AccuWeather Ranks Hottest U.S. Cities—See Who Made the List
(Mix 93-1) Comparatively speaking, Texas has had a pretty tame summer when it comes to our summertime temperatures.
By this time each summer, especially in East Texas, we have a multitude of counties under some kind of burn ban. However, this year we have just one so far, and that’s across East, North, and Deep East Texas. Because we've had a pretty unsettled weather pattern all summer long, giving us chances of rain and keeping our temperatures around normal, things aren't as dry as they normally are.
Texas Has Stayed Cooler This Summer
Thankfully, we haven't been baking in the 100°+ weather this year, but we definitely know it's possible when the heat and humidity start mixing, leaving us saying 'It's really hot'.
While we haven't been baking, we've been able to get outside and enjoy more of summer. More biking. More water skiing. More time in the playground with the kids. It's been a relatively good summer for us.
But we know it can be hot in Texas, and depending upon where you are, it could be hot from the temperature alone or hot because of the temperature-humidity index.
Accuweather took a look at the US cities with more than 250,000 residents and compiled a list of the 10 hottest cities in the U.S.
Texas Has 3 Of The Top 10 Hottest Cities In The US
Gallery Credit: Accuweather
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What Is a Heat Dome?
It can get extremely hot in these cities thanks to a phenomenon called the 'heat dome'.
A heat dome happens when high pressure sits over a region and acts like a lid on the atmosphere. While warm air tries to escape, the high-pressure dome forces it back down to the earth. With little or no variation in temperature, the hot air becomes trapped and is not replaced by cooler air, which usually happens.
How Heat Domes Create Heat Waves
Oftentimes, a heat wave results thanks to this phenomenon. The good news is that they don't last forever; heat domes will move and retrograde, but eventually, they will dissipate.
Texans’ Best Ways to Beat the Heat
So while East Texas has lucked out with a milder summer this year, it’s a good reminder that the heat dome effect can always return — and when it does, Texans know how to adapt. Whether it’s finding shade under a live oak, cooling off with sweet tea, or retreating to the lake, we’ve got our own ways of beating the heat until the weather finally gives us a break.