The Texas Panhandle’s semi-arid climate receives an average of 22.2 inches of precipitation annually, with extreme high and low temperatures throughout the year. While often referred to as “hot and dusty,” the region’s winters are characterized by below-freezing temperatures and even snowfall. Poor land management and soil conservation practices lead the Panhandle to become the site of persistent drought, including the Dust Bowl during the 1930s. This region is also a part of Tornado Alley, caused by the convergence of westerly and southerly winds during the late spring.