Houstonian Blas Morales decided to take a dip in Houston's Mason Park pool on Thursday (July 22).
"Oh man, it just feels nice and relaxing to get in the cool water," Morales said. "This heat is crazy. I've seen a lot of people pass out with this heat."
While taking a plunge in an outdoor pool may sound like a good idea in this heat, Leroy Maura, the aquatics director at the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, said the pool water isn't much cooler than the air.
He advises lifeguards to ask swimmers to leave the pool every 10 minutes to find shade.
Earlier this week, several spots in the South saw record daily temperatures, including Wichita Falls, Texas where a high of 115 degrees was recorded on Tuesday.
John Nielsen-Gammon, a professor of atmospheric sciences from Texas A&M University, warns that the potential for extreme heat could continue all the way into early September.
"The potential for extreme heat essentially continues all the way into early September because things just tend to keep drying out and the Gulf of Mexico tends to keep warming up, so those factors contribute to increased heat," he added.
