The record heat comes after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Wednesday signed a bill scrubbing most references to climate change from state law. Critics say the measure, which will take effect July 1, ignores the threats Florida faces from extreme heat as well as powerful hurricanes and worsening toxic algae blooms. (Office of Governor Ron DeSantis/Wikimedia Commons)
Scorching temperatures set numerous records across South Florida on Wednesday, and historically hot conditions for mid-May will persist through the weekend.
On Wednesday, Key West experienced a particularly brutal combination of heat and humidity, registering a heat index of 115 - matching the highest mark on record for any time of year.
The record heat comes after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Wednesday signed a bill scrubbing most references to climate change from state law. Critics say the measure, which will take effect July 1, ignores the threats Florida faces from extreme heat as well as powerful hurricanes and worsening toxic algae blooms.
Although South Florida is accustomed to warm, humid weather much of the year, this brutal combination of heat and humidity has little precedent in May.
Air temperatures reached the mid- to upper 90s Wednesday, while heat indexes, a measure of how hot it feels factoring in humidity, topped 105 degrees in many areas.
The air temperature in Miami reached 96, while Hollywood hit 100, both records.
The National Weather Service’s HeatRisk index continues to call for major to extreme heat-related impacts in South Florida on Thursday into the weekend, when heat indexes are again predicted to surpass 105 near the coast, where abnormally warm waters make it particularly muggy.
Human-caused climate change is helping to intensify this heat. Climate Central’s Climate Shift Index indicates that it is making the ongoing extreme heat three to four times more likely. Extreme heat indexes
Temperature records wasted away again in Margaritaville on Wednesday. If verified (and there’s no reason it won’t be), the 115 heat index observed in Key West will tie the highest mark ever recorded there, according to Miami-based meteorologist Brian McNoldy.
The average heat index at this time of year in Key West is in the low to mid-90s. Ordinarily, the highest heat indexes occur between July and mid-September.
In coastal South Florida, heat indexes of at least 105 spanned from Venice southward on the west coast and from Palm Beach to Miami and the Keys on the east coast. Inland heat indexes generally ranged from 100 to 105.
Nights aren’t offering much relief. On Thursday morning, heat indexes only dipped to around 90 in Miami and the low 90s in Key West, and little change is predicted over the next several days. Records Among locations that have a long history of climate observations, here’s a rundown of where record highs occurred in South Florida on Wednesday:
West Palm Beach - 98 degrees, topping 94 in 1995.
Fort Lauderdale - 96 degrees, topping 95 in 1938.
Miami - 96 degrees, topping 96 in 1995.
Key West - 92 degrees, topping 90 in 1991.
Even more locations set record-warm lows, and they expanded into northern Florida. Among them: 83 in Key West; 81 in Miami and
West Palm Beach; 77 in Tampa; and 74 in Jacksonville and Orlando.
Key West posted its third calendar day record-warm low in a row on Wednesday, including two days of 83 degrees, which matched the highest recorded in May. This southernmost city in the Lower 48 may end up with a week straight of record-warm morning lows, all in the 80s, before the heat eases.
Fort Lauderdale’s record high on Wednesday was its fourth of the past week, including the record for any day in May when it hit 98 on Saturday, topping 97 during May 1971. The city has also notched 11 record warm lows in a row as of Wednesday, and Tuesday’s low of 85 tied the warmest on record in any month.
Fort Myers also set a record for its warmest May morning, with a low of 82 on Wednesday, surpassing the old mark of 79. Between Thursday and the weekend, forecasts call for record highs and record-warm lows in many of the same places as Wednesday. West Palm Beach, Miami and Key West are all likely to set many more heat records in the days to come.
Maxine Joselow and Jason Samenow contributed to this report.
