Map showing the categories of heat risk forecast for Sunday. Image: NOAA/CDC Heat Risk
The first of what will likely be many extreme heat events this summer is on its way to much of Texas.
Threat level: Extreme heat is the deadliest weather hazard in the U.S.
According to the NOAA Weather Prediction Center, record-breaking highs and overnight low temperatures are expected, particularly in southern Texas, along the Gulf Coast, and into Florida.
"This heat could be particularly dangerous for people dealing with a loss of power in parts of Texas. Warm overnight temperatures will offer little relief and high humidity could also lead to heat index readings over 110 degrees," forecasters said in a technical forecast discussion yesterday.
Stunning stat: If the temperature in Austin hits 100°F or above this weekend, as currently forecast, it would be about a month before the typical start of triple-digit heat here.
Context: Extreme heat is the hazard most clearly tied to climate change, as the probability of these events along with their intensity increases dramatically as the average temperature increases.
Numerous studies have shown that certain heat waves would have been virtually impossible had it not been for human emissions of greenhouse gases that pushed temperatures upward.
Flashback: The first 100-degree day during Austin's hottest summer recorded at Camp Mabry was May 25, 2011.
What's next: Austin-area temperatures are expected to increase on Friday, forecasters say, and computer models do not show extended relief arriving through the rest of the month.
