It’s the longest day of the year in Miami. Does that also mean it will be the hottest?
Welcome to the first day of summer, South Florida. What, you thought summer started weeks ago?
We get it. It’s been hot. But Tuesday is a little cooler than it has been the past week. We saw lots of sun Tuesday, maybe a sprinkle or two.
It’s also the longest day of the year.
As a storm cloud formed over Doral’s Trails and Tails dog park, Ian Schlotterbeck, 20, was watching his dog, Kali, wag her tail and bark.
“I didn’t even know today was the longest day,” he said. “When I get home I’ll probably just [do] research about it. Because it interests me.”
Miami typically sees about 12 hours and 9 minutes of sun between sunrise and sunset. On Tuesday, we’ll see about 13 hours and 45 minutes, according to the National Weather Service in Miami.
Why?
Because of the summer solstice.
What is the summer solstice?
Summer and winter solstices are “moments” when the tilt of the earth is farthest or closest to the sun, said Ana Torres-Vazquez, a meteorologist of the National Weather Service in Miami.
“When the earth’s axis points towards the sun, it is summer for that hemisphere. When the earth’s axis points away, winter can be expected,” the weather service explains in an online post.
For the Northern Hemisphere, the earth’s axis points most toward the sun around June 21 and away from the sun around Dec. 21. For the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the opposite.
Because Tuesday is our hemisphere’s summer solstice, the Southern Hemisphere is experiencing its winter solstice.
And here’s a fun fact: On the summer solstice, the North Pole will be pointing closest to the sun and will have a full day of sunlight, according to Torres-Vazquez. When we have our winter solstice, the North Pole will have a full day of darkness.
What does the summer solstice mean for Miami’s weather?
The summer solstice doesn’t affect South Florida’s weather but it does make the day longer, which means you’ll have more time to enjoy a walk in the park or a swim at the beach.
But because it’s summer, there’s also a chance of afternoon storms, with the forecast calling for a 40% chance of rain in Miami-Dade and a 30% chance in Broward.
Since the day is longer, will it also be the hottest?
Just because Tuesday is the longest day of the year doesn’t mean it will be the hottest. The heat index (how hot it feels) soared past 100 in recent days, but that isn’t in the forecast on Tuesday.
Torres-Vazquez said temperatures are expected to reach a high between 86 to 90 across South Florida Tuesday, though it’ll likely feel hotter, with the heat index expected to range between 95 and 98 in Miami-Dade and 94 and 97 in Broward.
Based on data from 1981 to 2010, early August (think Aug. 1 to Aug. 10) is when South Florida typically sees the hottest temperatures, Torres-Vazquez said.
This doesn’t mean you should skip the sunscreen. It’s hot.
If you’re planning to be outside working or enjoying the day, drink lots of water, and wear sunscreen and a hat. Take some breaks, too. There’s a reason why South Floridians love air-conditioning.
Will we see a pretty sunset?
Torres-Vazquez said Tuesday’s sunset is expected to be at 8:15 p.m. The solstice will also end around this time.
Will the solstice make the sunset extra spectacular?
The sunset’s appearance is affected by things like Saharan dust, smoke and air pollution, and in winter, the sun’s angle can also play a role on how it looks, Torres-Vazquez said. The solstice won’t give it any extra oomph.
But, as long as the day stays nice, you should still be able to get a sunset pic worthy of a #NoFilter on Instagram.
We do live in Miami, after all.
This story was originally published June 21, 2022 at 1:26 PM.
