Here are a few commonly frequently asked questions to help guide you through your Amarillo trip.
Location
Amarillo is in the center of the Texas Panhandle, a 26-county area that is bordered by New Mexico and Oklahoma. Here, the southern plains meet the desert. Founded in 1887 at the intersection of two railroads, today the city is the intersection of Interstates 40 and 27. The city received its name, which means yellow in Spanish, from the yellow sub-soil and the yellow flowers blooming here.
Climate
Amarillo is at an altitude 3,671 ft. and receives about 19.5 inches of precipitation annually. The altitude and constant breeze are responsible for the clean air and low humidity. There are four distinct seasons in the city, yet the temperatures remain comfortable for most of the year. Each year there are over 270 sunny days.
Temperature
Month
Average Daily Minimum Temp.
Average Daily Maximum Temp.
Sunny Days
Average Monthly Precipitation
January
23°F/-5°C
49°F/9°C
19
0.6 in./1.6 cm.
April
42°F/5°C
71°F/21°C
20
1.3 in./3.4 cm.
July
65°F/19°C
91°F/33°C
26
2.7 in./6.8 cm.
October
45°F/7°C
72°F/22°C
23
1.5 in./3.8 cm.
Annual
44°F/6°C
270
270
19.7 in./50.1 cm.
Population/Size
Amarillo metropolitan area 268,691 (Census 2020); in 1890 population was 482. The city encompasses 99.48 sqm in both, Potter and Randall Counties. There are app. 908 streets in Amarillo, as well as 58 parks and playgrounds, 4 city swimming pools, two world-class skating parks, and 32 miles of jogging trails. Amarillo was recently voted as one of the top cities in the country to start a business and raise a family.
Transportation
Three airlines serve Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport with over 50 daily arrivals and departures: American Eagle, Continental/United and Southwest Airlines.
Major Industries
Ranching and Farming
Education, Banking
Oil and Gas
Medical and Tourism
Major Crops
Corn
Cotton
Maize
Wheat
Famous Amarilloans
John Ayers - offensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers
John Bayless - pianist
Cyd Charisse - actress/dancer
Lee Cockrell - Grand Slam rodeo cowboy
Ron Ely - actor and original TV Tarzan
Terry Funk - wrestler
Charles Goodnight - first rancher in the area
and inventor of the chuck wagon
Rick Husband - astronaut
Timothy Jenkins - opera singer
Mary Jane Johnson - opera singer
Alex O'Brien - Tennis pro
Brandon Slay - Olympic Gold Medal winner in wrestling
Red Steagall - country/western entertainer
Ryan Palmer - professional golfer
Zach Thomas - football player Miami Dolphins
Did You Know?
In 1893 Amarillo's population was listed as "between 500 and 600 humans and 50,000 head of cattle"?
That Amarillo (Spanish for yellow) was named after the yellow sub-soil and the yellow blooms on the area's Yucca plants?
Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport has the 3rd largest runway in the world and is designated as an alternate landing site for the space shuttle?
Some people maintain that during sunrise and sunset in Amarillo, one can see the curvature of the earth, due to the wide open spaces of the Great Plains?
That in 1922 the first radio concert ever broadcast was by Amarillo radio station WDAG - one of the first licensed stations in the country?
That in 1929 Amarillo was a stop on the route of the first, continuous, scheduled air passenger and mail service from the Atlantic to the Pacific?
