Sizzling Miami breaks another heat record. Here’s how hot it got, what to expect next
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Sizzling South Florida
Extreme heat is already leaving South Florida sweating. How will we adapt to the warming world?
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A sweltering heat wave has roasted Miami for weeks — and the city on Wednesday experienced more record-breaking warmth, according to the National Weather Service.
A temperature of 95 degrees recorded at the Miami International Airport broke the old record of 94 set in 2020, making Wednesday the hottest June 28 on record since 1895.
There was also a new heat index record, or how the temperature feels, of 104.7 degrees in Miami as of 3 p.m., surpassing the previous record of 104.3, Brian McNoldy, senior research associate at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School, noted via Twitter.
“By the way, that makes the 5th daily record high heat index set just during June here!” he said.
Key West also set a new high temperature record of 95, breaking the old one of 94 set in 1950.
And elsewhere in the region? It was scorching hot, but no records were broken: West Palm Beach reached 93 and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport registered 92.
So, what is causing the sizzling heat?
READ MORE: Miami-Dade is even hotter than your weather app says it is, new study finds
A persistent flow of dry air moving from the Texas-Mexico border to South Florida can reduce cloudiness and raise temperatures in the region, Shawn Bhatti, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami, told the Miami Herald on Wednesday night.
Is more heat coming our way?
An elevated excessive heat risk, with possible heat indexes between 103 and 107 degrees, will continue through early next week in parts of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Heat exhaustion is likely with prolonged exposure, the National Weather Service in Miami has warned.
READ MORE: In Florida, the heat can kill. But there are no laws to protect its many outdoor workers
Earlier in June, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and weather service leaders announced changes to heat advisories and extreme heat warnings to alert people to protect themselves from high temperatures that leads to about 34 deaths and hundreds of hospitalizations every year.
READ MORE: Outdoor workers rally downtown, urge Miami-Dade County to pass heat protections
Previously, the weather service would issue a heat advisory when a heat index of 108 degrees or more lasted at least two hours. Now, the advisory is issued in Miami-Dade when there is a heat Index of 105 or higher for at least two hours.
And until June, the weather service would issue an excessive heat warning if a heat index of 113 or higher lasted for at least two hours. Presently, the warning is issued when a heat index of 110 or higher lasts for at least two hours.
What about July 4th weekend?
The Fourth of July holiday weekend may include heat advisories if the warming trend continues, but it is too early to tell. Rain forecast for the region may keep temperatures below the levels required to issue the heat alerts, Bhatti said.
According to the weather service, the chances of rain in South Florida are forecast between 60% and 80% through Tuesday.
READ MORE: It’s heat season. Expect more health warnings this summer in Miami-Dade
“We could approach heat advisory criteria through that holiday period,” he said.
This story was originally published June 28, 2023 at 6:17 PM.
