Many cities across the United States have never recorded levels of heat and drought like those of this summer. Large areas of the country experienced above-average temperatures, and in some cases, the extreme heat has been unusually sustained.
Texas has felt the brunt of the heat, enduring its hottest July, May-July and April-July periods on record, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) this week. Houston, San Antonio, Del Rio and Austin are all experiencing their hottest summers on record, with temperatures as much as five degrees higher than a typical season. San Angelo, about 230 miles west of Austin, was in the midst of a 35-day streak with highs over 100 degrees.
Farther east, in Florida, the average high so far this summer has ranged from 88 to 96 degrees. National Weather Service stations in central Florida, including Orlando, Daytona Beach and Tampa, measured average highs as much as 3 degrees warmer than normal for a typical summer. That departure goes up to 5 degrees at the Jacksonville station, which is also tied with Orlando, Tampa and Plant City for the hottest cities in the state this summer.
Nearby, Fort Lauderdale has tied its all-time season-to-date record of one 100-degree day. Not too far away, Gulfport, Mississippi, edged out that record with four 100-degree days, tying its own season-to-date record.