JACKSONVILLE, FL – Jacksonville’s summer fling with the heat may finally be cooling off.
After sweltering through 82 days of 90-degree-plus temperatures this year, we expect a slight reprieve with temperatures in the upper 80s on Thursday and Friday.
While the difference between 89 and 90 degrees might seem negligible, we’ll take it as a hopeful sign that the scorching heatwave is loosening its grip.
But don’t get too comfortable, the low 90s are expected to make a comeback by the weekend.
For those keeping score, the average start of Jacksonville’s 90-degree days is June 11, ending on Aug. 31. Of course, this is just a 30-year average, and there have been outliers.
In 1974, we hit the 90s as early as March 10 – a rare occurrence occurring less than 5% of the time. However, by mid-May, there’s at least a 25% chance we’ll see 90 degrees, and by June, it happens half the time.
July reigns as the peak of our heatwave season, with the mercury often soaring well above 90 for days on end. The all-time record? A sizzling 105°F on July 21, 1942.
Thankfully, Jacksonville has yet to experience 90-degree weather in November, December, January, or February. And with meteorological fall starting on Sept. 1, relief is just around the corner. As the city average dips to 89 degrees, North Florida will gradually cool down while Southern Florida continues to bask in the heat.
Meteorological fall, by the way, is a season defined by scientists to better align with the Earth’s natural temperature cycles. It differs from astronomical fall, which is based on the Earth’s revolution around the sun.
So, as we eagerly await the arrival of cooler days, let’s appreciate the Earth’s 22.5-degree tilt – the reason we get to enjoy the changing seasons as we hurtle through space.