How Bad Is This Heat, Really?

This June has had one of the highest average temperatures in Austin's recorded history (data via the National Weather Service)

As Austin goes into another week of relentless triple digits, you might be wondering: It can't have been this bad all along, can it?

You'd be right, sort of: This June is the ninth-hottest in recorded Austin history, with last June coming in first. However, 2023 June has already surpassed 2022 June's hottest day by 1 degree, with a max temp of 106. Summer came earlier than usual this year, too. June 9 was the first 100-degree day, making it the 10th-earliest 100-degree day in Austin history. But again, last year was more severe, with the first 100-degree day in May. More broadly, record-high temps in Texas have increased more than 500% in the last century due to climate change. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas reported record-breaking demand on the grid last week and expects that demand this week will overshoot previous records by a wide margin, though it predicts enough energy supply to keep the A/C on, largely thanks to overperforming solar power, which also broke its previous generation records.

Last week, Laredo, Del Rio, San Angelo, and Junction all set record highs, leading to life-threatening conditions – a teenage boy and his stepfather died on a 119-degree hike in Big Bend National Park on Friday, and at least five prisoners died in uncooled prisons across the state this month. Meanwhile, Austin broke its heat index record with 118 degrees on Wednesday, June 21. The heat index is not the actual temperature, but what it feels like to the human body with the combination of heat and humidity. Andrew Quigley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, says last week's rain exacerbated the heat index, as "we rely on that sweat evaporating to cool our bodies down ... when the humidity is so high, that sweat has a harder time evaporating, which keeps our internal body temperature higher."

Quigley says temps should cool down by this weekend, but in the meantime, vulnerable Austinites are suffering. Para­med­ics have seen dramatic increases in heat-related emergency calls – a staggering 118 in the last two weeks. City officials estimate that around half of all incidents so far have been affecting men ages 20-39, who are either working or exercising outside. "The message is, don't think you can just push through the heat," said Mayor Kirk Watson. "Pay attention to your bodies. This is a time for us all to be careful."

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include profuse sweating, dizziness, weakness, pale and clammy skin, fast and weak pulse, nausea, and vomiting. If you experience these symptoms, get inside and lie down immediately. All libraries and rec centers are operating as cooling centers till 8pm each day.