Guess when the first 100-degree day in 2022 might hit North Texas? It could be this week
For North Texans, this is the week to make sure the air conditioners in your car and home are working.
Temperatures were expected to reach about 97 on Monday, and every day for the rest of the week temperatures will be in the upper 90s and the heat index will be over 100 degrees. Forecasters are predicting the temperature could reach 100 degrees on Friday, the first 100-degree temperature in North Texas in 2022.
“If you’re going to be outside in the afternoons, take a break and drink plenty of water,” said meteorologist Patricia Sanchez at the National Weather Service in Fort Worth on Monday.
Southerly winds will provide some relief Tuesday, but forecasters say it will still be humid in North Texas. The heat index could be between 100 to 105.
The heat index is a measure of how hot it really feels when dewpoints/relative humidity are factored in with the actual temperature, according to the NWS in Fort Worth.
The high temperature on Tuesday should be 98, according to the NWS.
A strengthening high pressure ridge to the west will help keep temperatures in the hot range. Fort Worth and the rest of North Texas will have a shot at reaching the triple digits on Friday.
The average date of the first 100-degree day is July 1 at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, according to the NWS. North Texans typically get between 20 and 24 100-degree days annually, mostly during the summer.
On Friday, daytime temperatures are expected to be more than 10 degrees above normal in most areas of North Texas. The heat index will reach 105 to 110 degrees or higher on Friday.
A weak cold front will arrive late Friday or early Saturday, knocking down temperatures a few degrees on Saturday.
Officials at the NWS in Fort Worth noted that the hot temperatures could cause heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Symptoms of heat exhaustion are thirst, heavy sweating, nausea, weakness and dizziness. Residents should move to a cooler area, loosen clothing, sip cool water and seek medical help if symptoms don’t improve.
Heat stroke symptoms include dizziness, confusion and becoming unconscious. Heat strokes can cause death or permanent disability.
This story was originally published June 6, 2022 at 10:10 AM.
