It's official, folks - San Antonio endured its hottest year on record in 2023, with an average temperature that scorched past historical figures. Data from the National Weather Service and local reports confirm that the Texas city sweated through an average annual temperature of 72.9 degrees, more than three degrees above what's considered "normal". The steamy stats don't stop there, according to KSAT, 2023 tallied a third-place ranking for high temperatures alone, clocking in at an average of 83.3 degrees.
Heat waves weren't just a fling this past summer with a relentless stretch that included 75 days with temperatures breaking the 100-degree mark – a new record for the southern seat. These scorching numbers began ticking up from June 16, not letting up until September 24, reported Express News. Beyond the oppressive heat, the climate posed a severe drought with the city receiving a foot below the normal annual rainfall.
San Antonio's sizzling streak pushed the envelope with several months reaching historic heat levels. June 2023 became the city’s eighth-warmest June on record, July was the second-hottest July, and August set a new precedent as the hottest August — and the hottest month ever recorded there. Not one to be left out, September followed suit as the warmest September on record, rounding off a season that left Texans longing for cooler climes.
As for rainfall, it trickled in below average for eight months straight from May to December; with September's measly 0.43 inch of precipitation solidifying its place as the eighth-driest September for the city, as per Express News. And while Tropical Storm Harold promised some wet relief for the drought-stricken region, it veered too far south of San Antonio to make a significant impact, leaving the region high, and dry.
Climate change, having been implicated in the meteorological turmoil, stands as a prime suspect alongside other natural occurrences like La Niña and longtime rainfall deficits. With seven out of the top ten hottest years occurring since 2002, the data isn't just whispering of changes afoot – it's practically shouting. As for what 2024 holds, that's anyone's guess, but many in San Antonio and across Texas are hoping for more rain and milder temperatures to turn the tide on this extreme heat narrative.
