The average annual rainfall varies from below 8 inches in El Paso to almost 60 inches in Orange. Several contrasting geological features influence Texas weather. Conditions in the Gulf of Mexico affect temperature and rainfall, not only along the coast, but throughout the state. Mountain ranges such as the Guadalupe, Chisos, Davis, Delaware and Chinati act as barriers to cold Arctic air which send temperatures plunging on one side of the mountains and leave them relatively unchanged on the other. These features and the interaction of the atmosphere with them contribute to the diversity in Texas' climate.
Weather results from variations in atmospheric temperature, pressure, wind and moisture.
Different types of surfaces absorb different amounts of heat from the sun. A dark, plowed field will absorb more heat than a grassy field. In the daytime, mountains absorb heat faster than adjacent valleys and lose it faster during the night. These differences in heating and cooling cause convection currents in the lower atmosphere which in turn create local winds and breezes. On a much broader scale, large areas of atmospheric temperature are affected by continents and oceans.