Summer is here: Heat wave hits Central Texas with highs in 90s and heat indexes of 105

Bianca Moreno-Paz, Austin American-Statesman

Summer appears to have arrived a week early, with weekday highs projected to reach into the 90s and heat indexes exceeding 100 degrees from Tuesday to Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Overnight lows will dip into the 70s.

Severe weather could make a return Wednesday afternoon into the evening, with a 10% to 30% chance of showers and storms through Friday, the weather service said. The Austin area could see a 10th to a quarter inch of rain, with some areas receiving up to an inch, National Weather Service meteorologist Orlando Bermudez said.

What is the temperature threshold for issuing a heat advisory?

The National Weather Service issues a heat advisory when the heat index reaches 108 degrees or the temperature hits 103 degrees. The Austin area is not expected to see a heat advisory this week, Bermudez said. While it's too soon to tell, he said, Gonzalez, Fayette and Lavaca counties look the closest to having heat advisories this week.

"This is just the start of a heat wave. Next weekend looks like it's going to be hotter than any weekday, with heat indexes of 106 or 107," he said.

Austin 5-day weather forecast

Monday

  • High of 92

  • Low of 71

  • Partly cloudy skies with heat indexes reaching into the high 90s.

Tuesday

  • High of 93

  • Low of 74

  • Partially cloudy skies and a heat index reaching into the low 100s.

Wednesday

  • High of 94

  • Low of 76

  • Mostly to partly cloudy skies, with some chances of severe weather in the evening.

Thursday

  • High of 92

  • Low of 76

  • Storm chances will return in the afternoon hours, with a continued elevated heat index.

Friday

  • High of 94

  • Low of 75

  • The heat index will reach its peak, at 105 degrees, by the afternoon.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Summer is here: Daily highs of 90 and heat indexes in 100s in Austin

Advertisement