Dallas, Fort Worth expected to be among the 5 hottest cities in U.S. as temps rise again

Dallas and Fort Worth will be among the five hottest cities in the country over the next week as extreme heat once again envelops North Texas.

That’s according to a Washington Post graphic tracking heat indexes — measurements of what it feels like outside — for cities with a population of at least 500,000. When accounting for both relative humidity and air temperatures, Fort Worth is No. 1 on the list and Dallas is four spots below at No. 5.

Three other major cities in the state make the top 10 list, with Austin at No. 4, Houston at No. 8 and San Antonio at No. 9.

According to The Washington Post, the heat index in Fort Worth will rise to 110 degrees over the week and is forecast to peak at 111 on Monday. In Dallas, index values will range between 104 and 107 over the weekend before rising to 109 by Monday.The National Weather Service measures heat indexes in four classes: caution, extreme caution, dangerous and extremely dangerous. With index values in the 100s, Dallas and Fort Worth are both at dangerous levels.

The forecast follows several days of scorching temperatures in Dallas-Fort Worth last week. According to temperatures at DFW International Airport, five 100-degree days were recorded as a heat dome, or an area of high pressure, hovered over the state.

According to weather experts from KXAS-TV (NBC5), the heat dome will return for the next several days.

Scorching heat has been blamed for at least 13 deaths in the state. A U.S. Postal Service carrier in Dallas died June 20 at a hospital after collapsing on the job in the midst of extreme temperatures.

The hot and dry conditions have also been conducive to wildfires. A blaze, dubbed the Storage Fire, scorched about 1,000 acres in unincorporated Palo Pinto County, about 100 miles west of Dallas. It was 100% contained Tuesday, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

As of Friday afternoon, the temperature at DFW International Airport is hovering in the low 90s. Over the weekend, the weather service forecasts high temperatures in the upper 90s Saturday before slightly cooling to the lower 90s Sunday.

Temperaturs are expected to rise through the week, with triple-digit highs expected on Wednesday and Thursday. Lows will be from the upper 70s to low 80s.

There is also a slight chance of storms Saturday to Monday, the weather service said. In a post on Twitter, the weather service in Fort Worth urged people to practice heat safety as heat indexes rise over the week.

Latest Forecast from KXAS-TV (NBC5)

FRIDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear with a slight chance of storms to the north. Low: 80. Wind: SE 10 mph.

SATURDAY: Mostly sunny and hot. Slight chance of storms to the northeast. Low: 80. High: 97. Heat Index up to 104. Wind: S 10-15 mph.

SUNDAY: Partly cloudy and hot with a 30% chance of a thunderstorm. Low: 81. High: 95. Heat Index up to 105. Wind: S 10-15 mph.

MONDAY: Partly cloudy and hot with a 20% chance of a thunderstorm. Low: 79. High: 96. Heat Index up to 105. Wind: S 10-15 mph.

TUESDAY: Mostly sunny and hot. Low: 81. High: 99. Heat Index up to 106. Wind: S 10-15 mph.