Summer officially ends Saturday. To Floridians, it will probably just be another hot September day.
A stifling late-summer heat wave has gripped most of the Sunshine State this month, and there is little relief in sight through the weekend.
As of Wednesday (the 19th), 41 warm weather records have been broken and seven cities are currently on pace for their warmest September in recorded history. While Septembers are typically still summer-like in Florida, the 2018 numbers have been averaging 3 to 5 degrees above normal statewide the entire month. Average afternoon highs this time of year are generally in the upper 80's and overnight lows are often near 70.
The following records have been tied or broken at the official climate reporting stations through the state, listed in alphabetical order.
- A record high of 94 degrees was set three consecutive days (Sept. 14-16) in Daytona Beach, and a record warm minimum temperature was established on Sept. 4. x
- Gainesville has been one of the hottest spots in the state, where as of Thursday afternoon, the mercury had soared to 95 degrees or higher for eight consecutive days. Two record highs have been set this month, with the highest occurring on September 15 when the airport hit 97 degrees. Earlier this week, three consecutive record warm minimum temperatures were broken, one in particular that was extremely warm. The morning of September 16th was the warmest in over 100 years, with a 7 am temperature of 81 and a heat index (what it felt like) of 88°.
- A record high was recorded in Key West on September 17, 18 and 20, with the hottest all-time record high tied for a sixth time at 95 degrees on the 20th. A record warm minimum was also set on the 18th at 85°.
- Melbourne set a new record high of 96 degrees on the 15th, and a new warm minimum on the 5th with a balmy 81 degrees.
- Miami International Airport tied a warm minimum temperature of 81 degrees on the 4th and 17th.
- A warm minimum temperature record was set on November 4th in Naples (79°), and then tied on consecutive mornings September 16 (79°) and 17 (78°).
- The record warm minimum temperature was tied in Orlando on the 5th (77°) and 18th (76°).
- Three consecutive days of warm minimum temperatures were recorded in Saint Petersburg. The warmest night occurred on Sept. 16 with 83 degrees. A record high of 93 degrees was tied on Sept. 12.
- The Sanford-Orlando International airport set nine new records for high and warm minimum temperatures. From Sept. 15-19, there were five consecutive warm minimums. The warmest night ever in September occurred on Sept. 16 at 80 degrees.
- Record warm minimum temperatures were set in Tampa Sept. 15-17, with the mercury only falling to 84 degrees on the 16th. This was one degree shy of the all-time warmest night in September, which is 85 degrees. A new record high of 95 was set on both September 12 and 13.
- Vero Beach tied their record high of 95 degrees on the 15th, then again at 94 degrees on the 19th.
While a significant cool down isn't expected anytime soon, some subtle relief will likely arrive this weekend thanks to slight shift in the pattern. A stronger breeze from the Atlantic Ocean is expected, which will knock temperatures down just a bit across the peninsula by Saturday. Afternoon highs are expected to be closer to normal just in time for the start of fall, which officially arrives Saturday at 9:54 pm EDT.
Copyright 2018 WUFT 89.1
