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Map of Texas power outages shows nearly 100,000 people without power

The Lone Star State continues to be plagued by power outages as severe weather such as thunderstorms and tornadoes hit Texas counties.

Tens of thousands of customers in Texas are without power as of Thursday afternoon, according to USA TODAY's power outage tracker. Most of the outages were reported in Harris County (more than 120,000) as the region is still recovering from a dangerous storm that packed winds of 100 mph and left at least eight people dead last week, NBC News reported.

Now, a week after the storm system hit, Houston is facing extreme heat, causing even more distress for residents without power. Temperatures reached 90 degrees in Houston over the weekend and are expected to rise through the holiday weekend.

According to Deljo Heating and Cooling, customers without air conditioning are at increased risk of illness or death.

Map of power outages in Texas

“Storms and emergencies can occur at any time”

Texas could expect more damaging weather events as the National Weather Service NOAA on Thursday predicted “above-average hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin this year.” NOAA's outlook for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, predicts an 85 percent chance of an above-average season.

NOAA predicts 17 to 25 named storms (with winds of at least 39 mph). Of these, 8 to 13 are predicted to develop into hurricanes (with wind speeds of at least 120 km/h), including four to seven major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; with wind speeds of at least 178 km/h).

“Severe weather and emergencies can occur at any time, which is why individuals and communities need to be prepared today,” FEMA Acting Director Erik A. Hooks said in the NOAA news release. “We are already seeing storms moving across the country that can bring additional threats such as tornadoes, floods and hail. Proactively addressing our increasingly challenging climate landscape today can make a difference in how people can recover tomorrow.”

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