Heat wave, humidity expected to continue through Fourth of July weekend in Fort Worth
The sweltering heat and humidity that has overtaken the Dallas-Fort Worth region is expected to continue through the Fourth of July weekend, with multiple days of heat indexes in the 100s.
Downpours from a couple of weeks ago have led to an increase in moisture in the air, and consistent southerly winds have been pushing even more moisture from the Gulf of Mexico into North Texas, according to meteorologist Jason Godwin of the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. That has led to a surge in humidity, he said — even if temperatures are fairly normal for this time of year.
The high temperature was only around 94 on Wednesday, according to the weather service, but the heat index — or what it feels like with the humidity — reached around 107.
MedStar responded to 16 heat calls on Wednesday, a spokesman said in an email. Ten people were transported to hospitals, including one person who was in critical condition.
Temperatures were expected to reach 96 on Thursday and the heat index around 105, according to the weather service forecast. The agency issued a heat advisory until 7 p.m. Thursday warning of an increased risk for heat-related illnesses and offering advice such as staying indoors as much as possible.
“Stay hydrated — I mean that’s the big one,” Godwin said. “And of course don’t overly exert yourself during the hottest part of the day, which is typically noon to 5 p.m.”
He warned against drinking too much alcohol or caffeine, offering water and sports drinks as a better alternative. The weather service also advises people to never leave children or pets unattended in cars and take extra precaution if working outside.
That includes wearing lightweight clothing, knowing the signs of heat exhaustion and scheduling frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments.
Compared to Wednesday, humidity levels are expected to be less severe on Friday and the Fourth of July on Saturday, Godwin said. There was around 60 percent humidity in the air on Wednesday afternoon, he said, and those levels were expected to drop to around 45 to 50 percent on Thursday afternoon.
There may not be heat advisories this weekend because there have to be at least two consecutive days of heat index values of at least 105, which might not happen, Godwin said.
But he said heat index values should still reach at least 100 every day through Sunday, meaning people still need to be cautious when going outside. “It’s still gonna be hot enough where people are gonna want to take all the normal precautions for summer in North Texas,” he said.
Humidity levels might rise again at the beginning of next week, Godwin said. But he said it shouldn’t be as bad as these past couple days.
This story was originally published July 2, 2020 at 9:19 AM.
