Posted: Sun, 18 Jul 2010 10:27 AM - 12,157 Readers

By: Lindsey Bomnin

photography by Larry Kolvoord

Central Texas usually hits its first 100-degree day about July 12. As of today, though, the area is still holding onto the 90s but not for too much longer, said Bob Rose, a meteorologist for the Lower Colorado River Authority.

Thanks to this year's hurricane season, Central Texas won't come close to the near-record number of 100-plus days that hit us last summer, Rose said.

Rainfall from Hurricane Alex and a recent tropical depression and humid air from the Gulf of Mexico have kept the region's temperatures lower than normal, he said.

The higher humidity is causing high heat indexes, making it feel hotter than 100 degrees without it actually getting that hot, Rose said.

Like the summer of 2007, the Austin area's first 100-degree day is likely to come in the last week of July or in the first week of August, Rose said.