AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texans know all too well how dangerous summer heat can be. In 2023, more than 300 people in Texas died from heat-related illnesses, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Now, local experts are urging families to keep a close watch on elderly loved ones, as extreme heat can significantly increase their risk of serious health complications and even death.

Central Texans are no strangers to 100-degree days. From 1898 to 2023, Austin averaged about 16 triple-digit days per year. The year 2011 was an exception; summer 2011 broke records, hitting a total of 90 100-degree days that year.

Throughout the summer of 2024 in Austin, over 1,300 heat-related illnesses were reported, according to the city of Austin's heat-related illness morbidity and mortality rep

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