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So far this year, several major Texas cities have yet to even touch the 100-degree mark. That includes San Antonio, where the hottest day so far this year oddly came on March 15, when the temperature climbed to 98 degrees.

Many other cities have experienced similar weather. Austin, Houston and Waco have also yet to hit triple digits this year, while Dallas didn’t record its first 100-degree day until this past Tuesday.

The lack of extreme heat has largely been the result of heavy rainfall that soaked much of Texas during May and June. The persistent rain kept temperatures slightly below average, and the extra moisture led to unusually humid weather that lingered into July. Humid air heats more slowly than dry air, which has kept temperatures from rising to extreme levels even as skies have dried up over the past couple of weeks.

However, one small corner of the state hasn’t followed this trend. Rio Grande Village, tucked away in far southeastern Big Bend National Park, has been as hot as ever and continues to rank among the hottest places in the entire country.

Rio Grande Village is not an incorporated town, and “village” might even be a bit of a stretch. The settlement consists of a ranger station, visitor center, general store and employee housing. According to the Texas Almanac, Rio Grande Village had an estimated population of just 12 residents as of 2009.

The small cluster of buildings serves visitors of Big Bend National Park — at least those brave enough to combat the extreme heat the region is known for.

Through July 7, Rio Grande Village has already recorded 74 days with temperatures of at least 100 degrees, including 31 of the past 32 days. That’s more than Death Valley National Park, which has reached the triple-digit mark 70 times so far in 2026.

Rio Grande Village also has seen temperatures reach at least 110 degrees 17 times so far this year, with a high of 116 degrees recorded on June 18.

Desert climate: Rio Grande Village is located in the heart of the Chihuahua Desert. There, the air is extremely dry, with afternoon humidity values often dropping below 15%. Dry air heats up very quickly, leading to soaring temperatures across the region.

This year has been even drier than normal. Just 2.72 inches of rain have fallen so far, about 30% below average. The unusually dry weather has helped push average high temperatures roughly 3 degrees above normal since the start of the year.

Elevation: Compared to the rest of Big Bend National Park, Rio Grande Village sits at a relatively low elevation — just 1,844 feet above sea level. Air is denser at low elevations, and the increased air density causes temperatures to be significantly hotter.

The contrast is easy to see when comparing Rio Grande Village with Chisos Basin Campground, located only about 25 miles to the west. Chisos Basin, however, has an elevation of 5,400 feet, which causes average high temperatures to be about 20 to 25 degrees cooler.

River valley geography: Rio Grande Village sits right along the Rio Grande in a low, relatively enclosed valley. This unique terrain traps heat, and the lack of a consistent breeze allows the heat to build during the day.

Other records: Weather records have only been taken at Rio Grande Village since 2005. Since then, the area recorded its highest number of 100-degree days in 2011, when temperatures reached the century mark an astonishing 150 times. The longest ever streak came in 2023, when highs rose to at least 100 degrees for 76 consecutive days.

The hottest single-day temperature ever recorded at Rio Grande Village was 119 degrees, which occurred on June 24, 2023.