Posted: Sat, 9 Jul 2011 09:56 AM - 15,445 Readers

By: Robert Quigley

Let’s get this out of the way right now: Yes, it’s always hot in Central Texas in the summer. However, this year has been unusually hot and dry, even for we-can-take-the-heat Austinites.

We’re expecting to break the triple-digit barrier again today, which would be the 25th day of 100-degree-plus weather recorded at Austin’s Camp Mabry this year. The record for most triple-digit days in Austin is 69, set in 1925. Since triple digits can appear well into September, that old record is in sweaty sight. We came close two years ago, when we had 68 days at or above the century mark. A typical year has 12 days that break triple digits.

Camp Mabry hit 100 or better (or worse, depending on how you look at it) three times this May, 15 times in June and six of seven times so far in July. The seven-day forecast from KVUE-TV calls for temps over 100 degrees all seven days. The normal high this time of year is 94, so, again, this is unusual.

The temperatures at the airport have been (somewhat) cooler, with “only” 16 days over 100 degrees this year: three in May, 11 in June and two so far this month.

Yes, it’s a dry heat, but that’s not good, either. We are about 10 inches below normal rainfall so far this year, with little hope for relief anytime soon. The entire state of Texas is in a drought, and this drought has been given names like “exceptional” and “extreme” by the experts.

There’s a 10 percent chance of some rain this weekend, though no promises. Even if it does rain, it won’t put a dent in our drought, though we’ll take what we can get. Stay cool!