Houston is bracing for one of its most dangerous stretches of the summer so far, as an Extreme Heat Warning has been issued through 8 p.m. Thursday, with heat index values expected to climb as high as 114 degrees Fahrenheit.
Forecasters say the combination of high humidity and blistering sun will make it feel significantly hotter than the actual air temperature, putting residents at serious risk if proper precautions aren’t taken.
Thursday will be mostly sunny with a high near 94 degrees, but the heat index — what the body actually feels — could reach 109 degrees in the Houston area during peak afternoon hours. Across Southeast Texas more broadly, feels-like temperatures may range between 107 and 114 degrees.
Juneteenth on Friday won’t offer much relief either. Conditions are expected to mirror Thursday almost exactly, with a high near 93 degrees and heat index values again pushing close to 109 degrees. Making matters worse, overnight lows will only dip to around 80 to 81 degrees, meaning there will be little to no cooling relief after sundown.
Officials are urging residents to take the warning seriously. Recommended precautions include drinking water consistently even without feeling thirsty, staying indoors in air conditioning during peak hours, and avoiding strenuous outdoor activity in early afternoon. Authorities also stressed that children, pets, or anyone else should never be left inside a parked vehicle under any circumstances, even briefly.
Residents are also being asked to check in on elderly neighbors or anyone without reliable access to air conditioning, as heat-related illness can escalate quickly without warning signs being noticed in time.
On the storm front, most of the region will stay dry through Friday, but a 30 percent chance of showers returns late Friday night into Saturday. That activity is expected to be scattered, not widespread, meaning the heat threat remains the primary concern heading into the holiday weekend.
Father’s Day weekend is expected to stay hot as well, with highs holding in the low 90s into early next week.
