Heat in Southern Hidalgo County, Texas

McAllen International Airport (KMFE) recorded max heat indices between 111-114F for a couple of hours, from 3:30-5:40 PM CDT on May 7, 2024. Values peaked at 114F at 353 PM CST. The South Texas International Airport (11 miles north of Edinburg) along the edge of southern and northern Hidalgo County reached 112F at 335 PM CST.

An unseasonably strong sub-tropical ridge/heat dome centered over central and southern Mexico strengthened and shifted northward towards the Rio Grande Valley/Deep South Texas region. Temperatures at around 5,000 feet above the ground soared to 78 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit over the local area. This translated to surface temperatures rising into the upper 90s to mid 100s from May 7-9. Combined with dewpoint temperatures in the 70s to around 80, this produced apparent, or feels-like temperatures, between 111-116F across locations along and east of IH-69C/US 281 from Brooks/Hidalgo County into Cameron, Willacy, and Kenedy County. The hottest temperatures were located from the mid-lower Rio Grande Valley northward along I-69E and I-69C, peaking on May 9th.