Texas sizzles as prolonged heat wave smashes dozens of temperature records
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The excessive heat that's been gripping much of the Lone Star State is far from over, AccuWeather forecasters warn.
Some of the highest temperatures to end the weekend are forecast for Austin, which reached 102 F on Saturday. A high of 108 F is forecast for on Sunday, a mark that would shatter the all-time temperature record for the date. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures are forecast to hit 110 there.
The overall weather pattern has been largely stuck in place for more than a week, which has allowed heat to build across the south-central United States and Desert Southwest, with rounds of severe weather targeting the Plains.
Unrelenting heat has already sent daily high temperatures soaring anywhere from 5 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit above normal for cities like San Antonio and Abilene, Texas, since June 1.
"San Antonio has been sweltering in record heat for many consecutive days, with new records officially established from this past Sunday to Tuesday, including back-to-back readings of 104 F on Monday and Tuesday," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger said.
Last Wednesday, the city tied its record high temperature of 101 F. On Friday, the city once again soared to 101 F, but this time it broke the daily record of the day of 100 F, last set in 2012.
With no relief in the immediate future, residents will need to prepare for prolonged heat to continue into the middle of this week.
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Unlike at the start of the month, when the bulk of the worst heat was confined to central Texas, record-challenging heat has been able to reach a much larger swath of the state in recent days.
Cities like Abilene, San Antonio and Austin, Texas, typically record high temperatures around 90 F in early June but many climbed to at least 100 F last Tuesday through Saturday.
Austin narrowly broke a record high for June 11, surpassing the old record of 101 set in 2012. If Austin reaches the highs AccuWeather forecasts for Sunday, the city's daily high-temperature records for its downtown area will be broken both days. AccuWeather forecasts a high of 108 on Sunday, the record high is 103, which was set in 1953. This sweltering high temperature will only fall a bit short of Austin's all-time record high, which is 112 F set on Sept. 5, 2000.
Even the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, which has largely missed out on sweltering conditions, experienced sizzling heat later this week as temperatures climbed several degrees higher each day. By Saturday, Dallas, a city that typically tops out at 90 in early June, reached an important temperature benchmark.
The high temperature on Saturday in Dallas surged to 103 F, making it the first time Dallas topped out in the triple digits this year. Saturday also become the earliest date Dallas reached at least 100 degrees since 2010.
The average date of the first 100-degree day in Dallas is July 1, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty.
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While Dallas is ahead of schedule this year, it was still well shy of the earliest 100-degree day ever recorded. The earliest ever 100-degree day occurred on March 9, 1911, according to the National Weather Service.
Last year, Dallas did not record a 100-degree day until July 25 and only went on to record eight total. 2021 had the lowest total of 100-degree days since 2007, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys.
As the heat wave built across Texas, so too did the risk for heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Forecasters say residents in the affected areas should continue to take care to remain well-hydrated and limit time spent outdoors during the hottest part of the day if possible.
The heat already began to cause significant health impacts for some in the Dallas-Forth Worth Metroplex last week. Last Wednesday, MedStar Mobile Healthcare in Fort Worth reported six heat-related 911 calls were received last Tuesday. At least three people required hospitalization, according to the company.
While Texans are not strangers to the heat, prolonged bouts of abnormal warmth can become hazardous, especially to vulnerable populations. Children, the elderly, outdoor workers, and those without access to air conditioning are typically at the highest risk when temperatures soar.
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In addition to hotter daytime conditions, the nighttime cooldowns will be limited in impact. With less of a chance to cool down at night, energy usage will continue to be high across the affected regions as residents attempt to stay cool.
Nearly 79 percent of Texas continues to experience at least moderate drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor. A remarkable 16 percent of the state is currently in the midst of an exceptional drought, which is the highest drought category possible.
Very dry conditions at the surface give the atmosphere the ability to warm up faster and more intensely than it would normally. Without water to evaporate, solar radiation is able to heat the dry ground directly and send temperatures at the surface skyrocketing more quickly.
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