Heat — Coastal Kenedy, Texas

2023-09-24 · Coastal Kenedy, Texas

Event narrative

The Cameron County Airport Automated Surface Observing System recorded four hours of apparent temperature of 111 or higher, with values peaking at just under 116 degrees between noon and 1 PM. Farther north, the typically high-reading location at Kingsville Naval Air Station recorded heat index values above 111 from 1130 AM until 630 PM (CDT), with a peak value of 119 just before 4 PM. By proxy, it can be inferred through extrapolation that Coastal Kenedy County had lesser conditions than Kingsville, but similar to those in Coastal Cameron/Willacy. This was the hottest feeling day of the three-day late-September stretch.

Wider weather episode

The unrelenting pattern known as 'La Canicula' (the Dog Days of Summer) produced a final round of excessive heat just after astronomical summer (which ended on September 22) of 2023. Afternoon heat index values reached or exceeded 111 for several hours in these areas, and ambient temperatures were at or just below 100 degrees during the period.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1142670. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.