Florida sweats to hottest temperatures of summer so far with heat index reaching over 110 in spots
After a brief reprieve of cooler, rainy weather earlier this week due to Invest 93L, a tropical disturbance that crossed the peninsula, cities like Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and Miami are now enduring intense sunshine and stifling humidity.
Air temperatures are expected to climb into the mid-90s across many communities, but the humidity will push the "feels-like" temperature even higher, creating extremely dangerous conditions for those outdoors between the hours of 1-6 p.m.
The heat is being driven by a ridge of high pressure parked over the Atlantic, producing a heat dome effect across much of Florida and the Southeast.
The synoptic setup also aids to suppress sea breeze development, which is a natural source of afternoon and evening cooling, especially in coastal areas.
New To Florida? Here's When The Sunshine State's Rainy Season Gets Underway
The highest heat indices are expected across interior Florida, particularly north of Interstate 4 between I-95 and I-75.
In this region, the combination of high temperatures and humidity could push heat index values into the 110–115-degree range through the weekend.
South of I-4, conditions will remain dangerously hot as well, but will be several degrees cooler, with heat indices in the 100 to 110 degrees range.
A factor that is making the heat wave potentially deceptive is that actual air temperatures are largely expected to remain below record-breaking values – it will be all about the humidity and the heat index.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, a slight break from the extreme heat may arrive early next week in the form of increased rain chances and cloud cover.
As the remnants of Invest 93L interact with a potential new area of low pressure, increased precipitation chances may move in by Tuesday or Wednesday.
Nearly 300 Queen Conchs Found After Illegal Harvest In Florida Keys
Climatologically, the final week of July and the first days of August mark the peak of Florida's summer heat, so the warm weather is right on schedule in the Sunshine State.
People are advised to stay hydrated, wear light-colored clothing, limit outdoor activity during peak heat hours and seek air conditioning whenever possible.
Some communities in the state, including Jacksonville, even have staff cooling centers, which will be open as long as temperatures are in the danger zone.Original article source: Florida sweats to hottest temperatures of summer so far with heat index reaching over 110 in spots
Solve the daily Crossword
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Hurricane Erin could form within the next 5 days. Current predictions on Florida impact
The National Hurricane Center reports that Tropical Storm Erin could reach hurricane status within the next five days. It's still too early to predict what impacts, if any, Erin could have on Florida or any other parts of the eastern United States. Current spaghetti models show the storm shifting northward as it slows in the tropical Atlantic basin. The uncertainty should be a good reminder for Floridians to brush up on their hurricane preparedness plans and make sure their hurricane supplies are topped off. What are the latest updates on Tropical Storm Erin? Erin had a relatively uneventful Monday night. Geostationary satellite imagery captured over the past few hours showed no notable developments regarding the storm's organization. The NHC also saw warmer cloud tops, which indicate weaker thunderstorms. Microwave scans showed a well-defined banding feature over the southern semicircle of the system, and tropical-force winds were still measured. In other words, Erin has weakened slightly but still remains a tropical storm. Erin is hauling west at 22 mph, and it's expected to continue that track over the next few days, thanks, in part, to a strong ridge north of the tropical cyclone producing easterly steering currents. As the ridge weakens, Erin will start to slow down and shift west-northwest. Models expect the track to gradually shift to a north-northwest path by early next week. Tropical Storm Erin strength forecast: When will we see Hurricane Erin? A large plume of Saharan dust just ahead of Tropical Storm Erin dried up a bit of the humidity the storm would be using to fuel development now, but the lull won't last. Erin is expected to enter warmer waters that are forecast to have low vertical wind shear over the next several days. The combination will lead to rapid intensification and could result in Erin becoming the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season by Thursday and a major hurricane by Sunday morning, according to the NHC. Quick facts you should know about Tropical Storm Erin Tropical Storm Erin maintained its strength through Monday night. We could see a lull in development over the next 72 hours before the system moves into warmer waters and faces very low wind shear. Those favorable conditions could lead to a major Hurricane Erin within the next five days, according to the NHC. Current location: About 690 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands and 1890 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands. Strength: Maximum sustained wind speeds were last measured around 45 mph Movement: West at 22 mph Minimum central pressure: 1004 MB, 29.65 inches Will Tropical Storm Erin hit Florida? The jury is currently out on whether Florida will see any impacts from Tropical Storm Erin. It's still too early to determine if Erin could have any impacts on Florida or any other parts of the eastern United States, according to the NHC. Florida's Gulf Coast residents are a bit safer, based on current models, but should still monitor the storm as it develops. If Erin strengthens into a major hurricane and passes within 100 miles east of the U.S., AccuWeather says that it could bring heavy seas and a chance of heavy rain to a portion of Florida's northeastern coast. Areas including Daytona Beach and Jacksonville would be included. Tropical Storm Erin spaghetti models Special note about spaghetti models: Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts. How likely is a hurricane to make landfall in the US in 2025? Unsurprisingly, Florida leads the pack in terms of probability, but it's not the only state with odds that are essentially impossible to avoid. Here's a look at the probabilities of coastal states from Texas to Maine: Named storms in the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season Here's a list of the four named storms we've had during the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. Editor's note: This story has been updated with the latest information regarding Tropical Storm Erin. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Tropical Storm Erin could ramp up to major hurricane. Florida impacts:
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Thunderstorms slam I-95 corridor, soaking evening commuters as flood threat spans Appalachians
NEW YORK – Showers and thunderstorms pushed through the Interstate 95 corridor Wednesday, producing heavy rainfall and localized flash flooding from the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast. The severe weather soaked evening commuters and knocked out power across parts of the regions. The storms were associated with a nearly stationary cold front draped across the region, which allowed for an influx of Gulf moisture to stream northward. According to more than 9,500 customers remained without power as of Thursday morning in New York, concentrated mostly in the mid-Hudson Valley, and some 5,000 customers in Massachusetts were still powerless, mostly in Norfolk County. How To Watch Fox Weather Localized road flooding was seen stranding drivers in low-lying areas in Lawrence, Massachusetts Wednesday night. Police in Scranton, Pennsylvania had to block off flooded intersections as water quickly rose during intense thunderstorms. Rainfall rates of 1-3 inches of rain per hour were possible in the strongest cells. Areas around higher terrain, including the Poconos, the Catskills and the Appalachian Mountains, were especially vulnerable to flash flooding, as runoff can occur more quickly in steep landscapes. During the height of the activity, significant travel delays were reported across the region. While storms snarled travel in New York City, the rain helped put a small dent in what has been one of its driest summers in the past 15 years. New York City only picked up 0.71 inches of rain and is currently about five inches below its average year-to-date precipitation. 3 Dead, 1 Missing As Flooding In Southern Tennessee Prompts Chattanooga To Declare State Of Emergency While the East Coast storms were causing travel headaches, Tennessee was still reeling from deadly flooding that took place on Tuesday evening. The deluge swamped roads, inundated neighborhoods and forced numerous water rescues, including along Interstate 24, which was shut down for an extended period. Jellyfish Swarm Forces Shutdown Of French Nuclear Power Plant Forecasters stress that just 6 inches of moving water can knock an adult off their feet, while a foot of floodwater is enough to stall and even sweep away some vehicles. The combination of the slow-moving frontal system and abundant tropical moisture created an ideal setup for torrential rainfall, a pattern that the FOX Forecast Center expects to linger into Thursday. After the front essentially rains itself out, conditions are expected to turn hotter and drier, with temperatures soaring back into the 90s for much of the Southeast and mid-Atlantic into the article source: Thunderstorms slam I-95 corridor, soaking evening commuters as flood threat spans Appalachians
New York Post
7 days ago
- New York Post
Hurricane Henriette unexpectedly gains strength near Hawaii, winds may reach 80 mph
Advertisement Hurricane Henriette is passing well to the north of Hawaii Monday after it underwent rapid intensification over the weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Henriette was downgraded from a tropical storm in the Eastern Pacific to a tropical depression, but restrengthened into a hurricane as it tracked away from Hawaii. The storm will not have any direct impacts on land. Tropical Storm Henriette formed on Monday, Aug. 4. Late Sunday morning, the NHC said Henriette rapidly intensified into a hurricane with 80 mph winds. Advertisement The NHC said Monday morning that additional strengthening is expected through the day before the storm begins to weaken on Tuesday. According to the FOX Forecast Center, this was an unexpected turn of events for Henriette. 'This burst of rapid intensification wasn't well-anticipated and recent data shows a strong storm structure,' the FOX Forecast Center said. 'Henriette may intensify more quickly than models suggest.' 3 The NHC said that Henriette's winds rapidly intensified to 80 mph. Fox Weather Advertisement Henriette is following a similar path to that of Tropical Storm Gil, passing well north of the Hawaiian islands. Even so, it'll generate swells that will push toward Hawaii this week. On the North Shore of O'ahu, wave heights at the beach were forecast to reach 10 to 14 feet on Sunday. According to the National Weather Service in Honolulu, Henriette is forecast to produce hybrid sea breeze and trade winds. 3 Henriette will not have any direct impacts on land, passing through north of Hawaii. Fox Weather Advertisement While not being caused by Henriette, a High Surf Advisory is in effect for all south-facing shores through Monday evening. While the impacts will be negligible, Henriette is leaving its mark in the history books after intensifying to hurricane strength north of Hawaii. Since 1950, only 12 storms have been at hurricane strength north of Hawaii, the FOX Forecast Center said. 3 Waves were forecast to reach 10-14 feet on Sunday on the North Shore of O'ahu. Fox Weather Historically, the water north of Hawaii has not been warm enough to support hurricane formation, and wind shear is greater than it is to the south. This year, the water is anomalously warm, at 79 degrees, which is right at the threshold for what hurricanes need to develop.
