The southern region, particularly Texas, is currently experiencing an unprecedented and relentless heat wave, surpassing previous records with no signs of relief.
On Wednesday, Texas witnessed the breaking or tying of six all-time heat records. Del Rio scorchingly reached 115 degrees, while Cotulla sweltered at 116 degrees.
San Angelo and Kingsville matched their all-time record highs, hitting 114 degrees and 111 degrees, respectively. Heat advisories remained in effect on Thursday for 18 million people across most of Texas, parts of New Mexico, and a small section of Oklahoma.
Metropolitan areas such as Tulsa, Oklahoma; Roswell, New Mexico; El Paso, Texas; Austin, Texas; Corpus Christi, Texas; Houston; and San Antonio were all under these alerts.
Throughout each region, temperatures in the 90s to near 100 degrees, coupled with high humidity, resulted in heat index values exceeding 110 degrees. Some areas even experienced heat index values as high as 120 degrees.
Houston anticipated a maximum heat index of 109 degrees through the weekend, while areas further south, like Corpus Christi, could endure an astonishing 119 degrees through Sunday.
Not only were the heat indices suffocating, but they also shattered previous records. On Tuesday, Dallas matched its highest recorded heat index, soaring to 117 degrees. The last time such a record was set was in 1980.
San Antonio experienced a heat index of 116 degrees on Tuesday, establishing a new record for the highest heat index. By the end of the day, the city had also achieved another record: the highest number of consecutive hours with a heat index of 110 degrees or hotter, surpassing 15 hours.
Although Texas is familiar with extreme summer heat, this current heat event is particularly significant for the state, especially considering it’s occurring in June.
According to Alex Lamers from the Weather Prediction Center, if the forecasted temperatures materialize, Del Rio and Laredo could witness the hottest two-week stretch on record. These high temperatures are expected to persist well into July. The influence of climate change is increasing the likelihood of Texas experiencing longer, more frequent, and more intense heat waves.
Climate Central, a nonprofit organization focused on scientific communication, has developed the Climate Shift Index, a tool that estimates the impact of climate change on temperatures.
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For Thursday’s projected highs in southern Texas, the Climate Shift Index reveals levels of 3, 4, and 5 on its 0-5 scale. This means that climate change has made these extreme temperatures three, four, and five times more likely than they would be without the background warming caused by climate change.
