How hot has this Texas summer been? One for the record books
Texas is on track for the second hottest summer on record, trailing only the record-breaking year of 2011.
There’s just one hitch, according to state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon. It all depends on what happens in August.
“If August comes out in the Top 10, then this would be the second hottest summer for Texas,” Nielsen-Gammon said. “I think we have a good shot at having a Top 10 August despite the rain in some parts of the state over the last couple of days.”
To make it into second place, the statewide average temperature would have to be 84.3 degrees. After June and July, that’s exactly where it stands.
North Texas isn’t approaching record-breaking territory despite extreme heat that included a high of 109 on July 21. July appears set to be the seventh-warmest on record with an average temperature of 88.8 degrees.
More important, it’s been exceptionally dry.
At Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, only 0.24 of an inch of rain fell in July.
And over the last four months, only 4.15 inches were recorded at DFW Airport, the second-driest between April-July 31 on record.
While the last few days of temperatures in the 90s have given everybody’s air conditioner a slight break, it won’t last for long.
By next week, temperatures will be back in the triple digits and by this weekend the wildfire threat will be returning returning across North Texas.
“Over the next week, there’s almost no chance for rain,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Dennis Cain. “As we heat up and the winds start picking up this weekend, the wildfire threat will return.”
If you’re looking for a glimmer of hope, the drought isn’t expected to be a prolonged one.
“You always have to worry about drought,” Nielsen-Gammon said. “But it looks like we’ll be getting an El Niño in the tropical Pacific, which favors wetter than normal winters for Texas. This is probably going to be a one-year drought.”
This story was originally published August 1, 2018 at 8:00 AM with the headline "How hot has this Texas summer been? One for the record books."