How many times have you heard the term “Excessive Heat Warning”? I suppose it depends on where you live.
Here in Texas, that “h bomb” got dropped on us for the weekend. Why? Take a look at the forecast.
Noon hadn’t even rolled around and we already hit 92°F (33°C) with a heat index of 98°F (37°C). Oh, and the hottest part of the day comes later.
According to NOAA:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM CDT MONDAY. […]
DANGEROUS SUMMER HEAT IS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES RANGING BETWEEN 103 AND 107 DEGREES SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THESE HOT TEMPERATURES WILL COMBINE WITH MODERATE HUMIDITY VALUES TO PRODUCE HEAT INDEX VALUES BETWEEN 105 AND 112 DEGREES. THE HOTTEST DAYS ARE EXPECTED TO BE SUNDAY AND MONDAY. IN ADDITION… OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURES WILL ONLY DROP INTO THE UPPER 70S AND LOWER 80S…PROVIDING LITTLE RECOVERY TIME FROM THE HOT TEMPERATURES.
[…]
AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF DANGEROUSLY HOT TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE LIKELY.
They go on to say:
DANGEROUS HEAT WILL CONTINUE TODAY AND TONIGHT. AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE FROM WHITESBORO TO BENBROOK TO EDOM. AFTERNOON HEAT INDEX VALUES IN THE WARNING AREA WILL REACH OVER 110 DEGREES IN THE AFTERNOON.
Truth be told, we’ve had actual temperatures well above the anticipated heat index. Still, it’s painful and difficult on many people. With 50% humidity at the current temperatures (dewpoint at 70°F/21°C), uncomfortable fails to describe the situation.
August is our hottest month, however, so I imagine we should expect more of this before we get a break.