Hill Country Alliance

Water Wonks Hour Lecture Series #7: San Antonio’s Growing Heat Challenge
2026-07-22 15:30 - 16:30 UTC | zoom
This presentation explores how extreme heat is impacting San Antonio and Bexar County, including how to measure human heat stress and respond to it. Globally, 2023–2025 are the hottest years ever recorded, and Earth is now warmer than at any time in over 120,000 years .
Locally, San Antonio ranks among the U.S. cities with the biggest rise in days above 95°F, and days over 100°F are becoming far more common .
The official air temperature at the Airport is measured in the shade and does not reflect the true heat people feel across various neighborhoods. Surface temperatures can exceed 140–160°F, creating real risks of burns and heat illness.
Better tools for measuring heat stress, including Heat Index, Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, and HeatRisk are explained. The presentation highlights some practical solutions including: shade, hydration stations, misting, atmospheric water harvesting, pervious pavement, geothermal cooling, passive daytime radiative cooling, and the planning of cool oases connected by cool corridors.
