Overview
- La Puerta, Texas reached 104°F on Feb. 26, the nation’s highest temperature so far in 2026 and the first U.S. triple-digit reading this year.
- NOAA officials say the 104°F would tie the U.S. meteorological‑winter high if verified, noting questions remain because comparable early‑1900s station data are inconsistent.
- Multiple South Texas sites set or tied daily records, including 103°F in Laredo and Cotulla, 103°F in Zapata, 100°F in McAllen, and 95°F in San Antonio and Corpus Christi.
- An upper‑level ridge over northern Mexico with southwesterly flow drove hot, dry air into the Rio Grande Valley, with downslope compressional heating and strong sun boosting temperatures.
- A weak cold front will trim highs but keep them above average, as the National Weather Service flags the risk of more than 75 additional daily records across the Southwest through the weekend.