Record Florida warmth comes to an end (H. Michael Mogil, CCM, CBM, DMS)
Last week, I reported on south Florida’s record warmth and indicated that more records were likely to be broken. This week, I get to report that several south and central Florida locales have again set some warm temperature records. A total of seven occurred in the three-day period encompassing Christmas. Here they are:
Dec. 24
…RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE (88) SET AT FORT MYERS…THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 88 SET IN 1981.
Dec. 25
…RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE (88) SET AT FORT MYERS…THIS BROKE THE OLD RECORD OF 87 SET IN 2015.
Dec. 26
…FOR A THIRD DAY IN A ROW, RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE (88) SET AT FORT MYERS…THIS BROKE THE OLD RECORD OF 87 SET IN 2015.
Dec 25
…RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE (85) SET AT MIAMI…THIS TIED THE OLD RECORD OF 85 SET IN 1941.
Dec 26
…RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE (75) SET AT MIAMI…THIS BROKE RECORD OF 74 DEGREES SET IN 1911.
Dec 24
…RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE (85) SET AT TAMPA…THIS BROKE THE OLD RECORD OF 84 SET IN 2015.
Dec 25
…RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE (86) SET AT TAMPA…THIS TIED THE OLD RECORD OF 86 SET IN 2015.
Note that for Miami, temperature records date back to 1895.
This will be the end of warm temperature records for 2015 as a trend toward significantly cooler temperatures has already begun and will intensify by tomorrow evening. A large, modified Pacific air mass will be pushing through the area, at that time, along with gusty northerly winds. Expect winds to get into the small craft advisory category in nearshore and offshore waters and possibly over larger inland lakes (including Lake Okeechobee).
Temperatures should tumble into the 50’s by Friday morning and only rise to the mid and upper 60’s Friday afternoon. Saturday morning will see the mercury dip well into the 40’s inland, with readings near 50 along the coast.
Then, as is typically the case, the arrival of cooler and drier air will be short-lived. Once winds become easterly on Saturday, Atlantic moisture will quickly return. By Sunday, the first day of the new year, daytime highs will again be rising into the lower 80’s.
For the fireworks and other outdoors activities on New Year’s Eve, look for temperatures across southwest Florida to fall into the mid 60’s with light (5 to 10 mile per hour) southeasterly winds.
© 2016 H. Michael Mogil
Originally posted 12/28/16