Heat

Running out of the house to get the mail is an adventure this time of year.  It's so hot right now that our bare feet on sidewalks will make us do that quick tip-toe dance that kind of looks like we're trying to sneak up on someone, and also looks a little like Elaine's Seinfeld dance.  This just in -- hot concrete hurts the dog's feet too!

Did you notice that it stopped raining every other day.  Guess what that means.

Texas has 15 of the 30 hottest cities in the US, with more than 100 days each year above 90. Ouch! The hottest city in America has average temps of 106 in July.  Any guess what city that is?  And see what Lufkin's average summer temp should be.

After all the rain and thunderstorms last week, it's nice to see the sun and 90 degrees this week.  And we know 100 isn't far off.  Summer in Texas is great for hanging out at pools and lakes, but there are things to watch out for too.  Here's our big heads up.

There are only two states that will avoid a summer that's hotter than heck, and Texas is not one of them.  Midwest vacation, anyone?

Every day lately has felt like a thousand degrees, but in actual temperature terms, today is going to be the hottest yet.  The forecast says we'll see a high of 108 in Lufkin, with a heat index of, well...painful and unbearable. Does that change your workday at all?  Some businesses are adjusting.

Everyone answers that question differently.  Someone in North Dakota may say 88 is too warm and they'll stay in side in the AC, and a Texan might argue that 88 is a nice cool summer day.  It's all relative.  So how hot is too hot for you?

Let me understand this.  You are an officer of the law entrusted to handle a dog as part of your K9 duties.  You reside in a part of the country known to unrelenting heat and humidity during the summer season.  But for some unexplained reason, common sense values vacated your brain long enough for not one, but two dogs perishing inside your patrol vehicle.

Last summer was hot. Miserably hot. But meteorologists are predicting that this summer might not be so bad. Might we actually be able to leave our air-conditioned homes, schools, and offices at 4 p.m. without pain? Will the pools be cool and refreshing, instead of feeling like bath water?

With Thursday night's win, the Dallas Mavericks take a 3-2 series lead into Miami for Game 6 Sunday night. No road team has ever won Game 6 in the NBA Finals.  Can the Mavs do it?