Climate change was the issue where Harris had the biggest lead on trust from voters over Trump, and 82 percent of young voters who reported climate change was their top issue voted for Harris. Credit: Unsplash / Li-An Lim

The extreme heat broiling South Texas and Northern Mexico this summer would be “virtually impossible” without humans burning large quantities of fossil fuels, according to data released Tuesday by  World Weather Attribution.

WWA, an international group of scientists who measure how much climate change influences extreme weather events, also warned that more dangerous heat is likely on the way.

“Without climate change, we wouldn’t see this at all,” Friedrike Otto, a senior lecturer in climate science at Imperial College in London, told the New York Times. “Or it would be so rare that it basically would not be happening.”

Even if carbon dioxide levels remain the same as today, San Antonio residents can expect heat waves like July’s every 15 years, according to the data. This year, the Alamo City has experienced 28 days where temperatures reached triple digits, making this summer the fourth hottest on record, according to the Express-News.

However, the level of CO2 is unlikely to remain static, since humankind doesn’t appear to be on the course of quickly abating its use of fossil fuels. That means global warming will likely pick up the pace, wreaking havoc in already vulnerable spots, the report warns.

Just this week, the Edwards Aquifer Authority tightened water-use restrictions to stage 4, meaning that water use from the underground aquifer must be cut by 40%.

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This article appears in Jul 12-25, 2023.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...