Central Texas logs 49 triple-digit days, but showers and cooler air may finally bring relief

After weeks of triple-digit highs, Central Texas may finally catch a break from the brutal heat with showers and lower temps in the forecast. 

Here's what to know

The Austin area has recorded 49 days at 100 degrees or higher — far above its historical average of 29 and almost double last year's total of 25. Meanwhile, Camp Mabry has picked up only a little more than 0.1 inch of rain in September, all of which fell on Sept. 6.

But if the weather forecast stands, relief is on the way. As FOX 7 Austin reported when the total was at 48, slightly cooler weather appears to be on the horizon, along with scattered showers and thunderstorms that have been moving into parts of Central Texas, with strong chances of building and continuing this week.

For a drought-stressed area, even spotty rain and a small temperature drop would make a difference after such an extended hot spell. Forecast models suggest totals ranging from about a tenth of an inch to more than half an inch in some places.

More background

That said, on ground that has baked dry and hardened, a heavier burst of rain is more likely to run off quickly, increasing the chance of localized flash flooding. Even beneficial rain can create short-term dangers for drivers and people in low-lying neighborhoods.

When 100-degree days pile up, they drive household electricity use higher and add pressure to the grid during the hottest part of the day. For many Austin-area residents, this has meant months of elevated cooling bills. Any kind of relief would cut AC runtime almost immediately. 

Central Texas has been stuck in a pattern of persistent dryness. When an area receives only a fraction of its usual monthly rainfall, lawns, soils, trees, and waterways all feel the effects.

Forecasters also see the potential for wetter-than-average conditions from late September into early October. Smaller amounts of rain can still help if they arrive steadily enough to ease drought conditions without setting off flooding.

Where can I learn more?

For more on the heat gripping Central Texas and the flood risk that can come after, these stories offer useful insight. 

• Central Texas downpours could bring localized flash flooding this week to roads and low-water crossings.

• Across Texas, near triple-digit temperatures have stretched summer far beyond historical norms.

• In Austin, a 118-degree heat index showed how humidity can magnify dangerous heat.

• A Texas heat map showed punishing temperatures pushing beyond the state this summer.

• Across the state, deadly Texas heatwaves are raising alarms about future extremes.

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