Houston, Texas

Houston is the largest city within the state of Texas, fourth in the United States, and the second-largest economic area of the Gulf Coast region. The city is the county seat of Harris County, the third most populous county in the country. A portion of southwest Houston extends into Fort Bend County and a small portion in the northeast extends into Montgomery County.

Geography and climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1,558.4 km² (601.7 mi²). 1,500.7 km² (579.4 mi²) of it is land and 57.7 km² (22.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 3.7 percent water.

Related Topics:
United States Census Bureau - Km² - Mi²

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Houston has four major bayous passing through the city: Buffalo Bayou, which runs into downtown; Brays Bayou, which runs along the Texas Medical Center; White Oak Bayou, which runs through the Heights and near the northwest area; and Sims Bayou, which runs through the south of Houston and downtown Houston, merging into the ship channel. The ship channel goes past Galveston and into the Gulf of Mexico.

Related Topics:
Bayou - Buffalo Bayou - Galveston

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Much of Houston is very flat, making flooding a recurring problem for its residents. The city stands about 50 feet (15 m) above sea level; the Houston Heights area has the highest elevation in the city. The city once relied on groundwater for its water needs, but land subsidence forced the city to turn to ground-level water sources such as Lake Houston.

Related Topics:
Groundwater - Lake Houston

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Urban layout

Main article: Disticts and communities of Houston

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When Houston was established in 1837, the city's founders divided it into political geographic districts called "wards." The ward designation is the progenitor of the current-day Houston City Council districts — there are nine in all.

Related Topics:
1837 - Wards

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Locations in Houston are generally classified as either being inside or outside Interstate 610, known as the "610 Loop" or "The Loop". Inside the loop generally encompasses the central business district. Loop 610 is more than just a freeway as it has come to define a lifestyle and state of mind. The ?inner looper? is more of an urban person, someone who likes to be close to the arts, universities, events, parks, and entertainment.

Related Topics:
Interstate 610 - Central business district - Lifestyle - Urban - Arts

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The outlying areas of Houston, the airports and the city's suburbs and enclaves are outside the loop. Another ring road, Texas Beltway 8 (also known simply as the "Beltway"), encircles the city another 5 miles (8 km) further out. Another ring road, Texas Highway 99 (also known as the Grand Parkway), is under construction.

Related Topics:
Texas Beltway 8 - Texas Highway 99

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Houston, being the largest city in the United States without zoning laws, has grown in an unusual manner. Rather than a single ?downtown? as the center of the city's employment, five additional business districts have grown throughout the inner-city. If these business districts were combined, they would form the third largest downtown in the United States.

Related Topics:
Zoning - Downtown - Business district - Inner-city

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Climate

Houston's climate is classified as being humid subtropical. The city is located in the gulf coastal plains biome, and its vegetation is classified as temperate grassland. Much of Houston was built on forested land, marshes or prairie, all of which can still be seen in surrounding areas. Average yearly precipitation levels range from 36 to 48 inches (914 to 1219 mm). Prevailing winds are from the south and southeast during most of the year, bringing heat from the deserts of Mexico and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.

Related Topics:
Humid subtropical - Biome - Forested land - Marshes - Prairie - Mexico - Gulf of Mexico

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In the summer time, daily high temperatures are in the 95ºF (35ºC) to 110ºF (45ºC) range throughout much of July and August. The air tends to feel still and the humidity (often 90 to 100 percent relative humidity) makes the air feel hotter than it really is. To cope with the heat, people use air conditioning in nearly every car and post-war building in the city. Summer thunderstorms sometimes bring tornadoes to the area. Afternoon rains are not uncommon, and most days Houston meteorologists predict at least some percentage chance of rain. The hotest temperature ever recorded in Houston was 109 °F (42.7 °C) on September 4, 2000.

Related Topics:
Summer - Relative humidity - Air conditioning - War - Thunderstorms - Tornadoes - Temperature - September 4 - 2000

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Winters in Houston are cool and temperate. Many days the temperatures are between the 45º and 55ºF (7ºC and 16ºC). The coldest period is usually in January, when north winds bring winter rains. Snow is almost unheard of, and typically does not accumulate when it is seen. A freak snowstorm hit Houston on Christmas Eve 2004. A few inches accumulated, but was all gone by the next afternoon. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Houston was 5 °F (-15 °C) on January 23, 1940.

Related Topics:
Winter - Snowstorm - Christmas Eve - 2004 - Temperature - January 23 - 1940

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Houston's climate is often compared to that of Dallas. Both cities experience temperatures above 90ºF during summer; however, Dallas has a dry climate while Houston has an extra humid climate. While Dallas gets hotter temperatures, Houston's higher humidity levels often result in a higher heat index. During the winter, though, Dallas regularly experiences temperatures below freezing, while Houston rarely does so.

Related Topics:
Dallas - Humid - Heat index

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Like many areas of Texas, Houston suffers from the Red imported fire ant.

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Natural disasters

Hurricanes have slammed into the Texas Gulf Coast on numerous occasions; several have passed through Houston, often causing death and destruction. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 led to Galveston losing its status as the major port city and economic power in Southeast Texas; subsequent development of the Houston ship channel and its port refineries shifted the honor to Houston. The last hurricane of consequence to hit Houston was Hurricane Alicia in 1983, but Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 caused billions of dollars in damages and cost 43 lives. To date, Allison has been Houston's worst flood. Many neighborhoods have changed since the storm; older houses in some afflicted neighborhoods have been torn down and replaced with larger houses with larger foundations. Recently, Hurricane Rita Houston has suffered minimal damage.

Related Topics:
Hurricanes - Galveston Hurricane of 1900 - Galveston - Refineries - Hurricane Alicia - 1983 - Tropical Storm Allison - 2001 - Hurricane Rita

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