After living in Texas for a few years, by the time August rolls around, you start to think, "Now summer is really beginning."

When you open your front door in the morning, the hot wind hitting your face is over 90 degrees, and getting into your car, the steering wheel and seats are so hot it feels like torture.

But this year has been a bit strange. In fact, last year was also somewhat cool during the summer.

Since last year, here in San Antonio, while it has been hot during the summer, it hasn't been the prolonged, insane heat like in previous years.

Nearby Austin and San Antonio also had fewer days exceeding 100°F than expected.

At first, I thought it was just a lucky year for a cool summer. But everyone around me was saying the same thing.

"This year, my electricity bill seems a bit lower."

"If it were last year, the air conditioner wouldn't have turned off all day, but it keeps shutting off now."

"This year, it's even manageable to go to the market in the afternoon."

I found out that this year's weather was not a coincidence but the result of several conditions aligning perfectly.

First, there's the influence of El Niño.

Texans get nervous just hearing the word La Niña. When La Niña occurs, rain decreases, the sun gets stronger, and the ground dries out.

This causes temperatures to rise frighteningly. Conversely, when the influence of El Niño is present or during the transition between the two climates, humid air continuously rises from the Gulf of Mexico.

High humidity makes people feel stickier and more irritable. However, the interesting thing is that the moisture and clouds in the air block some sunlight, which keeps temperatures from rising as much.

The second factor is the heat dome. This phenomenon occurs when a massive high-pressure system covers the city, and when it settles in the middle of Texas, it becomes unbearable.

The sky is clear, there's no wind, and only hot air is pressed down, making it feel like you're living in an oven for not just days but weeks.

However, this year, the center of that high pressure did not completely cover Texas. It often shifted slightly towards Arizona or New Mexico or moved to other parts of the U.S.

In simple terms, the culprit of the heat wave stayed next door instead of in our neighborhood.

Another unexpected factor was the spring rains. When it rained frequently in the spring, I complained, "Oh, it's raining again."

But those rains played a significant role now. If the ground retains moisture, the energy from sunlight is used to evaporate the water. This slows down the rate at which the air heats up.

In contrast, think back to the years when drought was severe. With the ground completely dry, sunlight directly heats the air. The difference is more significant than you might think.

It seems like the climate, like people, takes a breather. The summers of 2022 and 2023 were really intense. It exceeded 100 degrees almost every day, and it wasn't just for a few days but lasted for weeks.

At that time, after suffering through winter, summer was also going crazy, and if the heater or air conditioner broke down, it was a serious problem.

But nature doesn't always go to extremes.

After several years of record heat, atmospheric flows can change a bit, leading to a year that returns to average levels.

This year feels just like that.

Of course, that doesn't mean we can relax. This is still Texas.

If the heat dome comes back down next week, we could easily hit 110 or 115 degrees.

So, saying "Texas summers have become cool starting this year" is still difficult.

Still, honestly, this year has been a bit more bearable. The air conditioner hasn't been overworked like in previous years, the electricity bill has been less burdensome, and taking the dog for an evening walk has been much easier.

Anyone who has lived here long enough knows that this kind of summer is not common in Texas.

So, I'm trying not to get greedy while watching this year's weather. No one knows what kind of summer will come next year. The hell of exceeding 110 degrees could return.

In that case, it seems right to just gratefully enjoy a summer that allows for a bit of breathing room, like this year.