North Texas may see warmest day of the year Thursday, but not highest heat index
North Texas could see its hottest temperature of the year on Thursday, July 17, although that doesn’t mean the heat index will be much higher.
An upper-level ridge in the Southern Plains will help high pressure “dominate” across the Metroplex on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service Fort Worth. Essentially, the skies will stay clear and allow temperatures to heat up.
The NWS is expecting a high of 98 degrees Thursday, which would be the hottest temperature recorded in the region this year. The Metroplex has not crossed into 100 degrees yet; the hottest day of the year thus far was 97 degrees on July 10.
While it will be warm, the heat index, or “feels like” temperature, will be just a few degrees higher in the low 100s due to the humidity being low. The heat index is calculated by air temperature and either dew point or relative humidity, according to the NWS.
Similar warm conditions are expected on Friday, July 18. —
The dew point will be in the 60s, keeping heat index values around the actual air temperature, according to the NWS. However, the humidity is expected to rise by Saturday, July 20, with peak heat indices in the low to mid-100s.
