Texans in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex have been experiencing a warmer-than-average May this year.
While it is not unusual for summer to peak around the corner a little early, the tenacity of this particular heatwave is leaving some wondering if this summer is going to feel “like the devil [is] sitting in the living room.”
So far this May, DFW clocked more than 10 consecutive 90-degree days, making it the hottest May on record to date.
With a little over 10 days left in the month, it is still possible it could hit 100 degrees. If it does, it would be the earliest 100-degree day in the DFW since 2006.
This month’s heatwave caught many Texans off-guard, even over at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. On May 12, ERCOT ordered one power plant to delay scheduled repairs and keep running so the state power grid could meet anticipated electricity demands.
The power plant broke down the following day, along with six others.
ERCOT requested Texans set their thermostats no lower than 78 degrees and avoid using any large, energy-inefficient appliances, lest the Texas power grid suffer another catastrophic failure.
Thankfully, this month’s unseasonably warm temperatures do not necessarily mean that the summer will be hotter than usual.
WFAA looked at the top five hottest Mays on record in DFW and found no meaningful correlation between temperatures in May and the rest of the summer.
North Texans will get some reprieve from the heat later this weekend. Meteorologists expect strong thunderstorms to develop across North Texas as early as Friday, May 20, possibly with large hail and strong winds.
High temperatures will likely dip down into the 70s and 80s after the storm, through at least Monday, May 23.