Houston's hot August continues
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Houston's August heat isn't letting up.
The big picture: The month has been a bit warmer than normal, and highs are nearing 100 degrees this week, with triple-digit heat indexes expected through the weekend.
What they're saying: "We are skewing a little hotter than normal," National Weather Service meteorologist Cameron Self tells Axios. August is running about 1 degree warmer than normal, and forecasts favor temperatures at or above normal through the end of the month.
Between the lines: Houston's warm nights are also keeping the month's average temperature up.
- Houston's urban heat island and a warm Gulf make it harder for temperatures to drop overnight because they help keep the air warm and humid, Self says.
What we're watching: The National Weather Service issues an advisory when the heat index is expected to reach at least 108. Self says a heat index of 108 is "certainly possible" this month.
- There's a slight chance of rain on Saturday night, but otherwise the short-term forecast calls for no relief.
Zoom out: July was the hottest month on record for the contiguous U.S., per new federal data dating back to 1895.
Zoom in: July averaged about 1 degree warmer than normal here, with daytime highs only slightly above average.
The bottom line: "Just a little bit above normal in August is very unpleasant for Houston," Self says.