TEXAS — Most of Central Texas was hit with an extreme heat warning on Thursday accompanied by a lot of humidity. Austinites took to the water to cool off.
Beating the heat, the Austin way.
“I’m just going to enjoy some time at Barton Springs,” said Kevin Murphy, an Austin native.
“When we’re not doing work or school usually here it’s a good spot,” said Charlotte Olenick, who currently lives in Austin.
Olenick, Murphy and dozens of Austinites went to Barton Springs on Thursday during the season’s first extreme heat warning.
“This is really early from my experience,” Murphy said.
It’s the first time Travis County has been under an extreme heat warning for high heat index values since Aug. 22, 2024. Those high temperatures with moisture in the air impacting most of Central Texas, including Austin and San Antonio.
“Heat indexes are going to be extreme today,” said David Wiechmann with Austin Emergency Management. “We’re going to be way up there with all the rains that we’ve had recently making the humidity be a little bit higher.”
Wiechmann says when temperatures first hit the triple digits, there’s an uptick in hospital visits and calls to emergency services. Health officials tracking heat-related calls tell Spectrum News in one week from June 8-15, they received 21 calls to EMS. In the five-week span before that, they averaged 10 calls a week.
“If you’re working or playing outdoors, take shade breaks, drink water regularly so you can keep yourself hydrated and rest every now and then,” Wiechmann said. “You don’t want to get any heat cramps or heat exhaustion, which those can progress and lead to heat stroke.”
Those who are native to Texas or who have been here for a while were prepared for the heat at Barton Springs on Thursday.
“I’ve got ice water,” Murphy said.
“I have two water bottles in my bag,” Olenick said.
Anyone visiting the state is advised to do the same.