Hot summer in Austin, despite few triple-digit days
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Lillian Wilson lounges in a hammock in the shade at Zilker Park this summer. Photo: Jay Janner/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images
Austin's summer has felt very hot, even without many triple-digit days.
Why it matters: While this has not been a record-breaking summer, mercury-wise, it's been an uncomfortable one.
Threat level: Heat index values will approach 110 degrees Saturday afternoon, mainly along and east of the I-35 corridor.
- By combining relative humidity with air temperature, the heat index measures how hot it feels.
The big picture: As of early Thursday afternoon, the weather station at Camp Mabry had recorded three triple-digit days this summer.
- Forecast highs on Friday and Saturday are 101, per the National Weather Service.
Catch up quick: Heavy rains have replenished regional waterways this month — Lake Travis was topped up for the first time in seven years.
Yes, but: Much of Central Texas is still experiencing drought conditions, per the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map out Thursday.
The vibe: It's icky, even miserable, out.
- When you leave your house for your car, you can't help feeling like a crab scuttling from rock to rock.
- And the lakes are not exactly refreshing. Central Texas waterways are generally clocking in in the mid-80s. By comparison, Barton Springs Pool hovers around 68 degrees.
What they're saying: "We have had some pretty humid conditions and while we're not reaching temperatures in the triple digits, the high humidity makes it really feel oppressive," Bianca Garcia, a meteorologist with the New Braunfels station of the weather service, tells Axios.
What's next: The next couple of weeks are shaping up as hotter than normal in Central Texas, per federal forecasters.