More extreme heat moves into North Texas
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Avoid going outside midday. Photo: Shelby Tauber/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A new heat wave is moving into North Texas, putting the Dallas-Fort Worth area under a heat advisory at least through Wednesday night.
Why it matters: Hot days aren't unusual in Texas, but they fit into a larger global trend of heat records set this summer.
- Scientists are already warning that 2023 could be the hottest year on record.
The big picture: Dangerously sweltering conditions are expected to intensify this week across the Southwest.
- That puts daily, monthly and some all-time records in jeopardy from the deserts of southern California to southwestern Texas, writes Axios' Andrew Freedman.
What's happening: Temperatures are expected to reach as high as 102° Wednesday with the heat index — what it feels like outside — as high as 110°.
- The extreme heat is expected to continue through the weekend and possibly into next week, according to the National Weather Service.
What they're saying: North Texas already "had one real hot spell and now we're just getting into the heart of summer," National Weather Service meteorologist Jason Dunn tells Axios.
Details: D-FW has had six 100-degree days so far this summer. Last year, there were 47.
Of note: The state's power grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, hasn't asked Texans to conserve energy.
- There was enough energy to meet demand as of Tuesday night.
Zoom out: Last month was the world's hottest June on record, surpassing the last global record in June 2019, per CNN.
- The nine hottest Junes have occurred in the last nine years.
What's next: The current heat advisory is in place until 9pm Wednesday but is likely to be extended as long as the heat index remains above 105° and air temperatures get above 103°.
- That means you should avoid going outside during the hottest parts of the day and hydrate.