Texas Heat Wave: Dozens Killed As Scorching Temperatures Challenge Grids
Texas sees no signs of relief from the enduring heat wave that has engulfed the state and caused dozens of deaths.
Brian Edwards, meteorologist from Accuweather, reports that Dallas, Texas has already experienced 34 days in a row of temperatures 100 degrees and above.
Today's temperature is expected to rise to a scorching 108 degrees.
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Other smaller cities in the state such as Waco and Tyler have also endured over a month of consecutive 100-degree heat.
The heat wave is expected to last through the weekend and beyond and is having severe consequences on people, animals, and state water supplies.
The month of July was the hottest ever recorded month in Texas history, meanwhile the state is also in the midst of enduring its most severe one-year drought in 44 years.
Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon said, "Never before has so little rain been recorded prior to and during the primary growing season for crops, plants and warm-season grasses."
In San Angelo, Texas as a result of the drought, a lake turned blood red prompting talk of the apocalypse, while pictures from other parts of Texas show dozens of alligator carcasses decomposing in the heat.
Deaths are occurring throughout the state with people dying from severe heat exhaustion. Dallas has witnessed 12 deaths so far which is 3 higher than last year already.
One of the deaths came on Monday from an assistant football coach in Dallas who collapsed on the first day of practice for the upcoming season.
Electricity officials from the main grid operator in Texas, ERCOT, have warned of rolling blackouts.
Rolling blackouts are a last resort measure used by electric utility companies to avert a total blackout of their entire system.
Wednesday saw ERCOT's highest ever demand for power usage and cuts have already been made to some large industrial users following several record energy demands made this week.
However, the lone star state is not alone in bearing the excessive heat as the National Weather Service has placed heat advisories across 14 U.S. states including Oklahoma, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Arkansas.
