Laredo: Weather from Answers.com

Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, on the north bank of the Rio Grande (Río Bravo), across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2006 census estimate, the city population was 231,470. Laredo is part of the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo Metropolitan Area with a total population of 589,309.

Laredo has the distinction of having seven flags flown over the city. Having been founded in 1755, Laredo grew from a villa to the Capital of the defunct Republic of the Rio Grande to the largest inland port on the United States-Mexican Border. Today, it has four international bridges and one railway bridge. Laredo's weather is semi-arid during the summer and mild during the winter.

Laredo International Airport is within the Laredo city limits, while the Quetzalcoatl International Airport is nearby in Nuevo Laredo in Mexico. The city has four professional sports teams: the Bucks, Broncos, Heat, and Lobos. Texas A&M International University and Laredo Community College call Laredo home. The biggest festival, Washington's Birthday Celebration is during February all month long, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists.

History

Map of Laredo in 1892

Villa de San Agustin de Laredo was founded in 1755 by Don Tomas Sanchez while the area was part of a region called Nuevo Santander in the Spanish colony of New Spain. Villa de San Agustin de Laredo got its name from Laredo, Cantabria, Spain and in honor of Saint Augustine of Hippo. In 1840, Laredo was the capital of the independent Republic of the Rio Grande, set up in rebellion to the dictatorship of Antonio López de Santa Anna and brought back into Mexico by military force. In 1846, during the Mexican-American War the town was occupied by the Texas Rangers. After the war the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ceded the land to the United States. A referendum was taken in the town, which voted overwhelmingly to petition the American military government in charge of the area to return the town to Mexico. However, this petition was rejected, and in response the bulk of the population moved over the river into Mexican territory to found the new town of Nuevo Laredo. In 1849, the military set up Fort McIntosh (originally Camp Crawford) by the town. Laredo was rechartered as a city in 1852.

A graphical timeline is available here:

Timeline of Laredo, Texas

Laredo is one of the oldest border crossing points along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the nation's largest inland port of entry. In 2005, Laredo celebrated the 250th anniversary of its founding. The origin of name of Laredo is unclear. Some scholars say the name might stem from Glaretum which means "sandy, rocky place" others state that Laredo stems from Euskaro and means "beautiful prairies"^[1]^[2]. Laredo might also stem from Laridae which means gull or it might be made up of two Latin words lar which means home and edo which means birth.

(232 km) southwest of San Antonio. Laredo is located on the west end of the Rio Grande Plains which is south of the Edwards Plateau, Coastal Plains to the east, and Mexican Mountains to the west. The area consists of a few hills and flat land covered mostly of brush: grass lands, drawf oak, and mesquite. It is a prime location for deer and javelina hunting for the annual Cola Blanca Contest that brings hunters from across the United States and Mexico. A notable geographic feature is Lake Casa Blanca in Lake Casa Blanca International State Park. The city's lake consists of acres ( km²) of land and acres ( km²) of lake.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 206.0 km² (79.6 mi²). 203.2 km² (78.5 mi²) of it is land and 2.8 km² (1.1 mi²) of it (1.37%) is water.

Climate

Laredo's weather is attributed to its location between Mexican mountains to the west and the Gulf of Mexico to the east. Much of Laredo's year-round dry and hot weather is influenced by the deserts of Northern Mexico and any moisture from the Pacific is cut-off by the Mexican mountain range. While Laredo does receive moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, its geographic location causes Laredo to have extreme weather events such as long periods of heat to sudden violent storms with sometimes even tornadoes in a short period of time. Laredo is cold for south Texas standards during winter, the average daytime highs are around 66 °F (19 C) and overnight lows around 43 °F (6 C); although it is rare for snow to fall in Laredo, there was actually snow on the ground for a few hours on the morning of Christmas Day 2004.

Laredo typically experiences an average high temperature of about 99 °F (37 C), and an average low of about 75 °F (24 C) during summer, and 20 inches of rain per year. As Laredo sometimes undergoes drought, a water conservation ordinance was implemented in 2003.

Weather averages for Laredo, Texas
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	92 (33)	94 (34)	99 (37)	108 (42)	112 (44)	112 (44)	111 (44)	112 (44)	109 (43)	101 (38)	99 (37)	93 (34)	()
Average high °F (°C)	66 (19)	71 (22)	80 (27)	88 (31)	92 (33)	96 (36)	99 (37)	99 (37)	93 (34)	86 (30)	76 (25)	68 (20)	()
Average low °F (°C)	43 (6)	47 (8)	55 (13)	63 (17)	69 (21)	73 (23)	75 (24)	75 (24)	74 (22)	63 (17)	53 (12)	45 (7)	()
Record low °F (°C)	26 (-3)	29 (-2)	33 (1)	38 (3)	54 (12)	66 (19)	68 (20)	64 (18)	56 (13)	42 (6)	33 (1)	15 (-9)	()
Precipitation inch (cm)	1.0 (2.5)	1.1 (2.7)	0.8 (1.9)	1.8 (4.5)	2.6 (6.6)	3.2 (8.1)	1.5 (3.8)	2.7 (6.8)	3.1 (7.9)	2.5 (6.4)	1.2 (2.9)	0.9 (2.4)	()
Source: worldclimate.com^[39] May 2007

Demographics

According to the census² estimate of 2006^[3]^[4], there were 231,470 people. In the 2005 estimate there were 99,675 males and 108,112 females living in 60,816 households, out of those 33,832 were owner occupied. The average household size has 3.69 occupants. The population density was 868.9/km² (2,250.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 179,887 or 86.6% White, 1,012 or 0.5% African American, 599 or 0.3% Native American, 779 or 0.4% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 23,932 or 11.5% from other races, and 1,578 or 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino accounts for 197,198 or 94.9% of the population in terms of ethnicity.

There were a total of 60,816 households out of which 56,247 or 92.5% were occupied, 33,832 were owner occupied units and 22,415 were renter occupied units. 62.0% were married couples living together, 18.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.7% were non-families. 12.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.69 and the average family size was 4.18

In the city the population was spread out with 35.5% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 15.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,019, and the median income for a family was $32,577. The per capita income for the city was $12,269. 29.2% of families were below the poverty line.

According to the United States Census Bureau, at a 2000 census, Laredo was the second fastest growing city in the United States, (Las Vegas, Nevada, being the first).

Government

Webb County Administration Building

Laredo's municipal government is controlled by a strong city council-weak mayor system. Although the mayor presides over the city council, he may vote only to break a tie. City Council elections are based on single-member districts and campaigns have no party affiliations. City elections are held in May of even years. The municipal government is administered by the city manager who is hired by the city council. All city elected offices have a four-year term and are technically nonpartisan tough most officials have a party preference or affiliation. City council meetings are held on Mondays and can be viewed on the public access channel.

City Mayor - Raul G. Salinas

City Manager - Carlos Villareal

City Council:
District 1 - Mike Garza
District 2 - Hector "Tito" Garcia
District 3 - Dr. Michael Landeck
District 4 - Johnny Amaya
District 5 - Johnny Rendon
District 6 - Gene Belmares
District 7 - Juan Chavez
District 8 - Juan Ramirez

State & Federal Representatives

Texas House of Representatives
District 31 - Ryan Guillen, Democrat
District 42 - Richard Peña Raymond, Democrat

Texas Senate
District 21 - Judith Zaffirini, Democrat

United States House of Representatives
District 28 - Henry Cuellar, Democrat

Education

PK to 12

University of Texas Health and Science Center Main Building

Laredo is served by two school districts: the Laredo Independent School District and the United Independent School District and 8 private schools.

The Laredo Independent School District^[5] (LISD) serves the areas in central Laredo. The LISD high schools are Cigarroa High School, Martin High School, Nixon High School and the Laredo Early College High School. LISD is also served by three school|magent schools: Dr. Dennis D. Cantu Health Science Magnet School, LISD Magnet for Engineering and Technology Education, and Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts.

The United Independent School District^[6] serves the areas in other parts of Laredo and northern Webb County. The UISD high schools are John B. Alexander High School, Lyndon B. Johnson High School, United High School, United South High School. UISD also has three magnet schools: John B. Alexander Health Science Magnet, United Engineering Magnet, and the United South Business Magnet.

The city is also served by eight private schools:

Saint Augustine High School^[7] Catholic School, 8th-12th
Laredo Christian Academy, Assemblies of God, Grades PK-12th
United Day School, Nonpartisan, PK-8th
Mary Help of Christians School, Catholic School, PK3-8th
Blessed Sacrament School, Catholic School, PK-5th
Our Lady of Guadalupe School, Catholic School, PK-5th
St. Peter Memorial School, Catholic School, PK-5th
Saint Augustine Elementary School, Catholic School, PK-6th

Colleges and Universities

Laredo is home to the Laredo Community College^[8] (LCC) and Texas A&M International University^[9] (TAMIU). The University of Texas Health Science Center^[10] has a campus in Laredo.

The Laredo Community College is a two-campus institution which offers two-year Associates Degrees. The main campus is located in southwest Laredo near the Rio Grande. The smaller but modern second campus is located in deep south Laredo along United States Highway 83.

The Texas A&M International University is a 4/6 year university that offers Bachelors and Master's Degrees. On April 22 2004[1], the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in Austin provided its approval for Texas A&M International University to grant its first Ph.D. in International Business Administration[2] [3]. On May 12 2007, Christine Bernadas made history as the university's first Ph.D. graduate in International Business [4][5]. TAMIU’s College of Business Administration has been named an outstanding business school in The Princeton Review’s “Best 282 Business Schools,” 2007 Edition, and ranked third in the nation for the category: “Greatest Opportunity for Minority Students[6].” The university's campus is located in Northeast Laredo along Texas State Highway Loop 20.

The University of Texas Health Science Center campus is located in East Laredo near United States Route 59 and the Laredo Medical Center. The campus is an extension university from UTHSC in San Antonio, Texas. The university offers Doctoral Degrees in the medical and dental fields.

Economy

The Laredo National Bank is one of the strongest banking institutions in Laredo, Texas

Laredo is the destination for many Mexican shoppers that come from as far away as Mexico City. Due to Laredo's location new hotels have been built around the city such as the Embassy Suites.

Trade

More than 47% of United States international trade headed for Mexico and more than 36% of Mexican international trade crosses through the Laredo port of entry^[11]^[12]. This is the reason that Laredo's economy rotates around commercial and industrial warehousing, import, and export. The city of Laredo has an airport called Laredo International Airport which has one-way flights to Houston, Dallas, and Las Vegas. The airport also handles merchandise to export to the neighboring country. The Laredo port of entry has five international bridges crossing the Rio Grande into the Mexican states of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon.

International Bridges

Major Highways

Major Highways in Laredo and their starting and ending points:

Interstate 35 Laredo-Duluth
U.S. Highway 59 Laredo-Lancaster
U.S. Highway 83 Brownsville-Laredo-Westhope
State Highway 255 Laredo-Colombia
State Highway 359 Laredo-Skidmore

Complete List of Highways in Laredo, Texas

Major Highways in Nuevo Laredo and their starting and ending points:

Mexican Federal Highway 85 Nuevo Laredo-Mexico City
Mexican Federal Highway 2 Matamoros-Nuevo Laredo-Colombia-Ciudad Acuña
Tamaulipas State Highway 1 Nuevo Laredo-Monterrey
Nuevo Leon State Highway Spur 1 Colombia-Anáhuac

Retail Sales

The Mall del Norte is one of the largest malls in South Texas

Retail sales also helps the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo economy, it attracts shoppers from Northern Mexico and South Texas^[13]. There are 2 indoor shopping malls located in the area and dozens of plazas. The Streets of Laredo Urban Mall is an association created by businesses located in Iturbide Street in the San Agustin historical district to beautify and renovate the area^[14]. By 2009 Laredo will have an additional 2 malls which are currently under construction:

Mall Del Norte 1,198,199 ft²
El Portal Mall 380,000 ft²
Laredo Town Center Mall 580,577 ft² (to open in 2009}^[15]
Piazza del Sol Mall 1,000,000+ ft² (to open in 2009)^[16]
Streets of Laredo Urban Mall

People & Culture

Annual festivals

The Washington's Birthday Celebration (WBCA) ^[17] is an almost month long held event that celebrates George Washington's Birthday. It was founded in 1898 by the Improved Order of the Red Men, local chapter Yaqui Tribe #59. It is the largest celebration of its kind in the United States with approximately 400,000 attendees annually. The first celebration was a phenomenal success and its success and popularity grew rapidly and in 1923 it received its state charter. In 1924, the Celebration featured its first Colonial Pageant, which featured thirteen young girls from Laredo, representing the thirteen original colonies. The celebration includes parades, a carnival, an air show, fireworks, live concerts and a city-wide prom during which many of Laredo's elite dress very nicely. One of its main events, the Jalapeño Festival, has recently been named one of the United States' top 10 eating festivals due to its Jalapeño Eating Contest. The WBCA has become a Laredo institution, with its history closely tied to the history of the community.

Jamboozie is held in late January in downtown Laredo as part of the Washington Birthday Celebrations. As somewhat of an imitation of New Orlean's Mardi Gras, the Jamboozie is known to be a colorful event, with many people dressed in beads and masks and sometimes flamboyant outfits. Besides many concession stands and up to four stages that feature local and regional bands (mostly alternative rock, classic rock and Spanish music), there are also several bars along the proximity that are open.

Recreational

Lake Casa Blanca International State Park^[18] is a park with a acre ( km²) artificial lake, uses of the park include cooking out, camping, picnicking, lake swimming, skiing, boating, mountain biking, and the most popular recreational use of the lake is fishing. Boat ramps are available throughout the lake. The lake is located on the eastside of the city. The park was operated jointly by the City of Laredo and Webb County before it was acquired by the state in 1990 and opened in March 1991.

Museums

Today a part of the Republic of the Rio Grande's Capitol building is used as a museum in Laredo, Texas that showcases pictures and history of the short lived republic

Republic of the Rio Grande Capitol Building Museum^[19] is located in the downtown historical district next to the historical La Posada Hotel. It was once the Republic of the Rio Grande Capitol building now showcases memorabilia from the short lived Republic of the Rio Grande. It displays pictures, books, and furniture from the 19th century Laredo area. It offers guided tours for school age children and adults year-round. Because of this Republic, Laredo had flown seven flags instead of the traditional Six Flags over Texas.

The Laredo Center for the Arts^[20] is located in historic downtown Laredo. The building houses three galleries: the Goodman Gallery, the Laredo Art League Gallery and the Lilia G. Martinez Gallery. The Center for the Arts, located in the former City Hall offices known as the Mercado, displays regional artwork and provides community events for children and adults. Across the street, the former Plaza Theater is currently under consideration for renovation for a future performing arts theater. Located in east Laredo in an area what is known as the "base" or airport grounds, the Laredo Little Theater provides Laredoans with live stage performances. The theater also hosts comedians.

Imaginarium of South Texas^[21] (formerly Laredo Children's Museum), located in Mall del Norte, provides a hands-on experience with science, technology, and art for Laredo's youth. A second museum is planned on the Texas A&M International University campus^[22].

Planetarium

The Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center Planetarium^[23] is located in the Texas A&M International University Laredo campus. The Planetarium surrounds audiences in a dome with an accurate image of the night sky. It can show all the motions and cycles of the sky. It can create a multi-media experience that reveals the wonders of the cosmos. It can interpret the Universe in a way that appeals to both the mind and eye. The Planetarium will introduce you to a life-long acquaintance with the sky and the Universe. The Digistar 3 system at the TAMIU Planetarium can take audiences on a fantastic voyage through the cosmos.

Library

The Laredo Public Library main building

The Laredo Public Library^[24] was first housed one the second floor of the City Hall, now known as the Market Hall, in 1916. In 1974, the Laredo Public Library moved to the historic Bruni Plaza in downtown Laredo. In 1993, the citizens of Laredo approved the construction of a new main library. The new main library opened its doors for the first time in February 1, 1998. The Laredo Public Library has a sq ft ( m²). main library and two branches that serve the City of Laredo. The main library is located in central Laredo and the Bruni Plaza Branch^[25] is located in downtown, and the Santo Niño Branch is located in south Laredo^[26].

Architecture

Main Article: List of buildings in Laredo, Texas

The San Agustin Cathedral Clock Tower is the second tallest structure in Laredo, Texas

Laredo’s architecture is of Spanish Colonial, American, and Mexican flavor. Most of Laredo's Spanish colonial buildings are located in downtown Laredo especially in the San Agustin Historical District but they are also spread out throughout the whole city which includes the Laredo Medical Center, Texas National Bank headquarters and branches, the Laredo Town Center, and others. American architecture can be seen along Interstate Highway 35. Some of the buildings of American architecture are the Hamilton Hotel, Rio Grande Plaza, Walker Plaza, the Laredo Federal Courthouse, and the Laredo City Hall.

List of the tallest buildings in Laredo, Texas:

Rank^[27]	! Building Name	Height	Floors	Year Built
01	Hamilton Hotel	150 ft (46 m)	12	1923
02	San Agustin Cathedral	141 ft (43 m)	N/A	1872
03	Rio Grande Plaza	-	15	1975
04	Holiday Inn Laredo	-	14	1984
05	Laredo National Bank	-	10	1926
06	Senior Citizens Home	-	8	-
07	Laredo Medical Center	-	7	-
08	Gateway Inn	-	6	-
09	Rialto Hotel	-	6	1925
10	Walker Plaza	-	5	-

Health Care

The Laredo Medical Center is the largest medical center in Laredo

There are five medical centers in Laredo, the Laredo Medical Center, Doctor's Hospital, Gateway Community Health Center, Providence Surgical & Medical Center, and the Laredo Specialty Hospital. The largest hospital in Laredo is the Laredo Medical Center. The Laredo Medical Center^[28] (formally Mercy Hospital) is a square foot ( m²) complex in a 50 acre campus with 325 licensed beds and 180 active physicians. Its main building is located in central Laredo along United States Route 59. Besides its main building, the Laredo Medical Center has specialized branches throughout the city, the main ones are: the Ambulatory Care Center North is an outpatient facility^[29], McClelland Diagnostic Center is an out-patient diagnostic center^[30], Laredo Medical Sleep Center^[31]
Laredo Medical Center Services include:

24-Hour Emergency Room
CT Scan
Cancer Treatment Center
Complete Cardiac Program
General & Acute Care
Home Health & Hospice
Hyperbaric Oxygen Medicine Therapy
Inpatient Rehabilitation Center
Intensive Care Unit
Labor & Delivery & Mother Baby Unit

MRI
Medical/Surgical Unit
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Neurosurgery
Obstetrics
Pediatric & Pediatric Gastroenterology
Skilled Nursing Unit
Sleep Center
Vitreoretinology

Doctor's Hospital^[32] is the second largest medical center in Laredo. The hospital complex is over square foot ( m²) complex with 180 licensed beds in a 58 acre campus and is affiliated to Universal Health Services. It is located in Texas State Highway Loop 20 in north Laredo. Behind the main building the Doctors Regional Cancer Treatment Center which offers comprehensive cancer services. The Providence Surgical & Medical Center^[33] is an ambulatory health care center located in north-central Laredo which is also owed by Universal Health Services.
Doctor's Hospital services include:

Blood Bank
Cancer Treatment Center
Cardiopulmonary Department
Diabetes Management
Occupational Medicine Program

Hyperbaric and Wound Care
Laboratory Services
Nuclear Medicine
Orthopedics
Otolaryngology

Sleep Center
Social Services
Surgery
Women's Center

The Gateway Community Health Center^[34] is the third largest medical center in Laredo. The health center's main building is square feet ( m²) and three stories high. The Medical center recently moved in 2006 to its new $11,000,000 building. The main Gateway Community Health Center is located in East Laredo close to United States Route 59. It also has three branches in the Laredo area: the South Clinic, El Cenizo Community Center, and Quad City Community Center.
Gateway Community Health Center services include:

Adult Primary Care
In-Patient Care
Obstetrical Care
Family Planning Clinic

Pediatric care
Immunizations
Medical check ups
Minor Surgery Services

The Laredo Specialty Hospital

The Laredo Specialty Hospital^[35] is the fourth largest medical center in Laredo. It is owned by Ernest Health Inc. and was founded by Elmo Lopez Jr. on May 22, 2006 and admitted it's first patient within hours of operation. Although in operation, it was not celebrated a "Grand Opening" by Webb County due to unannounced reasons until March 2007 when it was granted.

People from Laredo

Notable people born in Laredo

Pedro "Pete" Astudillo, Composer
Freddie Benavides, Former professional baseball player
Santos Benavides, Confederate States of America colonel, U.S. Civil War
Charles R. Borchers, (1943-1997) Former district attorney and president of the United Independent School District
Orlando Canizales, Professional boxer. Career W 50 L 5 D 1
Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., President of University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Joaquin G. Cigarroa, Jr., Physician and civic leader
Tom DeLay, Former U.S. Representative from Texas's 22nd District and former House majority leader, indicted for conspiring to violate Texas state election law, Republican
Ramon H. Dovalina, Former president of Laredo Community College, 1995-2007
William N. "Billy" Hall, Jr., (1940-2002), State representative, county treasurer, civic leader
Oscar M. Laurel (1920-2001) -- State representative, district attorney, member of the National Transportation Safety Board, executive director of the International Good Neighbor Council
Maria Elena Morales, Attorney and District Attorney candidate www.mariaelenamorales.com
Thomas C. Mann, Former U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador
Javier Oetting, Former President of International Studies Society at the University of St. Thomas
Amado Peña, Artist
Federico Peña, Former mayor of Denver, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation, and former U.S. Secretary of Energy, Democrat
Johnny Rodriguez, Texmex country singer
Joe Rubio, Jr., Webb and Zapata County district attorney since 1989
Ezequiel D. Salinas (1908-2007), State court judge from 1950-1974 and civil rights activist for Hispanics
Poncho Sanchez, Jazz band leader
Antonio R. "Tony" Sanchez, Jr., Oilman and banker, 2002 Democratic candidate for Texas governor
José Silva, Parapsychologist
Elizabeth Sorrell (1909-2007), Educator and society columnist with Laredo Morning Times
Jose C. "Pepe" Trevino, Jr. (1930-2007), Laredo businessman, philanthropist, Laredo Community College trustee
Simon Villarreal (1929-1996), Water activist, Mayoral candidate, spokeperson for water conservation
Judith Zaffirini, Long-term member of the Texas State Senate
Miles Zuniga (born Alfredo Zuniga), Guitarist, singer and songwriter for the rock band Fastball
Oscar J. Zuniga (1922–2007), Engineer who developed three Laredo subdivisions

Notable people residing in Laredo but born elsewhere

Steve Asmussen, horse breeder who won three legs of the Triple Crown
Richard "Heatwave" Berler, meteorologist for KGNS television station
Radcliffe

Friday		HI: 89°F / 31°C LO: 72°F / 22°C
Saturday		HI: 91°F / 32°C LO: 76°F / 24°C
Sunday		HI: 89°F / 31°C LO: 74°F / 23°C
Monday		HI: 86°F / 30°C LO: 72°F / 22°C
Tuesday		HI: 87°F / 30°C LO: 70°F / 21°C