North Texas is a term used primarily by residents of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex to refer to a geographic area of Texas, generally considered to include the area south of Oklahoma, east of Abilene, west of Paris, and north of Waco. Definitions of the region typically do not include the sparsely populated Texas Panhandle, which is the northernmost region of Texas bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east.
North Texas is centered upon the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the largest metropolitan area in Texas and the Southern United States. People in the Dallas and Fort Worth areas sometimes use the terms Metroplex, DFW, and North Texas interchangeably. However, North Texas refers to a much larger area that includes many northern rural counties along the Red River of the South border.
South is the prevailing wind direction, and southerly winds are frequently high and persist for several days. Strong northerly winds often occur during the passage of cold fronts.
Winters can be mild, but northers occur about three times each month, and often are accompanied by sudden drops in temperature. In Dallas, a record-setting 12.8 inches of snow fell in February 2010. Periods of extreme cold that occasionally occur are short-lived, so that even in January mild weather occurs frequently.
The highest temperatures of summer are associated with fair skies, and moderate to high humidities. Characteristically, hot spells in summer are broken into three- to five-day periods by thunderstorm activity. There are only a few nights each summer when the low temperature exceeds 80 °F (27 °C). Summer daytime temperatures frequently exceed 100 °F (38 °C). Air conditioners are recommended for maximum comfort indoors and while traveling via automobile.
Throughout the year, rainfall occurs more frequently during the night. Usually, periods of rainy weather last for only a day or two, and are followed by several days with fair skies. A large part of the annual precipitation results from thunderstorm activity, with occasional heavy rainfall over brief periods of time. Thunderstorms occur throughout the year, but are most frequent in the spring and early summer months. Hail falls on about two or three days a year, ordinarily with only slight and scattered damage. Windstorms occurring during thunderstorm activity are sometimes destructive. is uncommon.
The average length of the warm season (freeze-free period) is about 249 days. The average last occurrence of 32 °F (0 °C) or below is mid March and the average first occurrence of 32 °F or below is in late November.
The Texas State Demographer also lists the following regional county groupings, some or all of which are often included in the informal meaning of the terms "North Texas" or "North Central Texas".
Nortex Regional Planning Commission:
Texoma Council of Governments: Texoma Council of Governments
Additionally, some other Texas counties contiguous with those named above are sometimes included in the general meaning of "North Texas".
Dallas | 1,259,404 | 3 | 9 |
Fort Worth | 961,885 | 5 | 13 |
Arlington | 390,399 | 7 | 50 |
Plano | 291,450 | 9 | 69 |
Garland | 235,293 | 12 | 91 |
Irving | 248,931 | 13 | 93 |
Grand Prairie | 199,395 | 15 | 127 |
McKinney | 214,302 | 17 | 155 |
Frisco | 227,528 | 18 | 162 |
Mesquite | 143,792 | 20 | 181 |
Carrollton | 132,935 | 23 | 197 |
Denton | 160,564 | 26 | 202 |
Richardson | 113,613 | 32 | 255 |
Wichita Falls | 103,687 | 35 | 285 |
Lewisville | 114,170 | 36 | 288 |
Allen | 109,411 | 40 | |
Flower Mound | 79,102 | 50 | |
Micropolitan statistical areas (μSAs)
Wal-Mart | 34,000 | Retail |
American Airlines | 27,000 | Commercial airline |
Texas Health Resources | 22,296 | Health care |
Dallas Independent School District | 19,740 | Education |
Baylor Health Care System | 16,500 | Health care |
1 | Sheppard Air Force Base | 12,272 |
2 | Wichita Falls Independent School District | 2,059 |
3 | North Texas State Hospital | 1,974 |
4 | United Regional Health Care System | 1,778 |
5 | City of Wichita Falls | 1,477 |
6 | Midwestern State University | 1,284 |
7 | James V. Allred Unit | 971 |
8 | Sealed Air | 732 |
9 | Work Services Corporation | 730 |
10 | Howmet Castings | 704 |
1 | Tyson Foods | 1,400 |
2 | Texoma Health Systems | 1,375 |
3 | Texas Instruments | 1,200 |
4 | Cigna | 1,000 |
5 | Wilson N Jones Health Systems | 1,000 |
+Public universities | |||||
East Texas A&M University | 10,966 | Commerce | Lions | NCAA Division I FCS (Southland) | Texas A&M University System |
The University of North Texas | 46,940 | Denton | Mean Green | NCAA Division I FBS (American) | University of North Texas System |
University of Texas at Arlington | 40,990 | Arlington | Mavericks | NCAA Division I (WAC) Non–Football | University of Texas System |
University of Texas at Dallas | 30,885 | Richardson | UTD Comets | NCAA Division III (American Southwest) Non–Football | University of Texas System |
Texas Woman's University | 15,472 | Denton | Pioneers | NCAA Division II (Lone Star) Women's sports only | State University |
Tarleton State University | 14,092 | Stephenville | Texans | NCAA Division I FCS (WAC) | Texas A&M University System |
Midwestern State University | 6,102 | Wichita Falls | Mustangs | NCAA Division II (Lone Star) | Independent |
University of North Texas at Dallas | 3,513 | Dallas | Trailblazers | NAIA (Sooner) Non–Football | University of North Texas System |
+Private universities | ||||
Southern Methodist University | 11,643 | University Park | SMU Mustangs | NCAA Division I FBS (American) |
Texas Christian University | 10,323 | Fort Worth | Horned Frogs | NCAA Division I FBS (Big 12) |
Dallas Baptist University | 5,445 | Dallas | Patriots | NCAA Division II (Lone Star) Non–Football, compete in the Missouri Valley Conference at the Division I level for baseball |
Texas Wesleyan University | 3,378 | Fort Worth | Rams | NAIA (Sooner) |
University of Dallas | 2,576 | Irving | Crusaders | NCAA Division III (SCAC) Non–Football, compete in Texas Rugby Union at the Division II level for Rugby |
Southwestern Assemblies of God University | 2,012 | Waxahachie | Lions | NAIA NCCAA (Sooner) |
Austin College | 1,224 | Sherman | Roos | NCAA Division III (SCAC) Compete in the Southern Athletic Association for football |
Paul Quinn College | 600 | Dallas | Tigers | NAIA (Red River) Non–Football |
The Major League Soccer team FC Dallas is based in Frisco, and the Dallas Wings of the WNBA plays in Arlington. The area is also home to many minor league professional teams and four colleges that compete in NCAA Division I athletics.
Dallas Cowboys | Football | 1960 | NFL | AT&T Stadium |
Texas Rangers | Baseball | 1972^ | MLB | Globe Life Field |
Dallas Mavericks | Basketball | 1980 | NBA | American Airlines Center |
Dallas Stars | Ice hockey | 1993^ | NHL | American Airlines Center |
FC Dallas | Soccer | 1996 | MLS | Toyota Stadium |
Dallas Wings | Basketball | 2015^ | WNBA | College Park Center |
Allen Americans | Ice hockey | 2009 | ECHL | Credit Union of Texas Event Center |
Dallas Jackals | Rugby union | 2022 | Major League Rugby | Choctaw Stadium |
Dallas Sidekicks | Indoor soccer | 2012 | Major Arena Soccer League | Credit Union of Texas Event Center |
Frisco Fighters | Indoor football | 2021 | Indoor Football League | Comerica Center |
Frisco RoughRiders | Baseball | 2003^ | Double-A Central | Dr Pepper Ballpark |
Fort Worth Vaqueros FC | Soccer | 2014 | National Premier Soccer League | Farrington Field |
Panther City Lacrosse Club | Lacrosse | 2021 | National Lacrosse League | Dickies Arena |
Texas Legends | Basketball | 2010^ | NBA G League | Comerica Center |
University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington | Mavericks | Sun Belt Conference |
University of North Texas | Denton | Mean Green | Conference USA |
Southern Methodist University | University Park | SMU Mustangs | American Athletic Conference |
Texas Christian University | Fort Worth | Horned Frogs | Big 12 Conference |
Texas A&M University–Commerce | Commerce | Lions | Southland Conference |
Dallas Baptist University | Dallas | Patriots | Missouri Valley Conference (baseball only) |
|
|