ERCOT Extends Weather Watch Into Next Week

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Yes it's still hot in Texas and it's going to be hot once again next week, at least early next week throughout much of the state. And for ERCOT that means the weather watch continues.

According to KAMC, ERCOT's weather watch was supposed to end on this past Monday but was extended until today. Now the weather watch has been extended until at least August 18th.

As KAMC reports, the weather watch doesn't mean blackouts will happen or that there is an emergency with the grid.

Weather watches don’t mean the grid is in an emergency situation, but is an early alert for Texans to monitor grid conditions. It is a type of alert that is new this year and part of the group’s efforts to keep Texans informed about the power grid. ERCOT said the grid is expected to be normal during these types of alerts.

In its alert Friday, ERCOT said it extended the watch “due to ongoing forecasted higher temperatures, higher electrical demand and the potential for lower reserves.”

The KXAN First Warning Weather team is forecasting highs well above 100 degrees for the next week. Austin is currently experiencing its longest streak of triple-digit heat, having set a new record of 34 days in a row Thursday.

“ERCOT continues to monitor conditions closely and will deploy all available tools to manage the grid, continuing a reliability-first approach to operations. There is not a current expectation of an energy emergency, and this is not a call for conservation,” it said.

The good news for those of us in Lubbock? The current forecast calls for highs in the low 80's on Monday. That won't last very long.