisture from the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Mexico. As this moisture moves into the El Paso area (and many other areas in the southwest), a combination of orographic uplift from the mountains, and daytime heating from the sun, causes thunderstorms to develop across the region. This is what causes most of the rain in the El Paso area. Monsoon season starts in July and usually ends in mid September.

Related Topics:
Franklin Mountains - Rio Grande Rift - New Mexico side - Kilbourne hole - Hunt's hole - Maar volcanic crater - Chihuahuan Desert - Basin and Range Region

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