Heat in Northern Hidalgo County, Texas

Linn-San Manuel Remote Automated Weather System (RAWS) recorded max heat indices between 111-115F for up to 6 hours, from 12:46-6:46 PM CDT on May 8, 2024. The South Texas International Airport (KEBG) Automated Weather Observing Station along the edge of northern and southern Hidalgo County peaked at 117F at 215 PM, with 111F+ values generally from 1235 through 555 PM.

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.