The South Florida and Keys heat advisories remain, but the weekend could bring a change
South Florida remains under a heat advisory through 7 p.m. Friday, a notch below the excessive heat warnings that had set temperature records this week and were issued on three consecutive days through Thursday. A series of tropical waves could bring temporary relief.
The heat advisory was currently below an excessive warning because the expected “feels-like” combination of heat and dew points is up to 110 Friday, according to the National Weather Service in Miami.
That’s just on the edge. Excessive heat warnings are issued by the service when the heat index will be 110 degrees or higher —”dangerously hot” — for at least two hours.
The Florida Keys is also under a heat advisory through 8 p.m. Friday, with an expected index of 112.
High heat
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On Friday, Brian McNoldy, senior research associate at University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science, expressed wonderment on a post to his social media platforms, Threads and X, noting that Rosenstiel’s weather station on Virginia Key logged its highest heat index ever on Thursday afternoon — 117 degrees. Outdoor temperatures were at 94. “This summer is unlike any other,” he wrote.
Miami also set a daily heat index record of 109 at noon Thursday, according to McNoldy’s research. “This is the 33rd daily record heat index set in the past 59 days. It’s also the 5th consecutive day with a 109°+ heat index (previous longest stretch was 2 days),” he posted.
Highs matching today’s forecast of 94 are going to be close through the weekend, with 94 on Saturday and about 92 on Sunday and Monday. Heat advisories are likely. The forecast heat index Saturday is 108, which would trigger an advisory.
The Keys also will run in the mid-90s through the weekend.
Weekend weather forecast
According to WSVN meteorologist Jackson Dill, “a series of tropical waves will influence our weather pattern into next week, bringing rounds of showers and storms — if the moisture holds,” he posted on X.
One wave could pass through this weekend, the next could arrive in the South Florida area by mid-week.
▪ Friday rain and thunderstorm chance, according to the weather service, is a predicted 30%.
▪ Saturday storm chance: 40%, rising to 60% in the afternoon.
▪ Sunday storm chance: 70% during the day.
▪ Monday storm chance: 60%
▪ Tuesday-Wednesday storm chance: Up to 80%.
The Keys forecast calls for 50% storm chance on Saturday and 30% Sunday and creeps back up to 40% Monday through Wednesday.
