Houston breaks July heat record

Parts of Houston collectively experienced nearly eight full days' worth of extreme heat index temperatures in June and July.

Driving the news: Official thermometers at William P. Hobby Airport recorded 190 hours of heat index temperatures at or above 105° in June and July this year.

• Our friends at Space City Weather helped compile the numbers, which originated from Purdue University's Midwestern Regional Climate Center.

Why it matters: The heat wave poses an immediate risk to public health, Axios' Jacob Knutson and Andrew Freedman report.

• The Houston region has recorded at least three heat-related deaths since the start of the year, all within the last six weeks.

Plus: Hobby recorded its warmest July on record, per the National Weather Service.

What they're saying: "We don't know when the end is," Space City Weather managing editor Matt Lanza tells Axios. "So we just gotta buckle up and sweat through it."

Go deeper: At Hobby, there were 35 hours of heat index temperatures at or above 105° during June and July 2022, per the data.

• At George Bush Intercontinental Airport, officials recorded 106 hours of heat index temperatures at or above 105° in 2023 and 60 such hours in 2022.

💭 Jay's thought bubble: I want to know why you still love Houston when it's this hot. Or perhaps you regret your move to the Bayou City?

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