Weather alert: Miami and Broward under another heat advisory. What forecast says
For the second straight day, the National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
Tuesday’s advisory is in effect from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday, with feels-like temperatures of 105 to 107 in Monday’s forecast. Before 6 a.m., Pembroke Pines was already feeling the heat into the upper-80s.
The region also was under a heat advisory on Monday as thousands of people headed to a World Cup match in Miami Gardens and a fan festival in downtown Miami. The next match in Miami-Dade is Sunday, Father’s Day.
The weather service warns that “hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.”
“It’ll be another toasty day,” Shane Hinton, a meteorologist at Miami Herald news partner CBS News Miami, said on Tuesday morning.
Peak heat in South Florida is expected around 2 p.m.
On Monday, the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust activated an emergency outreach plan. In partnership with county government, teams wearing red “Heat Alert” T-shirts planned to fan out into communities to let people know about the advisory and hand out cool-down supplies including water and ice packs.
While the heat index is expected to reach the triple figures again on Tuesday, the actual high for Monday is 91, dropping to 80 at night.
Unlike Monday, expect sunny skies on Tuesday without much rain, according to the National Weather Service.
Hinton said it will be “drier today,” with some scattered showers in South Florida. He also expects heat alerts to be issued into the week and possibly into the weekend. “The heat is sticking around.”
MORE: As World Cup arrives, Miami’s heat and humidity a concern for players, fans
What is a heat advisory?
The National Weather Service in Miami issues a heat advisory if the heat index is 105 degrees for at least a couple of hours. Before 2023, the weather service issued a heat advisory when the heat index hit 108 degrees. The goal is to spread awareness so that people protect themselves from extreme heat that leads to more than 30 deaths and hundreds of hospitalizations every year, according to county estimates.
What is the heat index?
The heat index is a measure of how hot it really feels when relative humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature, according to the weather service. This is how hot it “feels like” on your skin on steamy days.
How can you prevent heat illness?
Miami-Dade County has issued several hot weather survival tips, based on U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advice, and noted who is most at risk:
Who is most at risk of heat-related illnesses:
Older adults 65 and older, young children, people with chronic health conditions or mental illness, athletes who exercise outdoors, outdoor workers, people living unsheltered or with limited access to air conditioning, pregnant people, and pets.
What you should do:
▪ Stay cool by spending time in air-conditioned buildings.
▪ Avoid direct contact with the sun.
▪ Reduce physical activity and move to shaded areas.
▪ Do outdoor activities in the cooler morning or evening hours, and dampening your shirt or wrapping a wet scarf or bandana around your neck or forehead could also help.
▪ Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water or drinks with electrolytes if you’re sweating. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more. Use sunscreen, too, to protect against skin damage.
▪ Limit or avoid dehydrating caffeine and alcohol.
▪ Never leave infants, children or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open.
▪ Watch for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Seek medical care immediately if you know someone who experiences symptoms that could include high body temperature, headache, dizziness or nausea and confusion.