The Hottest Day Ever Recorded In Odessa, Texas

Odessa, Texas -- The West Texas heat.  Many native Texans are so used to the notion of it feeling like an oven outside that we don't even notice it half the time.  In the times when we do notice, usually it is brought to our attention by listening to non-native Texans complain about it. Needless to say, it gets HOT in Texas.  Like, REALLY hot.

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Hottest Day Ever Recorded In Odessa, Texas

Despite our familiarity with hot weather in West Texas, there are those days when the heat is not only undeniable but also inescapable.  One such day happened on June 27, 1994.  The temperature soared to a blistering 116 degrees, with the heat index roughly 10+ degrees hotter on top of that.

How Residents Dealt With The Heat

On days with such intense heat, it can oftentimes be literally dangerous to be outside.  High temperatures can result in heat stroke, sun sickness, sunburn, sun poisoning, or other uncomfortable or life-threatening ailments.  Here is how residents of Odessa, Texas, dealt with the heat from that day.

Stayed Indoors: This was one of those days when staying indoors was highly recommended.  Even if someone decided they wanted to go outside, they quickly changed their minds.

Rescheduling Outdoor Activities: Many of the outdoor events that were scheduled to happen on that day were rescheduled or flat-out canceled.

Hydration:  Hydration is obviously important regardless of the weather outside, but on this day, it was absolutely crucial for anyone who spent time out in the sun to drink plenty of fluids.

Community Support:  On this day, neighbors came together in support of one another.  People checked on their neighbors, the homeless, stray animals, and other animals that were all suffering from unbearable heat.

The Odessa 1994 heatwave will be a day that will not be forgotten anytime soon.  Granted, there have been hotter days in other areas in Texas before, but this was easily the hottest day in recorded history to ever hit our small portion of the Permian Basin.