HARLINGEN — Temperatures are soaring into record-breaking territory today and tomorrow in the Rio Grande Valley as a strong high-pressure system camps out over the southwestern United States.
Highs today will range from 101 in Harlingen to 109 in Zapata in the Upper Valley. Tomorrow, it will be 99 along the gulf coast and up to 110 degrees farther up the Valley.
“The hottest days are expected to be today and tomorrow,” said Matthew Brady, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Brownsville. “Today will probably be the hottest day of the year so far in the Rio Grande Valley.
The heat index, which combines temperature and humidity to calculate the “feels-like” temperature, will hit 105 to 110 degrees today with some isolated areas hitting 112 for an hour or two this afternoon.
Tomorrow, heat index values could be even higher at 108 degrees to 113 degrees across the region.
Heat index numbers will slip back to 105 to 110 degrees Wednesday through Friday.
“Going in Wednesday we have a little bit more cloud cover and even a slight chance of rain coming in,” Brady said. “That’s going to allow for our temperatures to decline slightly.
“It’s not going to be as hot but it will still certainly be hot for the Valley in summertime,” he added. “We’re not expecting quite record levels of heat like we are today and tomorrow. That will persist into the weekend as well.”
