Overview
- Central Texas continues to bake under the heat dome with afternoon highs near 100°F and heat‑index readings of about 105–110°F, putting daily records and public health under strain.
- The U.S. Drought Monitor shows nearly 18 million Texans in drought and 81% of the state in moderate drought or worse, a deficit that has increased fire danger and stretched local fire responses.
- Texas A&M Forest Service reported active responses to multiple fires this week, with local offices handling as many as nine incidents on a single day as fuels remain dry.
- A slow‑moving upper‑level low is producing Flood Watches for southern Montana and northern Wyoming, where forecast totals of 1–4+ inches — with higher pocketed amounts near Billings — raise flash‑flood and burn‑scar debris‑flow concerns.
- Short‑term severe‑storm threats exist this weekend for parts of the Upper Midwest and the Southeast with damaging winds, hail and isolated tornadoes expected, and forecast guidance shows a pattern shift next week that could return moisture to the Southwest and Texas and increase midweek rain chances.