AUSTIN, Texas — As we start another week of summer in Central Texas, we'll once again be on watch for dangerous heat.
For Monday, Austin and its surrounding counties have dodged a heat advisory, while The Great Plains, Midwest and East Coast are all experiencing unseasonable temperatures.
For the first part of this week, the high-pressure dome that has been parked over the West Coast for the past week will shift east. This will boost our chances for triple-digit heat in the coming days.
Monday highs are expected to reach the upper 90s, while "feels-like" temperatures could be up to 103 degrees.
Heat alerts nationwide for Monday
Thankfully, a plume of Saharan dust has helped subtract some moisture from the atmosphere in Texas for Monday, keeping dewpoints under 70 and keeping humidity levels down a bit. But as that dust exits to the north and east for Tuesday, temperatures will climb higher.
Tuesday through Wednesday are looking like the best chance for triple-digit heat.
Temperatures could also climb that high on Thursday, but we will need a bit more information on the timing of a cold front over the coming days, to distinguish just how much heat is possible. If the front moves in later in the evening, more heat during the afternoon will be possible.
The heat index Tuesday through Thursday is expected to range from 104 to 108 degrees.
So far, this summer has been more mild than the summer of 2023. Camp Mabry has recorded 11 days of triple-digit heat, with a streak of nine days in a row. However, as of Monday, there is no streak.
Even if Austin records a couple of days of 100 degrees this week, the streak of triple-digits will likely be cut short by cooler temperatures incoming down the line.
A cold front will offer up some more noticeable rain chances on Thursday and Friday. In preparation, this rain will mostly be beneficial to our drought conditions, but it's possible a few stronger thunderstorms could organize too.
Keep a watchful eye on the forecast if you have outdoor plans on Thursday or Friday.
Rain chances and seasonable temperatures trickle into next weekend too. Below is a snapshot of the next seven days.
