When the Heat Dome Strikes Texas, Certain Cities Sizzle Hotter Than the Sahara

Some areas in Texas will experience temperatures hotter than the Sahara desert this Thursday. Intense heat domes are driving temperatures sharply up to triple digits.

In the central and southern regions of Texas, the combined measurement of temperature and humidity is expected to reach “feel-like” temperatures between 105 and 108 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday. These temperatures are hotter than parts of the Sahara Desert, where several cities in Morocco are forecasted to hit the high ’90s F.

Cities like Houston, San Antonio, and Austin in Texas have a chance of breaking daily temperature records on Thursday, with minimal relief anticipated from the Heat Dome in the coming days.

The oppressive heat and humidity are projected to persist through the weekend and into next week, as noted by the National Weather Service.

While Texans are accustomed to high heat and humidity, the current conditions are more typical of summer rather than May.

Heat advisories are in effect for Atascosa, Bexar, Frio, Medina, Uvalde, and Wilson counties until 8 PM local time. The National Weather Service warns that high temperatures combined with humidity “can lead to heat-related illnesses.”

As reported earlier this week on X, the weather authorities stated that people “will not adapt to this level of heat within a year, increasing the risk of heat-related health issues.”

This early heatwave has already set multiple records, with new daily highs reported in Austin and Del Rio, San Antonio, on Wednesday. Austin Bergstrom International Airport hit a record high of 100 F, surpassing the previous May 14 record of 96 F set in 2003. San Antonio recorded 102 F, breaking its previous record of 97 F from 2022.

Although it’s challenging to link specific extreme weather events to climate change, research indicates that global warming is increasing the frequency, duration, and intensity of heatwaves globally. Every decade since 1850 has seen its hottest years within the last ten years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with the last two years setting new global temperature records.

The extreme heat is expected to continue affecting parts of Texas and the southern and central regions through Friday and the weekend. The National Weather Service predicts that heat index values in Texas will range from 100 F to 110 F over Saturday and Sunday.

“Whatever way you look at it, this weekend is set to be extremely hot in southern Texas,” according to the long-term forecast.