San Antonio breaks weather records with extreme heat
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Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
San Antonio's extreme heat this week is breaking records.
Driving the news: Monday and Tuesday both saw a high of 105° that broke the prior record of 103° for those dates, per the National Weather Service.
- San Antonio also broke its record for the hottest heat index since records began, NWS meteorologist Victor Murphy told Axios' Andrew Freedman.
- We hit a heat index of 116° Tuesday, breaking the 115° heat index record we set on Friday, per Murphy.
What's happening: Texans are used to hot weather, but the combination of tropical-level humidity with triple-digit high temperatures is making for a dangerous, precedent-busting extreme heat event.
Why it matters: The high temperatures are endangering lives. On average, extreme heat is the biggest annual weather-related killer in the U.S., per the National Weather Service.
- The long duration of the heat — lasting longer than a week with no end in sight — is worsening the risk.
By the numbers: There have been 73 cases of heat exhaustion and six cases of heat stroke locally between March and June 10, per the city's Metropolitan Health District.
- 16 cases of heat exhaustion were reported in the week ending June 10.
- However, there were far more reported heat exhaustion cases by this time last year.
The big picture: The heat wave in Texas and surrounding states has prompted the NWS to issue heat warnings and advisories for more than 40 million people at a time.
State of play: Such a humid air mass has made nighttime relief nearly impossible to experience without air conditioning, by keeping air temperatures higher than they otherwise would be.
- That means our bodies don't have time to cool down.
Context: Climate change is increasing the severity, frequency and likelihood of extreme heat events in the U.S. and worldwide, numerous studies show.
Zoom out: San Angelo broke its all-time record high of 111°, reaching 114° on Tuesday afternoon. Temperature data in San Angelo goes back to 1907, according to Murphy.
What's next: Parts of Texas may see some very slight temperature relief Thursday and Friday, but more extreme heat is on tap after that.