SAN ANTONIO — Today marks the first day of meteorological summer, but for San Antonians summer-like weather became the new normal in May.
San Antonians experienced 27 days of above-average temperatures in May, making it the hottest May on record for the Alamo City. Eight days saw record-breaking heat.
The above-average heat began May 1, when San Antonio hit 91 degrees and then 101 degrees on the first Saturday of the month. That was 17 degrees above average conditions.
But the triple-digit heat didn't stop there. In fact, San Antonio had five days of triple-degree heat in May. All these hot temperatures made May's average high temperature to be 94 degrees!
Will San Antonio stay above average this summer?
It's going to be a rough summer for those who don't like triple-digit heat. Currently, Texas is feeling the effects of La Niña. This means warmer temperatures and drier conditions, which can lead to drought in the south. Bexar County is currently in Extreme Drought conditions according to the US Drought Monitor.
During La Niña, winter temperatures are also warmer than normal. San Antonio experienced this when high temperatures rose to the 80s in December and temperatures in the 70s in January.
The La Niña pattern looks to continue in the northern hemisphere through late summer with a 58% chance of it staying in August to October of 2022, says the Climate Prediction Center.
June temperatures in Texas are likely to stay above average with triple-digits returning by next week to San Antonio, says the NWS climate prediction center. In addition, the monthly precipitation outlook is continuing drier than normal conditions.
As hurricane season begins, La Niña also brings a greater potential for hurricane development in the Atlantic. NOAA has predicted an above-normal 2022 Atlantic Hurricane season.