Hazardous heat engulfs Florida with feels-like temperatures reaching 115 degrees in Key West

MIAMI – A spring heat wave that started baking parts of South Florida on Wednesday is expected to continue through the rest of the week, with feels-like temperatures reaching well above 100 degrees that could turn deadly.

Daytime heating with temperatures above 90 degrees and high dew points will lead to dangerous warmth south of the Interstate 4 corridor and throughout South Florida. 

This early-season heat wave is particularly dangerous for millions at risk of extreme heat in South Florida because these temperatures are more on par with August during the summer, not mid-May.

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Dew points indicate how much moisture is in the air, and they are forecast to remain in the upper 60s to upper 70s throughout the state through the workweek. 

“It’s the combo of high heat and humidity that becomes so dangerous,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said. “How do we cool down? We step outside, we sweat, that sweat evaporates, and your internal body temperature will drop in response to that.”

With the very soupy air predicted your body cannot take these steps to cool down. Staying indoors in the air conditioning is the only way to keep cool. If you have to be outdoors, stay hydrated and in the shade. 

As of Thursday, Miami has already set six daily record highs for 2024, including last week. By the end of the week, “The 305” could add another few records to the list. 

Miami is forecast to reach a high of 90 degrees on Friday. With high dew points above 75 degrees, it will feel like 103 in Miami and 101 in Key West. 

In West Palm Beach, with a forecast high near 90 degrees, it will feel like nearly 100 degrees on Friday.

The rest of Florida is also heating up this week. 

Tallahassee is forecast to hit 88 degrees on Friday, with Jacksonville expected to reach a high of 90.

Orlando’s heat index will continue to rise this week and is expected to flirt with 100 on Saturday. 

Tampa’s warmest day in terms of the heat index will likely be Saturday, with a forecast feels-like temperature of 103. 

Fort Myers will hold steady throughout the week, with temperatures feeling like over 100 into the weekend. 

Nighttime won’t offer relief from the heat as temperatures will remain in the 80s.

Florida seeing early-season, record-breaking heat

Records have been tied or broken across South Florida this week, and it looks like that trend will continue.

Key West, for example, was absolutely baking on Wednesday.

The city tied its highest heat index ever at a sweltering 115 degrees. The actual temperature also reached 92 degrees on Wednesday, which broke its old record for that date of 90 degrees back in 1884.

While Key West is the southernmost point in the U.S., numerous records were broken farther north.

Miami reached 96 degrees on Wednesday, which was its second-highest May temperature on record. The highest was 98 degrees in May 2017.

And if you thought nighttime would bring some relief from the heat, think again.

Fort Lauderdale tied its all-time warmest low temperature on record Tuesday when it only dropped to 85 degrees. That tied its old record set back on July 23, 1945.

Key West, too, only dropped to 82 degrees on Tuesday morning, which broke a daily record-warm low of 81 degrees from 1995.

West Palm Beach also saw a record-warm low temperature of 81 degrees on Wednesday morning, breaking its old record of 79 degrees set in 1938.

Check twice before you lock

With the early heat in Florida, parents and guardians must be vigilant in checking their vehicles for children and pets. Even on an 80-degree day, leaving a child or pet inside a car can be deadly. 

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When temperatures outside are above 80 degrees, your vehicle becomes a convection oven. Within 20 minutes, temperatures inside a car can rise nearly 30 degrees, causing life-threatening heat stroke for children.

The graphic below shows how hot a car can become with the temperatures forecast this week. 

“We have feels-like temperatures that will be in the triple digits. You got to think about heat safety,” Merwin said. “Think about kids in cars, pets in cars, your neighbors. Everybody kind of needs to check in on one another as we take a look at early onset for heat.”