Miami-Dade County

December set warm weather record

Anthony Tasse, center, struggles to get his three-wheel cycle out of sand that blew on Hollywood Beach’s broadwalk on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015.
Anthony Tasse, center, struggles to get his three-wheel cycle out of sand that blew on Hollywood Beach’s broadwalk on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015. cjuste@miamiherald.com

For South Floridians wondering why they didn’t get a break from blasting their air conditioners last month, the National Weather Service has an answer.

December 2015 was the warmest December on record in South Florida, according to the weather service. Miami and Fort Lauderdale experienced average temperatures of about 77 degrees while in Naples and West Palm Beach the average was 76 degrees.

The Miami average is about two degrees warmer than the previous high of 75.4 degrees set in December 1931.

This year also set a record as the warmest year across South Florida with an average of about 79 degrees in Miami, 77 degrees in Naples and about 78 degrees in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.

The warm temperatures appear to be sticking around. The service reported high temperatures of 84 degrees across South Florida on New Year’s Day.

This story was originally published January 1, 2016 at 6:54 PM with the headline "December set warm weather record."

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