Texas is in the grip of an extraordinary heatwave this week, with record-breaking temperatures sweeping across the central and southern regions of the state.
While 100F days are common in Texas summers, such early-season heat is unusual. The record-high heat means that Texas has been recently hotter than Death Valley, California, which is often cited as the hottest place on Earth.
Temperatures across the central and southern region of the state ranged from 100F to 111F, levels that experts warn can pose serious health risks for anyone without access to air conditioning or enough water.
The extreme temperatures are expected to continue well into next week.
On Wednesday, Austin recorded a sweltering 101F by 5pm, breaking its previous same-day record of 97F set in 2022. Forecasts earlier in the day said the city could reach as high as 105F, far above the average May high of 87F.
The National Weather Service described the temperatures as “unseasonably hot weather” and advised residents to “stay hydrated and take frequent breaks in the shade or A/C!”
The heat wave began earlier in the week, with numerous cities hitting temperatures that exceeded 100F, stressing both public health systems and infrastructure.
The brutal heat is also testing Texas’ power grid. As residents sought relief by blasting air-conditioners, energy demand surged. Electricity use peaked at over 78,000 megawatts by Wednesday afternoon, a new May record, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).
The rising demand is exacerbated by the growing number of industrial facilities and cryptocurrency operations in the state, which have placed even more strain on the power grid.
The scientific community is in agreement that the global climate crisis is making heat waves more intense, frequent, and long-lasting. Last year was officially the hottest on record for Earth, and each of the last ten years ranks among the 10 warmest since record-keeping began over 175 years ago.
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Despite the scientific consensus, the Trump administration has quickly rolled back efforts to address climate change. President Trump has publicly downplayed the threat of global warming, withdrew the US from the Paris climate agreement for the second time, and removed climate change from many federal policy discussions.
The administration also loosened environmental regulations, even as climate scientists warned of increasingly dangerous and costly impacts, including more frequent extreme heat events like the one currently gripping Texas.
