Updated outlooks trending towards hotter, drier July

AUSTIN (KXAN) - New monthly outlooks released by the Climate Prediction Center are trending in the wrong direction for Central Texas -- hotter and drier in the month of July.

Updated outlooks

Initially released mid-June, prior thinking was for Central Texas to see near-normal rainfall and near -- to warmer than normal temperatures. Unfortunately, the update released yesterday (June 30th), now shows higher confidence in both warmer than normal temperatures and drier than normal rainfall conditions. Put simply, hotter in an already hot month... and drier in an already dry month.

It's important to note that the colors indicate confidence and do not reflect the degree above (or below) climatological normal we'll be. However, in what is typically our second driest and second-hottest month of the year, a forecast of hotter and drier will only exacerbate the level of uncomfortableness here in Central Texas.

July normals

For perspective, July typically features afternoon highs in the 90s, overnight lows in the 70s and total rainfall just shy of 2".

This comes after a drier and warmer June... yet not one day of triple digit heat in the sixth month of the year. For more on how we've fared so far this year, click here.

Stay with the KXAN First Warning Weather team for the latest on the summer heat.