Early season heat wave hits Austin
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Austin is bracing for a blistering heat wave this week that could shatter daily temperature records and set a new all-time high for the month of May.
Why it matters: Extreme temperatures are a major public health threat and play a role in droughts and wildfires.
- Hot weather, particularly heat waves, also threatens the reliability of our increasingly strained electricity grid.
Driving the news: Triple-digit heat is expected to arrive Tuesday, which would mark the city's first 100-degree day of the year — far earlier than average, though not the earliest on record.
- On average, Austin doesn't hit 100° until July 8. The earliest it's ever happened was May 4, back in 1984.
State of play: Forecasters say highs are expected to soar to 105° by midweek, and triple digits will continue through the weekend.
- Wednesday is expected to be the hottest day of the week, and "we may break an all-time record for May in Austin," National Weather Service meteorologist Emily Heller tells Axios.
- Austin previously hit 104 in May in 1925, according to Heller.
Zoom in: City officials will make libraries, recreation centers and other city buildings available to the public as cooling centers this week.
- Austin also warned people experiencing homelessness and directed them to cool places.
- The National Weather Service recommends Central Texas residents stay out of the sun in the afternoons, keep pets out of parked vehicles, take breaks and stay hydrated.
Context: Human-caused climate change has greatly increased the odds and severity of heat waves and led them to be longer lasting as well.
What's next: Gear up for another warm and dry summer, Heller says.
- The Climate Prediction Center will release its 3-month outlook Tuesday, which will provide an even better understanding of what to expect this summer in Central Texas.