The Brief

A sprawling area of high pressure is driving a heat wave across parts of Texas this week.

Laredo, Cotulla and Zapata were among the southern Texas towns to hit the triple-digits Thursday.

Average high temperatures in this part of the state are generally in the mid- to upper 70s in late February.

While the Lone Star State is no stranger to heat, hitting the triple-digits in late February is certainly outside the norm.

The backstory

A sprawling area of high pressure has been baking parts of the southern U.S. and northern Mexico this week. In Texas on Thursday, that translated to the first 100-degree temperatures of the year for the state.

What we know

Laredo had already surpassed 100 degrees by 4 p.m., which broke a record high for the day of 98 degrees set in 2024. While it breaks the daily record, it isn’t the earliest triple-digit reading for the city. That distinction belongs to Feb. 18, 1986.

Zapata, another border town, was at 103 as of 4 p.m., as was Cotulla, which is north of Laredo. Falfurrias, north of McAllen, was at 100 degrees.

The average high temperatures in this part of Texas this time of the year are in the mid- to upper 70s.

What's next

Cooler, but still far-above-average, weather is expected by Friday. Highs in Laredo are forecast to top out near 90 degrees.

Follow the forecast in your area with our weather apps for the Austin area, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.

The Source

Information in this story came from FOX Weather and the National Weather Service.