Texas is enduring an early-season heatwave that has pushed temperatures higher than those recorded in parts of the Sahara Desert, broken numerous local records, and triggered warnings from health officials and grid operators. The heat index across central and southern Texas climbed between 105°F and 111°F on Thursday, with cities like Houston, Austin, and San Antonio surpassing triple digits.
The National Weather Service said in a statement Thursday that "no matter how you slice it, it is going to be a very hot weekend across all of South Central Texas that likely extends into early next week." Officials urged residents to stay hydrated and limit outdoor activity, noting that the body is not yet acclimated to such extreme temperatures this early in the year.
The blistering conditions were attributed to a heat dome-an area of high pressure trapping warm air over the region. While Texas regularly experiences hot summers, such temperatures in mid-May are considered highly unusual. "Unseasonably hot weather" is expected to linger through the weekend, according to forecasters.
Austin recorded a high of 100°F at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Wednesday, surpassing the city's May 14 record of 96°F set in 2003. San Antonio hit 102°F, breaking its 2022 record of 97°F, while Del Rio reached 104°F, nudging past its 2003 record of 103°F.
The conditions have sparked growing concern about public safety. A heat advisory remained in effect across multiple counties-including Atascosa, Bexar, and Uvalde-until 8 p.m. Thursday. The National Weather Service warned that hot temperatures and high humidity “may cause heat illnesses," especially given the seasonally early onset.
In addition to health concerns, the surging heat has stressed Texas's electrical infrastructure. On Wednesday, electricity demand soared past 78,000 megawatts-a new record for May-according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). The spike in consumption comes as the state faces rising industrial and cryptocurrency energy use, both of which have added strain to the grid.
People ”will not be acclimated to this type of heat so early within the year and thus the risk for heat-related illness is higher than normal," the National Weather Service said in a social media update earlier this week.
While individual weather events are difficult to attribute solely to climate change, scientists broadly agree that global warming is intensifying the frequency, duration, and strength of heatwaves. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that the 10 hottest years globally since 1850 have all occurred in the past decade. Last year was the hottest on record for Earth.
