HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The unusual May heat wave underway over Texas cranks up another notch Wednesday, and it will be made worse by an increase in humidity.
The strong Gulf breeze will not only transport in higher humidity Wednesday morning, it will also keep temperatures from cooling much below the mid 70s. Houston got all the way up to a new record high of 95 on Tuesday, and it will be even hotter on Wednesday afternoon with the record high of 93 predicted to get smashed. When it hits 97 around 3 p.m., the temperature will feel more like it’s between 100-105 because of that more humid air.
A Heat Advisory begins at Noon and lasts until 7 p.m. for Brazos, Burleson and Washington counties.
SEE: HOW TO STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY DURING HEAT WAVE
What’s the hottest it will get this week, and how long will it stick around?
Well, it’s going to feel more like the middle of July than the middle of May. We predict record highs in the mid-90s will be challenged, tied, or broken today through at least Wednesday of next week. That’s right, a solid week of heat in record territory. Additionally, it will be humid enough starting Wednesday to push the heat index up to between 100 to 105 degrees well into next week. The hottest day of the week is likely going to be Wednesday, when we are predicting a record-breaking high of 97. If that verifies, it will be the earliest in the calendar year Houston has ever observed 97, breaking the old record from 2011 by 12 days. We are seeing a strong signal to our west around Austin and San Antonio that triple-digit heat will occur several days this week, and all-time record highs for May could even fall around the Hill Country. That’s where temperatures could peak between 105-110 degrees! Stay tuned.
Does this mean we won’t get any rain this week?
Bingo. This type of heat usually means a heat ridge is pushing the storm track away from us. The stormy pattern of the last two weeks is now over, and it won’t be until around the middle of next week that we’ll see a 20% chance of rain return.
This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.
For tips to stay safe and healthy during the heat wave, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.