Best Time to Drive: Pecos, TX to Houston, TX

The best overall window to drive from Pecos, TX to Houston, TX is July to August. April is especially comfortable, and 9 AM to 12 PM is usually the easiest departure window.

Best overall window

July to August

This stretch gives the steadiest mix of comfort, daylight, and lower weather friction.

Easiest departure pattern

9 AM to 12 PM

Waiting for a little daylight and warmer pavement usually makes the drive easier.

Most challenging stretch

November

November is one of the harder months for this route because the weather friction stacks up faster.

Why This Route Scores Differently

This route is long enough that weather comfort across the whole day matters more than just departure conditions.

The current best window is July to August, when the drive is more likely to feel steady end to end.

This score uses multiple NOAA sample points along the route instead of a single state-wide climate average.

Month-by-Month Driving Conditions

Jan

Fair 23°F

Feb

Fair 25°F

Mar

Fair 29°F

Apr

Fair 33°F

May

Fair 37°F

Jun

Fair 41°F

Jul

Good 41°F

Aug

Great 41°F

Sep

Fair 38°F

Oct

Fair 33°F

Nov

Challenging 27°F

Dec

Fair 23°F

Best Good/Fair Challenging

Average Conditions by Month

January

Avg high / low 31 / 15°F

Moisture 2 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Steady driving window

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

February

Avg high / low 33 / 17°F

Moisture 1.6 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Steady driving window

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

March

Avg high / low 37 / 21°F

Moisture 2.2 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Steady driving window

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

April

Avg high / low 41 / 24°F

Moisture 2.2 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Steady driving window

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

May

Avg high / low 45 / 29°F

Moisture 3.2 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Steady driving window

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

June

Avg high / low 48 / 33°F

Moisture 3.3 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Steady driving window

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

July

Avg high / low 48 / 34°F

Moisture 2.5 in rain

Rating Good

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Holiday traffic

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

August

Avg high / low 48 / 34°F

Moisture 2.8 in rain

Rating Great

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Steady driving window

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

September

Avg high / low 45 / 31°F

Moisture 3.8 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Steady driving window

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

October

Avg high / low 41 / 25°F

Moisture 3 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Steady driving window

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

November

Avg high / low 35 / 19°F

Moisture 2.1 in rain

Rating Challenging

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Holiday traffic

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

December

Avg high / low 31 / 15°F

Moisture 1.9 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Holiday traffic

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

Best Departure Time by Season

Spring

9 AM to 12 PM

Waiting for a little daylight and warmer pavement usually makes the drive easier.

Summer

9 AM to 12 PM

Waiting for a little daylight and warmer pavement usually makes the drive easier.

Fall

9 AM to 12 PM

Waiting for a little daylight and warmer pavement usually makes the drive easier.

Winter

9 AM to 12 PM

Waiting for a little daylight and warmer pavement usually makes the drive easier.

How This Score Was Built

Source

Route-sampled NOAA climate normals

High confidence. Built from 4 NOAA-backed route checkpoints rather than a single statewide estimate.

Origin zone

Great Plains

Destination zone

Great Plains

Route sample points

Late route

Late route checkpoint

TX PECOS 8W (8.8 mi away)

Late route

Late route checkpoint

TX JUNCTION 4SSW (11.9 mi away)

Late route

Late route checkpoint

TX CONVERSE 1.2 SSE (0.9 mi away)

Destination

Houston, TX

TX HOUSTON 2.1 NNE (2.4 mi away)

Ready to plan? See the full trip plan from Pecos, TX to Houston, TX with stops, fuel costs, and directions.

Considering flying instead? Compare driving vs flying for this route.