National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Dangerous, Record-Breaking Heat to Continue in the Central and Eastern U.S.; Severe Thunderstorms in the Upper Midwest; Critical Fire Weather in the Four Corners

Dangerous, record-breaking heat will continue across most of the central and eastern U.S this week. Heat indices will exceed 100 degrees. Severe storms will be possible from the northern Plains into the Midwest and Great Lakes regions, as well as across the southern Appalachians Thursday, with the primary threat large to very large hail. Critical fire weather to continue in the Four Corners Region Read More >

The criteria for Heat Advisories and Excessive Heat Warnings are changing in the eastern Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles.

 

Beaver, Lipscomb, Hemphill, Wheeler, Collingsworth, and Donley Counties previously needed either a temperature or heat index value of 110 to 114 for a Heat Advisory and 115 or greater for an Excessive Heat Warning.

 

On May 1st, 2024, the criteria for these counties will change: a temperature or heat index of 105 to 109 will be needed for a Heat Advisory and 110 or greater will be needed for an Excessive Heat Warning.

 

This means that, starting May 1st, 2024, the criteria for the entirety of the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles, including Palo Duro Canyon, will be the same: 105 to 109 for a Heat Advisory and 110 or greater for an Excessive Heat Warning.

 

The following maps illustrate this change: