Texas Heat Waves Warning: Excessive Heat Coming Until End of June

Texas has been hit with a massive heat wave that has caused so much trouble within the state, including some power outages. Now, leaders are warning that this could last longer than expected as the heat could reach record temperatures in the Lone Star State.

The city of Austin is warning its citizens of dangerously hot temperatures and has pointed out that more people working outdoors are getting hospitalized due to how hot it is right now. The city's Public Health Office also noted that there had been 21 emergency visits on June 20 alone, and all of them were for heat-related illnesses.

According to KXAN, paramedics are also saying that they have seen a "dramatic increase" in heat-related emergencies, with Asst. Chief Wesley Hopkins of the Austin-Travis County EMS warning citizens that "mild heat issues escalate to life-threatening heat stroke in mere minutes."

Meteorologists are also warning that the heat waves will last until the end of the month at the very least. This has many city leaders in Austin scrambling, with the local government sending crews to different homeless encampments across the city to provide water to people and their pets.

The heat has caused blackouts in the city as well, and the interim general manager for Austin Energy, Stuart Reilly, stated that they now have crews on standby in case of power emergencies or outages due to the heat. The company is also in close contact with the state's power grid manager, ERCOT in case power outages happen again.

Texas Heat Wave Also Affecting Other Areas

The heat warnings in Texas are not just around the Austin area, but also in other counties. In the Fort Worth metropolitan area, temperatures are also scorching hot, as Gizmodo reported that it is experiencing temperatures up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.5 degrees Celsius), with the heat index even going up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius).

Meanwhile, over in San Antonio, the city can expect temperatures up to 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius). Much like in Austin, this Texas heat is expected to stick around for several days.

The National Weather Service says that the heat lasting for several days is caused by what is called a heat dome, which is an area with high pressure that traps hot air in an area over several days. Those who live in households with little to no access to air conditioning, as well as those who do not see a dip in temperatures at night, are more at risk of heat-related health issues, including heat stroke.

Other States Also Affected By Heat Wave

The heat advisories and excessive heat warnings that are sweeping Texas are now expanding northward to other states. The NWS says these include Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, as well as parts of New Mexico and Arizona.

According to The Hill, Phoenix faced 111-degree temperatures last Sunday, while Albuquerque reported near-record temperatures last weekend.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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