Dallas Temperature Tops 90 Degree Record
Texas has been hit by a major heat wave. It will be well above 90 degrees F in Dallas this week. The average high for February is about 58 degrees. According to Fox4, temperatures will hit record highs. The reason for the year is probably the El Niño Southern Oscillation, which causes fluctuation between below-average and above-average sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, near the equator. This happens about every half-decade. Because of this, Texas is expected to have hot and dry temperatures this Winter and Spring.
Blistering Heat —People Still Move To Phoenix
Heat Kills — Risks To Millions
It is worth noting that almost three years ago, temperatures in Dallas dropped to -2 degrees F as a cold wave enveloped the state. During this period, Texas was hit by three winter storms during a period of two weeks. The state’s electricity grid collapsed, and 4.5 million homes were without power. As many as 700 people were killed. Damage was pegged at nearly $200 billion.
High temperatures also threaten the stability of the grid, primarily because of the use of air conditioning. A Wired report from July 2023 states, “Another extreme weather event, another trial for Texas’ infamous electrical grid. As temperatures have soared above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, residents have cranked up their air conditioners, forcing the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (Ercot), which runs the state’s grid, to ask customers to limit power usage, lest the system crash.”
These hot air phenomena happen more and more frequently. It is not unusual for the temperature in Phoenix to top 100 degrees F in early May. With temperatures above 100 degrees F. for three months, the Phoenix electricity grid has had to operate at record levels.
Texas has a heat problem today–in February. Imagine what happens during a record-hot summer. That could come this year.
