North Texas is bracing for a scorching week as a ridge of high pressure brings the region’s first heat wave of 2025, followed by increasing storm chances over the weekend.
After a high of 84 degrees on Monday, Tuesday was noticeably hotter, with a forecasted high of 96 degrees, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. Meteorologists are attributing the surge to an upper-level low drifting east, allowing the high-pressure ridge to dominate.
The heat will continue to ratchet up on Wednesday, possibly bringing the Dallas-Fort Worth area its first triple-digit day of the year and challenging the record high of 95 degrees.
By Thursday, a weak cold front will dip into the region as the ridge shifts east and an upper trough deepens over the western U.S. This will slightly cool temperatures to the low to mid-90s, with increased humidity and a slight chance of severe storms, particularly in northern areas.
On Thursday, North Texans can expect more clouds, humidity, and a slight chance of rain showers, with highs remaining in the mid-90s.
Storm chances rise to 20% on Friday, with a low-end risk of isolated storms along the stalled front. These storms could potentially bring wind and hail to northern Dallas-Fort Worth in the evening hours.
The weekend will see a more active weather pattern as a dryline sharpens across western counties by early afternoon each day. With strong instability and increasing wind shear, a few storms could turn severe, especially in the northern half of the region, with rain and storm chances at 30% on Saturday and Sunday.
While the front initially brings minimal rainfall, the weekend’s muggy, warm conditions are typical for May, marking a shift to a more seasonable pattern.