Texas heat is lasting weeks longer and becoming much hotter. Search heat index by address

It’s not just in your head — Texas is getting hotter.

As we officially head into summer next week, the most intense heat of the year still lies ahead. This week, temperatures are beginning to climb across the state — and soon, it’ll be downright scorching.

Last year was the hottest ever recorded, and 2025 is shaping up to follow suit. This spring has already ranked among the warmest on record across the contiguous United States, and a recent heat wave made it clear when cities along the Texas-Mexico border briefly became the hottest places on Earth, with actual temperatures reaching 114 degrees.

And the heat isn’t letting up. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there’s a 99% chance that 2025 will rank among the five hottest years globally.

In Texas, summer doesn’t just hit harder — it sticks around longer. The first 90-degree days are arriving earlier, and stretches of triple-digit heat are lasting longer than ever, a USA TODAY analysis found.

So if you're feeling the heat now, brace yourself. The worst is still to come.

Which Texas cities are getting more hot days?

A USA TODAY analysis of heat index data since 1985 for 310 major cities found that most of them ‒ about 8 in 10 ‒ have experienced an increase in the number of days each year with a heat index of 90 degrees or higher.

Cities across the South, Southwest and Southeast saw the sharpest increases, while only the Northern Rockies and Plains and the Upper Midwest experienced a decline.

New Mexico may top the list with the three fastest-warming cities, but Texas dominates overall, claiming more than half of the top 15.

In Texas, Abilene and Amarillo lead the state, each seeing 26 more hot days per year compared to 1985.

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What’s the difference between temperature and heat index?

The temperature is the actual air reading — what a thermometer records in the shade. The heat index, on the other hand, represents what it feels like to the human body when both temperature and humidity are factored in, according to the National Weather Service.

When humidity is high, sweat doesn’t evaporate as easily, making it harder for your body to cool down. That’s why the heat index is often higher than the air temperature, and why it’s used to gauge the risk of heat-related illness.