The current stretch of hot and dry weather may lead to warmer temperatures later this summer.
That is according to Texas A&M climatology professor and Texas state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon.
Dr. Nielsen-Gammon says less moisture in the ground in turn raises temperatures.
“Because of all the evaporation that’s taken place, the ground has started to dry out,” Nielsen-Gammon said. “We’ll probably see plants wilting [and] grasses getting brown. And as that happens, and we don’t get rain returning, it increases the temperatures during the rest of the summer because more of the sun’s energy goes into heating the ground.”
Nielsen-Gammon also said the current dry spell was due to a combination of several factors including a “heat dome” and warmer-than-average temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico.
Click below for comments from Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon, visiting with WTAW’s Ian Curtis.
Listen to “Texas A&M Meteorology Professor Discusses Recent Heat Wave” on Spreaker.