Currently in Austin — September 8, 2023: A scorching weekend, then relief

The weather, currently.

The end is near! The welcome end of these record-breaking high temps starts early next week. But first, keep your water bottle handy, because temperatures peak Friday with a high near 106.

Friday night will be mostly clear, with a low around 78. The oppressive heat sticks around through the weekend, but everyone’s abuzz about next week’s forecast, when highs dip back into the 90s and — gasp! — even the 80s with chances for much-needed rain. With this glimmer of hope, we can now imagine queso meetups on patios, walks with friends, school sporting events and—most glorious of all—lower utility bills.

— Anne Hebert

What you need to know, currently.

The 2023 hurricane season continues on a hyperactive pace.

On Thursday, Hurricane Lee underwent textbook rapid intensification from a Category 1 to a Category 4 in just 12 hours. It’s expected to become a Category 5 on Friday — and potentially one of the strongest hurricanes ever observed in the Atlantic Ocean.

Tropical Storm Margot also formed on Thursday, way out off the coast of Africa — the season’s 14th storm of the year so far, matching the historical average for an entire season with nearly a week to go until the season’s midpoint.

Since Atlantic records began in 1851, only three other season have had 14 named storms this early in the year — 2005, 2011, 2020. Only 1933, 2004, and 2005 have had 3 or more Cat 4+ hurricanes so early in the year. If you know your hurricanes, you know that those seasons are not the ones you want to be compared against.

It’s likely that Hurricane Lee will stay relatively safely offshore for at least the next 7 days or so, although some models have it coming worryingly close to New England or Atlantic Canada by September 17th or 18th.

— Eric Holthaus

What you can do, currently.

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One of my favorite organizations, Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, serves as a hub of mutual aid efforts focused on climate action in emergencies — like hurricane season. Find mutual aid network near you and join, or donate to support existing networks: