Fort Worth may see 104 degrees this weekend, but that still isn’t even close to the record
Summer has only just begun for North Texas, but its already been a steamy stifling hot mess.
The heat index in North Texas hit 117 degrees on Tuesday, which ties June 27, 1980, as the highest value ever documented since record keeping began in 1953, according to the National Weather Service. The heat index, or “feels-like temperature,” is determined by factoring in the air and dew point temperatures.
Despite the egregious heat index, North Texas still hasn’t recorded a 100 degree day. The Dallas-Fort Worth area has gotten close with a pair of 99 degree days this month, but is still holding out for triple digits. Cities in the southern part of the state were poised to break temperature records this week, according to the NWS.
The forecast for this weekend brings triple digits back into the fold, with a high of 104 degrees for Sunday, according to the NWS.
While many await the first day this year to record 100 degree, lets take a look at the hottest days in North Texas history:
1. 113 DEGREES — JUNE 26-27, 1980
The summer of 1980 is known by many Texans who lived through it as the hottest on record.
They’re not far off, as the summer ranks second all-time for the number of 100-degree days in the year at 69. The entire month of July saw temperatures over triple digits, a record that still stands 42 years later.
But the hottest days of 1980 were on June 26 and 27, when the temperature hit 113 degrees on consecutive days. However, it did cool off the next day on June 28, only hitting 112 degrees.
2. 112 DEGREES — AUG. 18, 1909; AUG. 11, 1936; AND JUNE 28, 1980
The summer of 1909 got off to a later start than usual in the DFW area, finally hitting its first triple-digit day on July 8.
In total, the year would see 17 days of 100-plus degrees, reaching 112 degrees on Aug. 18. However, Texans got a break after the exceptionally warm day, only recording two more 100 degree days for the remainder of the year.
Summer 1936 was warmer than that of 1909, recording 19 days of 100-plus degrees. August 1936 was by far the hottest month of the year, with 10 days over triple digits, including the noteworthy 112 degrees on Aug. 11.
Also hitting 112 degrees, June 28, 1980, was only the second hottest day of the year then after Texans saw 113 degrees earlier that summer.
3. 111 DEGREES — SEPT. 4, 2000
For those hoping the new millennium would cool off Texas summers, that was unfortunately not the case.
In total, 2000 saw 46 days over triple digits that lasted all the way to September. August was by far the hottest month of the year, recording 27 days over 100 degrees.
However, it was Sept. 4 that saw the warmest day of the year at 111 degrees.
4. 110 DEGREES — AUG. 10, 1936; AUG. 16, 1943; JULY 2 AND 18, 1980; JULY 12, 1998, AND AUG. 2, 2011
For 1943, 1998 and 2011, 110 degrees was the hottest temperature on record.
1943 saw 34 days of triple digit temperatures, its warmest coming on Aug. 16 at 110 degrees. In 1998, there were 56 days over 100 degrees, recording the hottest on July 12. But 2011 takes the cake for number of days over triple digits, holding the record with 71, hitting 110 degrees on Aug. 2.
The years 1936 and 1980 also recorded 110 degree days on Aug. 10 and July 2 and 18, respectively.
5. 109 DEGREES — JULY 29, 1912; JULY 25, 1954; JULY 1, 3 AND 17, 1980; AUG. 6, 2003, AUG. 3, 2011 and July 18-20, 2022
July 29, 1912, and July 25, 1954, recorded the highest temperatures of those years at 109 degrees.
In 1912, there were only 10 days of triple-digit days. But 1954 recorded 52 days over triple digits that mercifully came to an end in September.
Both 1980 and 2011 recorded 109 degree temperatures, but each saw hotter days that year. Last year, North Texas saw three days in a row at 109 degrees in mid-July.
