Florida suffers from summerlike conditions ahead of cold front

October 20, 2006

Most of the U.S. state of Florida is sweltering in summerlike heat and humidity ahead of a cold front, which promises to bring down polar air from Canada to cool down the state next week.

A wide swath of Florida has reported temperatures above 90º Fahrenheit (32º Celsius) over the last three days, with heat indices either approaching or topping 100ºF (38º C), with similar conditions persisting into the weekend.

At the Tampa Vandenberg Airport yesterday, few clouds and south-southwest winds pushed the temperature to 93º (34º C), toppling the previous record set for that date (89º in 1993). At the Tampa International Airport, the recorded high was 88º (31º C), just one degree shy of the record set on that date, also in 1993. Record-breaking highs were also witnessed yesterday at the Orlando International Airport: the recorded high was 93º, breaking the record of 91º set back in 1980.

In downtown Jacksonville, the recorded high yesterday was 88º, three degrees shy of the record set in 1980, but still ten degrees higher than the average high for October 19.

Even normally warm Miami flirted with record highs. On October 18, Miami recorded a high of 89º in downtown, one degree shy of the record high set back in 1993. The only part of the state receiving a respite from the high temperatures is the Panhandle, which is already feeling the effects of the nearly stationary cold front.