JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Everywhere you go people are talking about the weather, sometimes while simultaneously wiping sweat from their brows. It’s truly been a hot, hot summer and we continue to talk about it every day.
For the seventh day in a row on Wednesday, the National Weather Service (NWS) Jacksonville has issued a Heat Advisory, meaning the “feels like” temperature will be above 108. The NWS defines the heat index as what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature.
“The preliminary peak heat index at the JAX Int’l Airport for Tuesday 8/13 was 108F, which tied the all-time record of 33 days with peak heat index [above/equal to] 108F from 1981. In addition, this was the 67th day with a peak heat index of [above/equal to] 100F this summer, already above the average summer total of 64 days,” Jason Hess, a meteorologist at NWS Jacksonville, said.
While the heat advisories may end, for now, after Wednesday, that doesn’t mean the heat is going away anytime soon. We’ll continue to have “feels like” temperatures in the 100-105 range over the next few days and into the weekend, even with a decrease in both temperatures and rain.
Meanwhile, the number of Heat Advisory days this summer isn’t the only story.
“So far this summer (6/1 thru 8/13), the average temp has been 83.7F (+2.0F above normal) at the JAX Int’l Airport, tied with 1981 for warmest on record so far (since 1971),” Hess said.
Perhaps you’ve noticed it’s hot and sticky when you walk the dog in the morning or when you’re leaving for work. Well, it’s true, our overnight temperatures are warmer, also.
“More impressive is the overnight avg Min Temp has been 74.2F (+1.7F above normal), which is the warmest on record by an entire degree at the current Int’l Airport location and is likely due to the more humid air mass that has in place most of the summer months,” Hess said.
A cold front is heading our way over the next few days bringing along cooler temperatures (forecasted highs just shy of 90 on Thursday and Friday) and little to no rain for later this week, and into the weekend.
This will be a welcomed change for most after weeks of rain, including Tropical Storm Debby.