According to the National Weather Service, North Texas’ scorching summer is breaking both heat and low precipitation records.
During June and July of this year, DFW received a mere 1.25 inches of rainfall combined, marking the sixth driest two-month period on record. Additionally, these two months ranked as the tenth highest in terms of warmth within the documented weather history of the region, boasting an average temperature of 86.7 degrees.
By the end of July, Texas witnessed at least 29 days surpassing the 100-degree mark, securing the eighth position in history for the highest number of 100-degree days up to that point. The record for the most such days stands at 44, recorded in 1980.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, most of Texas is experiencing abnormal to exceptionally high drought conditions. The summer of 1934 holds the record, with June and July collectively receiving less than a tenth of an inch of rainfall. Prior to the current year, the driest June and July were noted in 1978.
According to a study by the Texas Tribune, in the past decade, there have been over 1,600 instances where a heat record was either equaled or surpassed at any of the 22 weather stations located throughout Texas. This number significantly exceeds the average of 561 record-breaking days observed at these stations in the decades leading up to 2013, surpassing it by more than 1,000 days.
Heat stands as a dire outcome of climate change, presenting itself as the most lethal form of weather. Its annual toll in terms of lives lost often surpasses that of hurricanes, tornadoes, or flooding. The Texas Tribune found that Texas witnessed over 275 fatalities due to heat-related ailments last year, marking the highest point in two decades—an occurrence that experts believe is likely an underestimate.
Unfortunately, the sweltering heat is likely to continue, with heat warnings in place for the week of Aug. 7, 2023.
