Extreme heat makes an unwelcome visit to the south-east of the United States

By Juan A. Lozano, Associated Press

Houston (AP)-Three-digit temperatures more commonly seen in summer pangs and not in the spring have made an unwelcome visit to Texas and other parts of the southeast of the United States this week, placing millions of Americans under extreme heat warnings.

“Certainly more like August this week than May,” a meteorologist at the National Weather Service said on Tuesday in the Houston and Galveston region.

A very high high pressure crest on the United States Center-South Center which is centered on the Gulf of Mexico will be responsible for extreme heat.

During the next six to 10 days, a large part of the South Center and the Southeast of the United States will be warmer than normal, the highest temperatures occurring on certain parts of Texas and Florida, Self said.

Some parts of Southeast Texas could easily break the daily record summits and some could get closer to their monthly record, said self.

Areas like Houston which are closer to the Gulf of Mexico could have their “somewhat modified” temperatures because water temperatures are still quite cool, but some parts of Texas west of the Gulf will see much more than 100 degree temperatures, Self said.

It is not uncommon to obtain a day or two with temperatures of around 94 or 95 degrees in May in Houston.

“But obtaining long temperature periods in the 90s that generally have been until June,” said Self.

“There is a chance that it can enter next week or more,” said self.

Trump has signed an executive decree reversing the Gulf of Mexico as a Gulf of America. The order only provides authority within the United States and international institutions continue to use the name of the Gulf of Mexico.

Originally published: May 13, 2025 at 10:33 PDT