Austin residents can expect to continue battling with the heat for the next few days. According to a recent forecast from the National Weather Service, temperatures are set to soar near the 97-degree mark with heat index values even higher, potentially reaching up to 104. This heat wave is expected to persist through the weekend, with only a slight reprieve in the evenings where the low will hover around 74 degrees.
The sweltering conditions are due to go on until Father’s Day, followed by an increased chance of showers and thunderstorms as the week progresses. NWS mentioned there's "a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms" by Juneteenth, which could provide some much-needed relief from the unremitting heat.
Meanwhile, attention is turning toward the Gulf of Mexico, where a system developing in the Bay of Campeche is catching forecasters' eye. KXAN reports, that while there is considerable uncertainty about the system’s growth, "the National Hurricane Center continues to give a developing area of low pressure a 50% chance of becoming a tropical depression or stronger." This could lead to increased rainfall for the region.
Currently, computer models suggest the bulk of the precipitation may be directed towards Mexico. However, central Texas may still receive some influx of tropical moisture, enhanced by the predicted weather system. As a result, rain chances remain low on Monday and Tuesday but increase mid-week. Any significant shift in weather patterns, however, hinges on forthcoming data from higher-resolution computer models, according to KXAN’s First Warning Weather Team. Updates to these forecasts are expected to be provided over the forthcoming weekend.
