July is a hot and humid month for Florida. No surprises there, but the National Weather Service is warning residents a “significant heat wave” is expected in some parts of the state this week.
Heat advisories have been issued for three counties in South Florida July 7.
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At least the tropics remain quiet, with wind shear and Saharan dust helping prevent any tropical development, despite warming water temperatures.
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Florida residents shouldn’t be concerned about four tropical waves out there.
“The first waves that come off Africa are usually too far south, and there’s often too much dry air and wind shear for them to develop,” said Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather lead hurricane expert, via email. “There’s no real concern with these early-season tropical waves.”
Here’s the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center as of 8 a.m., July 7:
When is hurricane season in Florida?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
Ninety-seven percent of tropical cyclone activity occurs during this time period, NOAA said.
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The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of America, as the Gulf of Mexico is now known in the U.S. per an order from President Trump. NOAA and the National Hurricane Center are now using Gulf of America on its maps and in its advisories.
Countdown clock to end of 2026 Atlantic hurricane season
Saharan dust, winds make for common lull in storms this time of year
Wind shear and Saharan dust have kept the Atlantic basin quiet, despite warm Atlantic waters.
The only named storm so far this year has been Tropical Storm Arthur, which formed on June 17.
“At this point in the season, it is not entirely unusual to have a lull in tropical activity across the Atlantic waters,” according to AccuWeather.
“On average, the second named storm of the Atlantic season forms by July 17.”
The next named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season will be Bertha.
‘Significant heat wave’ to hit Florida
“A significant heat wave is expected this week across east central Florida,” the National Weather Service Melbourne posted on X.
The heat index could reach as high as 110 in some areas.
A moderate to major heat risk is expected during the week, increasing to an extreme heat risk July 9 through the weekend.
Above-average temperatures expected throughout the week in North Florida, too, according to the National Weather Service Tallahassee. Heat advisory conditions — with a heat index of 108 or higher — are possible on July 8.
National Hurricane Center tracking 4 tropical waves, no disturbances
There were no disturbances listed by the National Hurricane Center on its tropical outlook map as of 8 a.m. July 7, and none were expected over the next seven days.
There are four tropical waves out there:
What is a disturbance?
The National Hurricane Center’s tropical outlook map highlights “disturbances” in the Atlantic basin.
These are clusters of storms with some organization, but which don’t have a defined circulation typical of tropical cyclones.
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If shown on the tropical outlook map in orange or red, forecasters are predicting the potential of those disturbances into developing as medium or high, respectively.
Disturbances shown on the map with a gray x have little to no chance for development. This is a change from prior years which indicated such disturbances in yellow.
What is a tropical wave?
“Tropical waves are clusters of showers and thunderstorms that act as the seedlings for many tropical storms throughout the Atlantic season,” said Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather lead hurricane expert, via email.
“There are about 60 tropical waves that move across the Atlantic each year, and roughly 10 percent to 15 percent of them develop into a tropical system. That’s about one in seven.
“Tropical waves are important because they contribute to about 80 percent of all major hurricanes.”
How many tropical storms, hurricanes are in a typical season?
The 30-year average, from 1991 to 2020, is for 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.
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What are National Hurricane Center’s tropical outlooks?
The National Hurricane Center started issuing daily tropical outlooks May 15. The outlooks will be updated every six hours until rhe season ends Nov. 30.
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An outlook could be issued before or beyond those dates if something showing potential for development appears.
Florida weather radar for July 7, 2026
Weather watches and warnings issued in Florida
When is the peak of hurricane season?
The peak of the season is Sept. 10, with the most activity happening between mid-August and mid-October, according to the Hurricane Center.
Why does NHC say ‘tropical cyclone’ on its maps instead of hurricane or tropical storm?
Tropical cyclone is the generic term used by the National Weather Service, NOAA and the National Hurricane Center for any tropical system, even if it’s in the tropical Atlantic basin.
To be more precise, a tropical cyclone is a “rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has closed, low-level circulation,” NOAA sadi.
Once maximum sustained winds reach 74 mph, what it is called is determined by where it originated:
What are names for 2026 Atlantic hurricane season?
Here are the names for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season and how to pronounce them:
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What’s next?
We will continue to update our tropical weather coverage to bring you the most current information you need to protect your home and family.
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Florida braces for extreme heat as tropics stay quiet
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
