San Antonio and South Texas Face Near-Record Heat This Week

San Antonio, along with the rest of South Texas, is facing a stretch of hot weather this week expected to result in possibly broken heat records. A ridge of high pressure is set to deliver a week of sunny and rain-free forecasts. However, it will also be responsible for temperatures approaching triple digits in the San Antonio area.

Forecast Expectations

The high-pressure system will deliver very little change in day-to-day weather. Mostly sunny skies are expected through this week with highs generally reaching the mid to upper 90s degrees, potentially peaking at 100 degrees. Although San Antonio will likely fall a few degrees shy of this mark, daily records may still be tied or broken. The city of Austin is also expected to have temperatures within the daily record range, with anticipated highs of 98 and 99 degrees respectively.

The Influence of the Omega Block

This week’s heat is largely influenced by an occurrence known as an omega block, a weather pattern characterized by a stationary ridge of high-pressure sandwiched between low-pressure areas on both sides.

Omega blocks result in an extended stretch of persistent, hot weather with little relief from cooling breezes due to sinking air. This pattern can remain in place for several days to weeks, potentially leading to the development or worsening of drought conditions.

Nighttime Conditions

The heat during these days is not likely to abate during nighttime hours either. Nighttime lows are only expected to fall into the mid and upper 70s, significantly above the norm for mid-September. San Antonio and the rest of South Texas should brace for what is expected to be a week of scorching weather that could very well break heat records for this period.