El Paso soars to 109 again as Excessive Heat Warning is in effect for 1st time in 25 years

EL PASO, Texas — El Paso soared to a high temperature of 109 degrees for a second-straight day Friday amid the first Excessive Heat Warning in a quarter of a century, with forecasters predicting it would likely be even hotter for Saturday.

The 109-degree late afternoon temp at El Paso International Airport was well shy of the 112-degree record, but it tied Thursday for the hottest day of the year so far.

Friday's high did mark the eighth triple-digit day in a row and was the 21st day of 100 degrees or higher for the year, according to ABC-7 Chief Meteorologist 'Doppler' Dave Speelman.

The scorching heat was expected to last through the weekend, with Saturday shaping up to be the "hottest day of the week," according to the National Weather Service's warning.

It said, "dangerously hot conditions are expected to develop during (Saturday) afternoon with temperatures exceeding 110 degrees."

The weather service said the Excessive Heat Warning issued on Friday for El Paso County would remain in effect through Sunday.

"It's very rare for us," said NWS meteorologist Jason Laney of El Paso's current heat wave. "If my memory serves me correctly, it's been almost 30 years since we've issued an Extreme Heat Warning - at least 25 years."

A Heat Advisory was in place for most other areas of the Borderland.

"Drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors. Your pets should not be left in direct sunlight and need plenty of fresh water," advised ABC-7 weather forecaster Nicole Gomez.

Health officials continued to warn of the potential for heat-related illnesses during this stretch of record hot temperatures.

Heat stress can have symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, cramping and weakness. It can progress to heat stroke and death if left unchecked.

For the current conditions, the latest forecast and hot weather alerts, visit kvia.com/weather.