Excessive Heat in Panola, Texas

An upper ridge of high pressure built in across the Southern Plains during the first several days of July, before eventually sliding off to the east into the Mid-South and Lower Mississippi Valley. Meanwhile, a stationary front lingered from Southeast Oklahoma into extreme Southwest Arkansas and portions of North Louisiana, which aided in compressional heating and low level moisture pooling, with temperatures climbing into the upper 90s to near 100 degrees through July 4th. The moisture pooling resulted in minimal mixing of dewpoints, with attendant heat indices ranging from 110-115 degrees each afternoon from July 1st through the 4th. However, slightly drier air was able to mix down to the surface on the 5th, resulting in lower heat indices of 105-109 degrees.