Key West Hits 115 Degree Heat Index In May— As the United States Prepares For Another Extremely Hot Summer, signing of another halt
Key West’s Wednesday heat index—what temperature feels like to the human body—tied the island city’s greatest heat index on record at 115 degrees, according to AccuWeather, with temperatures reaching 92 degrees.
The National Weather Service said that Miami’s temperature reached 96 degrees on Wednesday, the city’s second-highest temperature in May ever.
Daily low points also touched record highs on Wednesday, offering some cities little reprieve at night as temperatures dropped to 83 degrees in Key West, 81 in Miami, and 77 in Tampa.
According to the National Weather Service, South Florida’s heat index is predicted to rise through Saturday, with feels-like temperatures ranging from 103 to 109 degrees.
The heat index in Key West is anticipated to hit 106 degrees on Saturday, while Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers will see temperatures ranging from 105 to 106.
According to the Washington Post, Saturday’s anticipated temperatures in South Florida are likely to shatter even more records, while the NWS’s severe heat risks are expected to go from “elevated” to “significant.”
TANGENT
Heat waves in the east in the coming months may add to a busy hurricane season this summer and fall, since warm air and warm oceans are known to feed storms. According to AccuWeather, the Atlantic hurricane season might reach a “record-setting pace” this year, with more than 25 named storms forecast during the summer and fall. Forecasters predict that eight to twelve of these storms will develop into hurricanes. Four to seven storms have the potential to become Category 3 or higher major hurricanes (with winds of at least 111 mph).
KEY BACKGROUND
The heat in Florida this week is uncommon for the middle of May and foreshadows what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts to be an extremely hot summer. According to a NOAA summer forecast, parts of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and northern states such as New York, Maine, New Jersey, and Massachusetts will likely see above-average seasonal temperatures. Temperatures in the northwest and southern United States are also forecast to be higher than typical.
