Back to the 100s: Austin's temperatures forecast to rise after week in the 90s

Ryan Maxin, Austin American-Statesman
·2 min read
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Men work at a construction site on South First Street on Friday. The workers labored on a comparatively cool morning in the lower to mid-80s, but very hot, triple-digit temperatures are returning.
Men work at a construction site on South First Street on Friday. The workers labored on a comparatively cool morning in the lower to mid-80s, but very hot, triple-digit temperatures are returning.

Temperatures in Austin are expected to again rise above 100 degrees beginning Monday, with highs forecast to remain in the triple digits all week, marking the end to a small stretch of mild weather that kept the area's top temperatures in the 90s.

Highs on Saturday and Sunday are predicted to approach — but not reach — 100 degrees, the National Weather Service forecast said Friday. Heat index values, or the "feels like" temperatures, however, could likely make it feel warmer than 100 degrees. A mix of sun and clouds is expected over the weekend.

Monday's high is forecast to reach 101 degrees. Meteorologists anticipate temperatures will reach 102 from Tuesday through Thursday. Weather conditions are expected to be sunny with chances for rain.

In the nights, temperatures are predicted to hover near the lower 80s.

Austin mild while global temperatures break records

Though Austin hasn't reached 100 degrees for days, the globe overall is sweltering. Earth's average temperature set new records Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, USA TODAY reported. They were the highest ever recorded by human-made instruments. Those records were beaten again Thursday, CNN reported Friday.

Data: Every day since Monday has reached hottest global temperature on record

It's likely the global daily heat record will be broken again throughout the summer. "We may well see a few even warmer days over the next six weeks," Berkeley Earth's Robert Rohde wrote Tuesday on Twitter.

Global warming is to blame, experts say

Scientists point to climate change as a primary factor in the globe's warming.

Stefan Rahmstorf, a climate scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research in Germany, said the idea that fossil fuels are contributing to the Earth's rising temperatures is not new.

“But it is dangerous for us humans and for the ecosystems we depend on," Rahmstorf told USA TODAY. "We need to stop it fast.”

The natural El Niño climate pattern also plays a major role in the warmth. El Niño occurs on average every two to seven years, and episodes typically last nine to 12 months. It is a naturally occurring climate pattern associated with warming of the ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. But it takes place in the context of a climate changed by human activities, the World Meteorological Organization said.

“The onset of El Niño will greatly increase the likelihood of breaking temperature records and triggering more extreme heat in many parts of the world and in the ocean,” World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said in a statement.

Reporting from USA TODAY reporter Doyle Rice contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas heat wave: Austin temperatures forecast to rise above 100