Amarillo is classified as a Steppe geographically.A Steppe is a grassland plain without trees (apart from those near rivers and lakes). The prairie (especially the shortgrass prairie) can be considered a steppe. It may be semi-desert, or covered with grass or shrubs or both, depending on the season and latitude. The term is also used to denote the climate encountered in regions too dry to support a forest, but not dry enough to be a desert.

Steppe are characterized by a continental and semi-arid climate. Peaks can be recorded in the summer of up to 40 °C (104 °F) and in winter -40 °C (-40 °F). Besides this huge difference between summer and winter, the differences between day and night are also very great.

Also, the mid-latitude steppes can be summarized by hot summers and cold winters, averaging 250-500 mm (10-20 inches) of rain or equivalent in snowfall per year.

18 inches or less is technically a Desert... Amarillo barely averages above 19 inches.... Im sorry if the "geniuses" at the National Weather Service cannot understand this. In their terms, Amarillo is almost in drought every year.