DFW Weather: The hottest stretch in two years plus how Tropical Storm Bertha impacts Texas

[00:00:00]hot and and dry conditions.

[00:00:01]>> Right, Cara. This is the first time we've seen heat like this in over 2 years.

[00:00:05]>> Okay.

[00:00:05]>> And this is the kind of heat that does tend to dry out soils really quickly. In fact, right now, we're not looking at too much of a drought status, but this could very much grow in the next 2 weeks as it does this time of the year just because of the lack of rain and the increase in temperatures. I want to show you this right now. DFW Airport temperature of 98. The heat index is already 106. It already feels like the triple digits out there and it's not even noon yet. The temperature has made it to 97 in McKinney, 101 in Dallas, 100 in Terrell and in Canton. Already the triple digits before midday with several locations already reporting the heat index above 105. And that's before noon. We've got lots of time still to warm up. That's why extreme heat warnings are in place for most of North Texas for a heat index up to 115 through this evening. That will then be replaced by a heat advisory which some counties are included in for heat index up to 108 extended through tomorrow.

[00:01:04]This will likely be extended through the weekend. Today, the temperature makes it to about 102 by 2:00 in the afternoon, 104 by 4:00. This is going to be very close to yesterday's high of 106, which we haven't seen since August of 2024.

[00:01:20]That is nearly 2 years ago that we've seen this type of heat. And this afternoon, we could very well make it to 105 for actual high temperatures in Denton, McKinney, and in Fort Worth.

[00:01:31]Some spots close to 106. The record is 109, which I think will stay safe today, but there are some records in the extended forecast that I do think will fall. As far as the heat index today, above 110 in many locations, which is what triggers that excessive heat warning. Expect this, by the way, between 3:00 and about 6:00 this afternoon with a heat index in the triple digits through the evening. Now, there is a small, small potential for relief. 10% coverage of rain southwest of DFW, and that's because a weak front moves in today. But, this is what it could look like. We could see this in the form of a pop-up shower, maybe an isolated thunderstorm. Do not plan on this rain. I'm just telling you there's a very small potential to see a pop-up shower, and if that happens, these specific locations will stay out of the triple digits. But, everyone, as the rest of this week into this weekend, we're looking at the triple-digit heat.

[00:02:25]That's 5 to 8° above what's considered normal this time of the year. And when you factor in the humidity, it'll feel like it's above 105 most afternoons.

[00:02:36]It's all thanks to this ridge of high pressure or the heat dome. It's right over Texas, and this is what's prompted several heat alerts from North Texas, Central Southeast Texas into Louisiana with excessive heat warnings right underneath that heat dome. And this is also limiting any rain potential. So, when you look at the rain potential through this week, you see a big nothing over big portion of Texas. Where we see the exception is right here, and that's all thanks to Tropical Storm Bertha.

[00:03:09]What we'll notice is that this is going to help bring in a little bit of relief along the coastline in the form of the potential for cloud cover and some scattered showers, but this is not a big rainmaker by any means. We could see some higher wind gusts along that Louisiana coastline and unfortunately, because of those heat alerts and the potential to lose power, the heat will be the most dangerous part of this tropical system as it works its way to the west. Meanwhile, look at this.

[00:03:36]Triple digits for the next 2 weeks. We could see temperatures as high as 105, and that would be early next week.

[00:03:43]Morning lows, Cara, in the low 80s, meaning our temperatures do not recover much thanks to the urban heat island effect. That means our infrastructure and our bodies don't recover from this heat.

[00:03:54]>> Yeah, it's a good point. Thank you, Marielle. So, as it does cool