by Xin Jin
HOUSTON, Jul 25 (NNN-XINHUA) – Pamila Z., a gardening enthusiast, who has lived in Allen, Texas, for over 20 years, appeared concerned when she checked the thermometer in her backyard. She told Xinhua that the constant extreme heat has been a difficult challenge because she has to work extra hard to keep her plants healthy.
A brief drizzle fell this week in parts of Texas, but it was a drop in the bucket for Texans, who have been suffering from heat and drought since June. Last month was the fifth warmest June on record in Texas, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Lisha Shao, a ranch owner in Princeton, Texas, also told Xinhua that, two months of persistent drought and high temperatures have had a significant impact on the yield of vegetables and fruit trees, with the largest soil crack reaching up to three inches.
The July temperature in Texas is expected to hit another record. From Monday to Wednesday, the Dallas-Fort Worth area experienced three consecutive sunny days with highs around 42 degrees Celsius. On Wednesday, the high temperature in Wichita Falls was 46 degrees Celsius.
“We are in our third wave of well-above-average temperatures for south-central Texas this summer,” an Austin Weather Service meteorologist told local media on Wednesday.
The extreme heat put a significant strain on the state’s water and power supplies. Local authorities urged residents to conserve electricity and water by deferring the use of high-power appliances, turning off swimming pool pumps, and ceasing lawn watering.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the grid for more than 26 million customers, accounting for roughly 90 percent of the state’s power load, reported that demand broke records for the third day in a row on Wednesday.
“They were pulling a lot of levers to avoid going into emergency operations and rolling blackouts,” said Doug Lewin, president of Stoic Energy LLC consultants.
Extreme weather is also affecting states other than Texas. Nearly two-thirds of the United States are experiencing temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius, said local media. Although the south central region is hardest hit, the heat wave also reaches California and New Hampshire on the West and East coasts.
On Wednesday, the National Weather Service issued heat advisories and excessive heat warnings for 28 states, which cover 108 million people.
“Practice good heat safety tactics, such as staying hydrated, taking frequent breaks in the shade or air conditioning, and keeping pets off the hot pavement,” the service said.
Calls for help due to heat-related issues in Texas from May 1 to July 12, increased by 120.4 percent, compared to the same time period in 2021, the regional emergency medical services agency, MedStar, said.
In the face of extreme heat, the White House warned that “climate change is a clear and present danger” to the country.
Additional executive actions, including new funding for cooling centres and pushing for new off-shore wind projects, in the oil-rich Gulf of Mexico, are expected in the future, it said.– NNN-XINHUA
