Record Heat Expected In Amarillo. Here’s How To Stay Cool.

The last couple of days in Amarillo have absolutely felt like summer. Highs have been touching 100 and we haven't had too many days like that. Well, on the heels of the weekend, we're in for it again.

Only difference is this time, it could mean we hit some record highs here in the Texas Panhandle. Several cities here in the panhandle region could touch or surpass heat records that haven't been reset for a little over a decade in two cities. One of them just reset their record high a couple of years ago.

Back in 2011, Amarillo set a record high of 102, and Dalhart touched 103 the same day. It was in 2022 when Borger reset their record high for today at 105. Today, we could see all three of those records broken, and one of them relatively significantly.

The projected high temps today are Amarillo checking in at 103, Dalhart touching 105, and Borger jumping all the way to 109. Yes, you read that right, 109 in Borger.

So with the extreme heat, how do you beat it? I mean, the best way is to just lock yourself inside and bask in the breeze of your air conditioning. However, many of us still need to be outdoors at times. Here are some tips to stay cool today (and tomorrow according to forecasters).

STAY COOL

If you're outdoors, do your best to keep your skin wet. The best and most convenient way is to carry around a little spray bottle with you and just give your skin a few quick squirts every now and then. It'll cool your outer skin and allow you to keep your inner body temp down.

Stay shaded as much as possible. Whether that's finding a nice tree area in a park, wearing a hat, or using an umbrella, the shade will be your best friend. It doesn't make it "less hot", the temperature is still the same. It will keep you out of direct sunlight though and not heat you up so fast.

STAY HYDRATED

This is so important. As you sweat, obviously your body is losing the water inside it. In order to keep your core temp down, you need to be drinking stuff often. Pounding down some water is the best option as it gives your body everything it needs.

You can also put down some sports drinks or eat a salty snack if you're looking to replace the minerals and salt your body has lost. These are all important to stay hydrated.

WEARING LIGHT/LOOSE CLOTHING

This is one of the best things you can do to make sure your body isn't quickly absorbing heat. The darker the color, the more the sun is attracted to it. Today is the day you want to be wearing white, some kind of light pastel color, or just something lighter on the color spectrum.

You also want to make sure whatever clothing you wear is light and breathable. Tight clothing hits your skin a lot faster because the heat projected onto your clothes will hit your skin immediately and stay there. Light clothing allows the breeze (if there is one) to seep through your clothing and keep your skin cooler.

KEEP YOUR HOUSE COOL

If you have central air, this isn't too big of a problem as you can just drop the temp on your thermostat. Many houses in Amarillo run on standalone A/C units and those don't always cut it, especially in the extreme heat.

Doing things such as making sure all blinds are closed and drawing the curtains to prevent the sun from directly coming in through the windows will help keep it a bit cooler. Limited the use of home appliances like an oven will also keep the heat level down in the house.