How much longer will summer heat continue in Dallas-Fort Worth? Here’s what to know

It’s been a warm summer in Dallas-Fort Worth, but perhaps not as hot as years prior.

As of Tuesday, the North Texas region has recorded seven days over 100 degrees this year, according to National Weather Service Fort Worth data . Two triple-digit days were recorded in June and the other five in July.

Temperatures will hover around 100 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday ahead of a cold front moving into the area on Thursday. Rain chances increase later in the week and into the weekend, as temperatures will be in the mid-90s.

Now past the halfway mark of July, let’s take a look at the summer heat in North Texas:

How does summer 2024 compare to previous years thus far?

Per the NWS and on average, North Texas records its first 100 degree day of the year on July 1.

Here’s a look at NWS data on the first occurrence of triple digits the past five years:

• 2024- 100 degrees on June 23
• 2023- 101 degrees on June 25
• 2022- 103 degrees on June 11
• 2021- 100 degrees on July 25
• 2020- 100 degrees on July 12

Here’s a look at the number of 100-degree days through July 15 in the past five years:

• 2024- 7 days
• 2023- 10 days
• 2022- 20 days
• 2021- 0 days
• 2020- 2 days

In total, here’s how many 100-degree days have occurred in the past five years:

• 2024- 7 days (Through July 15)
• 2023- 55 days
• 2022- 47 days
• 2021- 8 days
• 2020- 9 days

Why has summer 2024 been cooler than previous years?

North Texans can thank rainfall totals in May and June for helping keep the heat down last month, NWS meteorologist Patricia Sanchez said.

May was the wettest month this year with 7.80 inches of rain , followed by a healthy June with 3.67 inches, per NWS data. In total, North Texas has recorded 29.30 inches of rain this year.

Sanchez said the rain in May and early June helped keep the soil wet, in turn making the ground cooler.

Sporadic summer cold fronts have also helped keep temperatures cooler, along with Tropical Storm Beryl , which skated past North Texas in early July.

“We didn’t actually get an impact directly from [Beryl], but more in the clouds and high pressure sitting over us,” Sanchez said.

How hot will the rest of summer 2024 be?

The latest outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center is showing below normal temperatures for North Texas for the rest of July.

Issued on July 16, the 8 to 14-day outlook from the center is valid through July 30. A majority of Texas is also showing below normal or near normal temperatures over the next couple weeks.

The center’s three to four-week outlook was issued on July 12 and is valid through Aug. 9.

North Texas is split between above normal temperatures (50-55%) and equal chances for the next few weeks. However, above normal temperatures doesn’t always equate to extreme heat.

Sanchez said “above normal” means exactly how it sounds for a given period of time.

For example, annually, the normal high temperature in August in North Texas is 95.8 degrees . If there’s an “above normal” outlook, that could only mean a few degrees more.

“Above normal will be right there in the upper 90s, near below 100 degrees,” Sanchez said. “It’s not set as extreme heat.”