HOUSTON — Texas has been gripped by an unrelenting heat wave for the better part of a week, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the Houston area.

TxDOT crews worked overnight Tuesday into Wednesday to repair a stretch of roadway in Brazoria County. Concrete in Highway 6 likely buckled in the extreme heat, necessitating it be shut down. 

Wednesday marked the sixth consecutive day of an Excessive Heat Warning in the Houston area.

According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, pavement buckles can occur when the air temperature changes from moderate to extreme heat.

Roadways are cut into segments during construction, creating space for expansion and contraction. But in extreme heat, that space is not enough, causing the pavement to buckle or blow up. Older pavement is particularly susceptible.

The sun heats the pavement, and the pavement expands and buckles.

If you come across buckled pavement, try not to drive over it. Instead, slow down and move into a different lane.