This year's early bout of heat is likely to blame for the early sightings. The National Weather Service has issued warnings for much of Southeast Texas this week, where an unseasonably intense heat wave is developing. Cities like Houston are expected to hit the mid to upper 90s this week, possibly breaking temperature records for May.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area will be unseasonably scalding Wednesday, but other areas of Texas are expected to cook even more. The projected high for the metro area has hovered near 100 degrees all week and Wednesday’s most updated forecast from the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office has landed on 100 degrees exactly.

As summer heat arrives in North Texas, the Department of Public Safety is urging Texans to prepare for the extreme temperatures.

Texas is bracing for a relentless and potentially historic heat wave this week, with dangerously high temperatures expected statewide.

Austin, Texas, is currently hotter than Death Valley, California, which is frequently referred to as the hottest place on Earth and driest place in North America.