weather

Texas heats up: El Paso among fastest-warming cities in US

This summer, Texas cities will swelter through yet another scorcher, as climate data predicts 2024 will be the hottest year yet for our overheating planet. El Paso and other cities prepare for the intense heat, comparing their summer days to the rest of the US.

Published August 9, 2024 at 9:59am by Alexis Simmerman

Heat Wave Scorches Texas, Study Shows Climate Crisis Accelerating

Some of Texas is enjoying a brief respite from scorching heat this weekend, with temperatures having hit triple digits on Thursday. But don't be fooled, as the heat is expected to climb again next week.

A recent Climate Central study analyzed climate data from 241 locations across the US since 1970, revealing that 95% of these locations have warmer summers, with temperatures rising by 2.5°F on average. Over half of the locations have also experienced an increase in the number of unusually hot summer days, by as much as two weeks.

"Last summer was the planet's hottest since records began in 1850 and possibly the hottest in the last 2,000 years."

- Climate Central

NOAA data shows that April 2024 marked the 11th consecutive month of record-high temperatures, and there's a 61% chance that 2024 will be the warmest year yet. June 2024 was also the warmest June on record in 175 years.

Texas features prominently in the list of states impacted by the warming trend:

El Paso is the third-fastest warming city in the nation, with summers nearly 6°F warmer than in 1970.
Six Texas cities (Houston, McAllen, Austin, Bryan, and Odessa) are among the 13 US locations that have experienced the largest increase in summer days, adding 45 to 67 extra summer days.

The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat but a present danger, and Texans are feeling the heat.