Summer is here, and it’s a scorcher. The sweltering heat is already setting records on the season’s second day, and the “feels like” temperatures will climb to between 105 to 110 degrees throughout the week in Palm Beach County.
The temperature in West Palm Beach reached 96 degrees on June 21, the first official day of summer, which tied with the same record high for that day in 2009. The heat is above average this summer already, said Sammy Hadi, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami.
For the second half of June, the typical average high forecast temperature is about 89 degrees, he said. The average high temperatures this week will be 92 to 93 degrees, so temperatures are expected to be around 3 to 5 degrees higher than usual.
The heat is slightly — but not significantly — above average, Hadi said. The record high temperatures this time of year are in the mid-to-upper 90s, and temperatures are not expected at that level this week.
“The main concern for us will be the continued high apparent temperatures, which are the heat indices during the afternoon hours,” Hadi said. “Prolonged exposure outdoors could be hazardous.”
Why is it hotter than usual?
Less rain is to blame.
South Florida is still in a drought and Palm Beach County has almost 4 inches of rainfall below average this year, Hadi said.
A pool of Saharan dust is arriving across the region through June 23, which will cut down the chances of rain. The highest rain chances in Palm Beach County are in the 10% to 20% range on Monday, June 22 and in the 20% to 30% range on Tuesday, June 23.
This jumps up to 50% to 60% on Wednesday, June 24, with the rain swinging between isolated to scattered activity as the weekend approaches.
Saharan dust tends to stabilize environments. It prevents air from rising and creating showers and thunderstorms over a wide area. This means less rain and protection from tropical storms.
“The lack of showers and storms tend to prevent those cooling mechanisms with those showers and storms from really taking shape,” Hadi said. “Usually, shower and thunderstorm activity knock temperatures back down during the day, but if you have less coverage, you’re still going to be hot, even during the mid-afternoon hours.”
South Florida is also experiencing lighter winds and ample humidity, which leads to even more heat.
How can people stay safe in the heat?
People spending time outside in South Florida should stay hydrated, take frequent breaks in the shade, wear loose-fitting clothing and check on vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly.
“One of the big fatalities that we have related to heat is people forgetting their children and pets in cars,” Hadi said. “Always look before you walk. . . Regardless of how old we are, how fit we are or whatever demographic informational we are, we can take precautions.”
Maya Washburn is a Trending News Reporter for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Brace for ‘feels-like’ temperatures above 100 this week. Here’s why
Reporting by Maya Washburn, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Maya Washburn, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
