Austin woke up to clear, humid skies and temperatures hovering around 77°F at local stations this morning, and the heat only climbs from there. Thursday is on track to be the hottest day of the week, with a high near 101°F and heat-index values topping out around 105–106°F. Steady, gusty south-southwest breezes will kick up this afternoon, and the nights will stay muggy, with lows near 77°F. If you have outdoor plans, try to tackle the tough stuff early and keep the water bottle close.
Afternoon Heat And Gusty Breezes
Peak heating arrives in the mid- to late afternoon when south-southwest winds of 5–10 mph, with gusts up to about 20 mph, will make exposed routes and open areas feel even hotter and occasionally a bit dusty. According to the National Weather Service, highs will top out near 101°F today with heat-index readings up to 106°F. Rain chances start to tick up Friday as tropical moisture returns, and a few strong, gust-producing storms and locally heavy downpours are possible. That setup means short-lived but intense bursts of rain could briefly flood streets in low-lying spots.
Friday Relief And What To Watch
Daytime temperatures should ease back into the upper 90s on Friday, but scattered showers and thunderstorms may still bring gusty winds and quick, heavy downpours. For official guidance on staying cool and information on local cooling centers, see the City of Austin. Keep an eye on the radar Friday afternoon and build in some extra commute time if storms fire up.
More On The Week Ahead
Sticky, warm nights and afternoon heat will linger into the weekend, with scattered storms Saturday and an uptick in rain chances early next week. See our week's heat build-up for background on how we got here; we'll update this post if the National Weather Service issues any advisories.
